Nitric and Sulfuric acids, among others are very difficult to get in most places now days. I know this has been talked about often, I live in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and even I am having a difficult time finding it. I have read that sometimes electrical contractors have it, nothing, nada. I don't like the idea of using battery electrolyte for it's sulfuric acid, but I am not keen about the other ingredients, I don't know enough about them and suspect that it's better to purchase it without any added detergents or ingredients.
I ended up purchasing my Nitric Acid and Sulfuric acid from a pool supply company. It was kind of funny, the young guy who answered the phone asked me point blank when I asked if they carried those two acids, that yes they did and did I need them because I was making Aqua Regia and using them for refining, or if I was using them for a meth lab.
When I actually got there as was in the process of purchasing all the goodies, I asked the sales person about the acids, she has been working there for over 20 years. She said that it wasn't until 2002 or around there that the sales of their acids really jumped off the charts. I ended up talking with her awhile about it, then came home and Googled the information. So far as I can tell this is what happened.
In 1988 strict restrictions were put on the sales of sulfuric acid because it was known to be used in the process of making Methamphetamine. That didn't make it disappear off the shelf, it just restricted it's sale and use to specific industries. That's understandable and doesn't sound too unreasonable, so long as everyday average people can purchase it when it is specifically needed. Then after 9/11 the restrictions for all types of acids were increased. So even fewer retailers are allowed to sell it. You can find it in products, but it's very difficult to find it in a 500ml bottle or bigger unless you are dealing with a chemical supply company, or Grainger, etc. However, to purchase this way you have to have a business license, a tax ID number and because this is heavily regulated by the US Government, everything is tracked and stiff delivery fee is assessed.
There are still a few retailers who require quantities Sulfuric and Nitric acid, and for these retailers the restrictions are different. Sulfuric Acid is used as a water quality testing reagent for swimming pools. It seems that pool supply companies are allowed to purchase quantities of both Sulfuric and Nitric acids, and you can pay cash without worry about your name and address being associated with the purchase of those acids.
I try to fly under the radar with everything I am doing, I don't feel the US Gov has any right to track what I purchase so the idea of being able to buy these acids with cash, and not worry about being added to a list of people who do is very attractive to me.
So if you are looking for chemicals, even if your local pool supply store doesn't carry them, they can probably purchase them because the restrictions for pool supply companies are different than for other retailers. They have a legitimate use for the acids as consumables.
Just a note, if the person you speak with tells you that they don't sell Sulfuric Acid, tell them you want a bottle of the reagent that is sulfuric acid, they should sell tiny bottles of it, and you should be able to order larger bottles to refill the smaller bottles.
Hope this helps
