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What ingredient in orange juice removes rust?

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What ingredient in orange juice removes rust?

To explain why orange juice removes rust it's necessary to start considering what is rust.

Rust is the name of iron oxides that form when iron corrodes; Fe2O3, Fe3O4

Iron oxides, like all the oxides, dissolve in acid.

Fe2O3 + 6 HCl → 2 FeCl3 + 3 H2O

Now we have to consider Orange juice and how it can dissolve rust.

Orange juice is a highly acidic food due to its high citris acid content. The pH of raonge juice is approx 3-4, consider that fresh water has a pH of approx 7-8.

So orange juice dissolves rust because the acid, citrus acid, reacts with iron oxides.

source:

http://www.ctds.info/acidic-foods.html

http://www.jackeden.com/tips/phmat.html

 

                                                                                                             
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