Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China sales01@liwei-chem.com 1557459043@qq.com
Follow us:



Citric Acid Anhydrous BP EP USP Pharma Grade: Description, Facts, and Insights

What is Citric Acid Anhydrous BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Citric Acid Anhydrous BP EP USP Pharma Grade is a solid, crystalline compound, recognized by the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries for its high purity and consistent quality. Laboratories and production sites often choose this grade due to its compliance with major pharmacopeia standards: British Pharmacopoeia (BP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Chemically, the formula stands as C6H8O7, reflecting its composition of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. This material, absent of water, distinguishes itself from its monohydrate counterpart through both texture and reactivity, offering unique benefits for dry formulations, tablets, and other products where moisture control remains critical. Across my years in various lab settings, I noticed how much more stable this anhydrous variant stays in storage, reducing risks of degradation and unexpected reactions. People rely on its granular or powdery texture, which makes weighing, mixing, and dissolving highly predictable whether in healthcare preparations or flavoring batches for beverages.

Physical and Chemical Properties

This solid compound appears as colorless crystals, often looking like fine powder, flakes, or pearls, depending on grinding and crystallization processes. Citric Acid Anhydrous records a specific density of roughly 1.66 g/cm3, placing it on the heavier side for organic acids, which often comes in handy for precise dosing and dissolution planning. On contact, it feels cool and gritty, not sticky, reflecting good purity levels. Unlike its hydrated form, the anhydrous grade keeps its structure stable in open air unless humidity climbs significantly. You can observe it melting at around 153°C, making it stable throughout all typical storage and transit conditions. With a molecular weight of 192.12 g/mol, it dissolves instantly in water, yielding a clear, colorless solution that pharmaceutical labs and beverage producers trust for batch reproducibility. Some facilities shifting from monohydrate to anhydrous grades have reported cost savings on transport, thanks to the absence of water weight.

Structure and Molecular Features

Citric Acid Anhydrous boasts a three-carboxylic acid structure, tagged chemically as a weak organic acid. In practical terms, its triprotic feature lets it chelate metals and adjust pH reliably. Whether working with solutions in the lab or mixing citric acid in solid blends, the presence of three -COOH groups means pronounced acidity. Thanks to this unique structure, it can act as both a preservative and flavor enhancer, serving multiple applications from pharmaceuticals to soft drinks and household cleaners. Its crystalline nature means it stores well without rapid caking, a point I've experienced time and again in bulk warehouse settings. The molecular stability allows for easy measurement, and the absence of any water means no silent chemical shifts over months of storage.

Specifications and Standards

Citric Acid Anhydrous Pharma Grade must consistently meet the strict criteria set out by major pharmacopeia guidelines. Purity often lands above 99.5%, securing acceptance for injection, oral, and topical products. Maximum allowable heavy metals remain below 10 ppm, and the compound must clear all visual and microbial purity tests. In my experience handling quality control checks, compliance often determines supplier selection, budget allocation, and client satisfaction at the regulatory level. Administrators care that harmful impurities, such as oxalates, lead, and arsenic, stay far below detection thresholds, which keeps final medications and supplements safe for everyday use. A consistent pH (1% solution, pH 2.2–2.5), reliable solubility, and predictably stable reactivity rank high among production and quality teams planning large-scale batches.

Forms and Presentation

Market demand runs high for citric acid anhydrous in multiple forms: crystal, powder, pearls, and flakes. Each variation meets the needs of specific industries. Powder and fine crystals often anchor pharmaceutical and beverage products, where easy measurement and rapid dissolution are non-negotiable. Flakes and pearls find use in industrial descaling solutions, bath bombs, and household cleaners. Whether packaging in kilo-bags or drums, manufacturers strive to keep the product dry, using moisture-barrier linings in every batch. First-hand, ordering both powder and crystal forms in production batches confirmed the importance of matching form to process. Clumping or slow dissolution due to form mismatch can delay entire production lines and lead to costly waste.

HS Code, Raw Materials, and Trade

Citric Acid Anhydrous Pharma Grade commonly trades under the HS Code 29181400, placing it within the category of carboxylic acids with additional hydroxyl groups. This code ensures smooth global trade, customs compliance, and logistics planning. The raw materials that feed into its production usually stem from natural sources, such as corn or molasses, with the acid derived through microbial fermentation, a well-established eco-friendly process. Industries often monitor suppliers’ feedstock sources both for traceability and quality assurance, especially when pharmaceuticals depend on the output’s purity. My time auditing suppliers taught me a simple truth: raw material quality, traceability, and assurance matter as much as—if not more than—the final product's testing.

Material Safety, Hazards, and Chemical Risks

Working safely with Citric Acid Anhydrous depends on basic precautions. Classified as a low-risk, non-hazardous material, its main dangers come from concentrated dust exposure to eyes or lungs, leading sometimes to irritation or mild coughing. Unlike many other lab chemicals, this acid stays well tolerated in both occupational and pharmacy environments. Its long use history and proven safety record make it a staple not just for technical applications, but household cleaners and cosmetics as well. Spillage clean-up requires no special neutralizers—just water does the trick. Safe storage still demands dry, sealed containment, since moisture can clump the material or cause slow transformation to the monohydrate form, risking formula inconsistency. Labels correctly mark it as non-flammable and non-toxic, but recommend gloves and dust masks for bulk handling. Chemical stability, non-volatility, and non-bioaccumulative nature secure its place on lists of preferred raw materials in clean-room and GMP-certified settings.

Why it Matters and Paths Forward

Citric Acid Anhydrous Pharma Grade stands at the intersection of safety, raw material quality, regulatory compliance, and laboratory performance. I have seen regulatory scrutiny tighten, especially on trace contamination and source documentation, which means only suppliers who keep thorough records and transparent processes thrive over the long run. As product recalls and contamination scandals remind us, trust in the supply chain means regular third-party audits and extra focus on batch testing. For the next decade, pushing greener feedstock sources, investing in smarter packaging to curb moisture ingress, and standardizing digital tracking for every lot should rank high among responsible manufacturers. These steps matter if we want to keep health products safe, affordable, and effective for real people.