A carbonate salt pairs a metal or ammonium ion with the carbonate ion, CO3 2-, a carbon atom bonded to three oxygens. Most carbonates on this page are white, odorless solids that are only mildly to moderately soluble in water, and nearly all of them are alkaline, meaning they raise pH rather than lower it, which is the exact opposite behavior of the acids in our catalog. Sodium carbonate is the one you've probably already used without realizing it: it's the same compound sold as washing soda or soda ash, a strongly alkaline cleaning agent with a pH around 11. Calcium carbonate is the main component of limestone, chalk and marble, and shows up constantly as an antacid and calcium supplement. Each carbonate behaves a little differently depending on the metal attached, so it's worth checking the specific product rather than assuming they're interchangeable.
COMMON APPLICATIONS
Cleaning and laundry use with sodium carbonate, where its alkalinity boosts detergent and softens hard water. Food and beverage processing, where FCC grade carbonates adjust pH, act as a leavening agent, or supply calcium and other minerals. Pharmaceutical and supplement formulation, where USP grade carbonates serve as antacids, calcium sources, or excipients. Glass, ceramics and ceramic glaze production, which relies heavily on sodium carbonate as a flux. Water treatment and pH adjustment in industrial processes. General laboratory reagent and buffer use across all five carbonate families stocked here.
GRADES EXPLAINED
Lab Grade is solid, everyday purity with no official monograph, the practical choice for general industrial and research use. FCC Food Grade meets food chemical standards, the one to buy for food, beverage or supplement applications, and that's where most of the Kosher and Halal certified products sit. USP Grade meets pharmacopeia standards for pharmaceutical use. ACS Reagent Grade is tested to American Chemical Society limits for analytical methods where trace impurities matter.
TYPES & GRADES AT A GLANCE
WHY BUY FROM LAB ALLEY
256,000+ customers already order their chemicals and reagents from Lab Alley. 99.5% of orders ship within 1 to 2 business days, and 98.9% inventory accuracy means the grade you see in stock is the grade that ships. SDS and COA are available online for every carbonate salt, and select food grade sodium, potassium, calcium, ammonium and magnesium carbonate products carry Kosher and Halal certification; check each product page for which applies.
Related: See our Sulfates and Sodium Hydroxide collections, or browse all Salts.