question: How does baking soda eliminate odors?
comment: The answer is it Technically doesnt. Whennpeople say somthing eliminates an odor what they mean is masking it with a different smell. An odor will never go away until the source is cleaned. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a substance with a low ph or acidity. Many odors that lurk around tend to have higher ph levels. So the baking soda nutralizes the odors by absorbing them. Sorta like how salt absorbs water but the odor is the water.
passages: In 1935, he wrote a book entitled "Elimination of Taste and Odor in Water." The work became a classic in the field of sanitary engineering and paved the way for others to control taste and odor problems. The book goes into some detail on how and where to feed powdered activated carbon (PAC) for taste and odor control.
   BULLET::::2. Peerless added odorant in proportion to the gas flow, by using a gas meter to drive the odorant pump.
  
  Section::::Other odorizers.
  
  Section::::Other odorizers.:Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers.
   BULLET::::- "Supercritical fluid extraction": A relatively new technique for extracting fragrant compounds from a raw material, which often employs Supercritical CO. Due to the low heat of process and the relatively nonreactive solvent used in the extraction, the fragrant compounds derived often closely resemble the original odor of the raw material.
   All these techniques will, to a certain extent, distort the odor of the aromatic compounds obtained from the raw materials. This is due to the use of heat, harsh solvents, or through exposure to oxygen in the extraction process which will denature the aromatic compounds, which either change their odor character or renders them odorless.
   In supercritical fluid extraction, high pressure carbon dioxide gas (up to 100 atm.) is used as a solvent. Due to the low heat of process and the relatively unreactive solvent used in the extraction, the fragrant compounds derived often closely resemble the original odour of the raw material. Like solvent extraction, the CO extraction takes place at a low temperature, extracts a wide range of compounds, and leaves the aromatics unaltered by heat, rendering an essence more faithful to the original. Since CO is gas at normal atmospheric pressure, it also leaves no trace of itself in the final product, thus allowing one to get the absolute directly without having to deal with a concrete. It is a low-temperature process, and the solvents are easily removed. Extracts produced using this process are known as "CO extracts".
   Section::::Formulation and mechanism.
  
  Baking powder is made up of a base, an acid, and a buffering material to prevent the acid and base from reacting before their intended use. 
  
  Most commercially available baking powders are made up of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO, also known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda) and one or more acid salts.
  
  Section::::Formulation and mechanism.:Acid-base reactions.
  
  When combined with water, the sodium bicarbonate and acid salts react to produce gaseous carbon dioxide. 
   BULLET::::- Absolute: Fragrant materials that are purified from a "pommade" or "concrete" by soaking them in ethanol. By using a slightly hydrophilic compound such as ethanol, most of the fragrant compounds from the waxy source materials can be extracted without dissolving any of the fragrantless waxy molecules. Absolutes are usually found in the form of an oily liquid.
   Section::::Uses.:Cooking.
  
  Section::::Uses.:Cooking.:Leavening.
  
  In cooking, baking soda is primarily used in baking as a leavening agent. When it reacts with acid, carbon dioxide is released, which causes expansion of the batter and forms the characteristic texture and grain in pancakes, cakes, quick breads, soda bread, and other baked and fried foods. Acidic compounds that induce this reaction include phosphates, cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cocoa, and vinegar. Baking soda may be used together with sourdough, which is acidic, making a lighter product with a less acidic taste.
   As described above, baking powder is mainly just baking soda mixed with an acid. In principle, a number of kitchen acids may be combined with baking soda to simulate commercial baking powders. Vinegar (dilute acetic acid), especially white vinegar, is also a common acidifier in baking; for example, many heirloom chocolate cake recipes call for a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Where a recipe already uses buttermilk or yogurt, baking soda can be used without cream of tartar (or with less). Alternatively, lemon juice can be substituted for some of the liquid in the recipe, to provide the required acidity to activate the baking soda. The main variable with the use of these kitchen acids is the rate of leavening.
   Solid perfume
  
  Solid perfumes or cream perfumes are perfumes in solid state rather than the liquid mix of alcohol (ethanol) and water used in eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, etc. Normally the substance that gives the cream its base comes from a type of wax that is initially melted. Once melted, a scent or several scents may be added. 
   Section::::Maceration/solvent extraction.:Ethanol extraction.
  
  Ethanol extraction is a type of solvent extraction used to extract fragrant compounds directly from dry raw materials, as well as the impure oils or concrete resulting from organic solvent extraction, expression, or enfluerage. Ethanol extracts from dry materials are called "tinctures", while ethanol washes for purifying oils and concretes are called "absolutes".
   BULLET::::- "Dry/destructive distillation": The raw materials are directly heated in a still without a carrier solvent such as water. Fragrant compounds that are released from the raw material by the high heat often undergo anhydrous pyrolysis, which results in the formation of different fragrant compounds, and thus different fragrant notes. This method is used to obtain fragrant compounds from fossil amber and fragrant woods where an intentional "burned" or "toasted" odor is desired.
   Section::::History.:The rise of baking powder.:Eben Norton Horsford.
  
  In America, Eben Norton Horsford, a student of Justus von Liebig, set out to create a flour fortifier and leavening agent. In 1856, he was awarded a patent for "pulverulent phosphoric acid," a process for extracting monocalcium pyrophosphate extracted from bones. Combined with baking soda, monocalcium pyrophosphate provided a double-acting form of leavening. Its initial reaction, when exposed to water, released carbon dioxide and produced dicalcium phosphate, which then reacted under heat to release second-stage carbon dioxide.
   Another typical acid in such formulations is cream of tartar (KCHO), a derivative of tartaric acid.
  
  In some jurisdictions, it is required that baking soda must produce at least 10 per cent of its weight of carbon dioxide. 
  
  Section::::Formulation and mechanism.:Single- and double-acting baking powders.
  
  The use of two acidic components is the basis of the term "double acting." 
  
  The acid in a baking powder can be either fast-acting or slow-acting. 
   Also known as "rectification", the raw materials are directly heated in a still without a carrier solvent such as water. Fragrant compounds that are released from the raw material by the high heat often undergo anhydrous pyrolysis, which results in the formation of different fragrant compounds, and thus different fragrant notes. This method is used to obtain fragrant compounds from fossil amber and fragrant woods (such as birch tar) where an intentional "burned" or "toasted" odour is desired.
  
  Section::::Distillation.:Fractionation distillation.
   Odorizers are used in carbon dioxide fire extinguisher systems, the odorizer assembly injects wintergreen oil into the carbon dioxide stream when the agent is discharged. Approximately 50 cc of wintergreen oil contained within a frangible glass cartridge is mounted within a protective housing attached to the discharge piping in such a manner as to rupture the glass container when the carbon dioxide manifold is pressurized during discharge, atomizing the oil and dispersing it. The strong wintergreen scent effectively notifies the occupants of the presence of carbon dioxide gas after carbon dioxide has been discharged into the hazard.
   Absorption bypass odorizers take a portion of the gas stream, the amount being dependent on the flow of gas in the line, and run it through a tank containing liquid odorant. The gas is passed over the top of the liquid. Variations exist where wicks are utilized to increase odorant vaporization.
  
  Section::::Liquid injection type odorizers.
   Section::::Applications.:In food products.
  
  Diacetyl and acetoin are two compounds that give butter its characteristic taste. Because of this, manufacturers of artificial butter flavoring, margarines or similar oil-based products typically add diacetyl and acetoin (along with beta-carotene for the yellow color) to make the final product butter-flavored, because it would otherwise be relatively tasteless.
  
  Section::::Applications.:Electronic cigarettes.
  
  Diacetyl is used as a flavoring agent in some liquids used in electronic cigarettes. and people nearby may be exposed to it in the exhaled aerosol at levels near the limit set for occupational exposure.
   Hydrogen odorant
  
  A hydrogen odorant in any form, is a minute amount of odorant such as ethyl isobutyrate, with a rotting-cabbage-like smell, that is added to the otherwise colorless and almost odorless hydrogen gas, so that leaks can be detected before a fire or explosion occurs. Odorants are considered non-toxic in the extremely low concentrations occurring in hydrogen gas delivered to the end user.
  
  The approach is not new, for the same safety reasons the odorant "tert"-butyl mercaptan is used in natural gas.
  
  Section::::See also.
  
  BULLET::::- Odor detection threshold
  
  Section::::External links.
  
  BULLET::::- Odorant for hydrogen based on acrylate and acetophenone
   Whether commercially or domestically prepared, the principles behind baking powder formulations remain the same. The acid-base reaction can be generically represented as shown:
  
  The real reactions are more complicated because the acids are complicated. For example, starting with baking soda and monocalcium phosphate the reaction produces carbon dioxide by the following stoichiometry:
  
  A typical formulation (by weight) could call for 30% sodium bicarbonate, 5–12% monocalcium phosphate, and 21–26% sodium aluminium sulfate. 
  
  Alternately, a commercial baking powder might use sodium acid pyrophosphate as one of the two acidic components instead of sodium aluminium sulfate.
   Section::::Uses.:Cosmetics.
  
  This compound is used frequently in cosmetic products such as perfumes, bath gels, detergent powders, liquid detergents, fabric softeners, and soaps as it gives off a floral scent. The acid is commonly used as flavoring for toothpastes and mouthwashes in addition to providing floral scents and possible fruity, minty, spearmint, strawberry, lychee, and herbal flavorings.
   Odorants used for natural gas vary from country to country, depending on gas distribution regulations. Some odorants contain sulfur, which is oxidized to sulfur dioxide when the gas is burned. 
  
  Sulfur containing odorants include:
  
  BULLET::::- tert-Butylthiol (TBM) the main ingredient in many gas odorant blends
  
  BULLET::::- Tetrahydrothiophene (THT), used as an odorant for natural gas, usually in mixtures containing tert-butylthiol
  
  BULLET::::- 2-Propanethiol, commonly known as isopropyl mercaptan (IPM) is used as an odorant for natural gas usually in mixtures containing tert-butylthiol
   BULLET::::- Eau de Parfum (EdP), Parfum de Toilette (PdT): 10–20% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds. Sometimes listed as "eau de perfume" or "millésime".
  
  BULLET::::- Perfume extract (Extrait): 15–40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds
   BULLET::::- "Ethanol extraction": A type of solvent extraction used to extract fragrant compounds directly from dry raw materials, as well as the impure oily compounds materials resulting from solvent extraction or enfleurage. Ethanol extraction from fresh plant materials contain large quantities of water, which will also be extracted into the ethanol.
  
  BULLET::::- Distillation: A common technique for obtaining aromatic compounds from plants, such as orange blossoms and roses. The raw material is heated and the fragrant compounds are re-collected through condensation of the distilled vapor.
   Chemical leavening agents include a weak base, such as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) plus a weak acid, such as cream of tartar, lemon juice, or cultured buttermilk, to create an acid–base reaction that releases carbon dioxide. (Quick bread leavened specifically with baking soda is often called "soda bread".) Baking powder contains both an acid and a base in dry powdered form, and simply needs a liquid medium in which to react. Other alternative leavening agents are egg whites mechanically beaten to form stiff peaks, as in the case of many waffle recipes, or steam, in the case of cream puffs. Nevertheless, in a commercial process, designated chemical leavening acids and bases are used to make gas production consistent and controlled. Examples of acid—base combinations include:
  
presuppositions: Baking soda eliminates odors.  Baking soda eliminates odors.
corrections: While baking soda reduces odors it technically does not eliminate the odor, baking soda absorbs the odor and becomes the odor.  Technically baking soda does not eliminate odors, it neutralizes odors by absorbing them.
raw_presuppositions: Baking soda eliminates odors.  Baking soda eliminates odors.
raw_corrections: While baking soda reduces odors it technically does not eliminate the odor, baking soda absorbs the odor and becomes the odor.  Technically baking soda does not eliminate odors, it neutralizes odors by absorbing them.