Calcium Gluconate

Calcium Gluconate is typically formed by Calcium Carbonate undergoing the neutralisation reaction with Gluconic Acid.

What is the neutralisation reaction?

When we talk about how acidic something is, we generally talk in terms of pH. pH exists as a 1 – 14 scale, with 7 being a perfectly neutral pH – this is where pure water sits.

Acidic and alkaline substances, when combined, will react to form a different product, with water as a ‘waste product’. The pH of the resulting product is 7 – the acid and alkali have neutralised each other.

In this case, Calcium Carbonate and Gluconic Acid neutralise each other to form Calcium Gluconate. Calcium Carbonate is an alkaline, and has a pH higher than 7. Gluconic acid is acidic, and has a pH lower than 7. The resulting product, Calcium Gluconate, typically has a pH between 6 and 8.

Calcium Carbonate is commonly found in rocks, most notably as limestone. It is typically extracted by mining or quarrying.