Why is aluminium used to treat waste after a lab experiment? [closed]








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How does adding aluminum metal pieces into a waste beaker help treat solids and liquids in the beaker so you can safely send the solids to a landfill and dispose of the liquids in the sink drain following a lab experiment?




Presumably because aluminium is a very reactive metal and reacts with acids **and** bases both to form less reactive compounds. (Amphoteric Nature)


1. With acids  

$$\ce{Al + HCl -> AlCl3 + H2}$$
2. With Bases  

$$\ce{Al + NaOH + H2O -> NaAl(OH)4 + H2}$$


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