Oxalic Acid
Oxalic Acid, a white solid that is a strong organic acid. Oxalic acid is a product of certain metabolic processes and is found in the tissues of many plants and animals. It is concentrated in the form of its potassium and calcium salts in plants of the oxalis genus and in green vegetables such as chard, spinach, and rhubarb leaves. This substance can be poisonous if eaten in large amounts.
Oxalic acid is made commercially by heating sodium formate and acidifying the product. It is used as a bleaching agent in the textile and leather industries, as a rust and ink stain remover in laundering, and as a cleaning agent in some industrial processes. Certain textile dyes and other chemicals are made from this acid.
The chemical formula of oxalic acid is (Cooh)2.