What does 40% ferric chloride mean?

It means the solution contains about 40% ferric chloride (FeCl₃) by mass, with the rest mainly water. So 100 kg of product holds about 40 kg of FeCl₃. Always confirm the basis: our grade is specified as 40% ± 1% w/w FeCl₃. Some sheets quote % Fe instead, which gives a smaller number, about 13.8% Fe, for the same product.

How much iron is in 40% ferric chloride solution?

Iron makes up about 34.4% of the ferric chloride molecule by mass. A 40% w/w FeCl₃ solution therefore carries about 13.8% iron by mass. With a density of about 1.43 kg per litre, that is roughly 197 g of iron in each litre of product. Use these figures to compare offers stated on different bases.

What is the specification of ferric chloride solution?

Our CHIMIFLOC FR 4014 grade is specified at 40% ± 1% FeCl₃, as a dark brown liquid with a specific gravity of 1.40 to 1.45 and a pH below 1.0 as a 1% solution. It is fully miscible with water and has a 12-month shelf life. Each batch ships with a certificate of analysis showing the measured values.

Is your ferric chloride NSF listed?

Our ferric chloride is listed under NSF/ANSI/CAN 60, the standard for drinking-water treatment chemicals, with a listed maximum use level of 100 mg/L. A listing means the product was evaluated for drinking-water use up to that level. You can check the listing yourself in NSF's public listings database by searching for the company name.

What should a ferric chloride RFQ include?

State the product and CAS number, the concentration with its basis, the application, any approvals you need, the quantity with its unit, the pack, the destination and Incoterm, and the documents you require: a COA per batch, the technical data sheet and the safety data sheet. Add a sample request if you want to jar test first.

Ferric Chloride 40% Solution: Buyer's Checklist

Before buying ferric chloride 40% solution, check five things: what the 40% is measured as (FeCl₃ or iron), what the certificate of analysis reports, whether the product holds an NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 listing for drinking water, how it is packed, and what your request for quotation asks for. Each one changes what you actually receive.

What "ferric chloride 40%" means

Ferric chloride (FeCl₃, CAS 7705-08-0) for water treatment is most often sold as a solution in water rather than as a dry solid. "40%" describes how much of that solution is ferric chloride by mass. A 40% solution contains about 40 kg of FeCl₃ in every 100 kg of product.

Our grade, CHIMIFLOC FR 4014, is specified as:

Parameter	Specification
Concentration	40% ± 1% FeCl₃
Appearance	Dark brown liquid
Specific gravity	1.40 to 1.45
pH (1% solution)	Below 1.0
Solubility	Fully miscible with water
Shelf life	12 months

The full technical data sheet is on the ferric chloride 40% (CHIMIFLOC FR 4014) page.

Check 1: the concentration basis (% FeCl₃ or % Fe)

Two offers can both say "40%" and deliver different amounts of iron. Ask: 40% of what?

% w/w FeCl₃ counts the whole ferric chloride molecule. This is how our product is specified.
% Fe counts only the iron. Iron makes up about 34.4% of FeCl₃ by mass, so a 40% FeCl₃ solution carries about 13.8% Fe.

So % Fe ≈ % FeCl₃ × 0.344. Neither basis is wrong; the risk is comparing offers, or doses and deliveries, on different bases.

Also check whether the figure is % w/w (by mass) or % w/v (mass per volume). They differ because the solution is denser than water, about 1.43 kg per litre for our grade. When in doubt, ask for % w/w FeCl₃ and the specific gravity together. With those two numbers you can work out every other basis.

Check 2: what the certificate of analysis shows

The specification is a promise; the certificate of analysis (COA) is the measured result for the batch you receive. Ask for a COA with every delivery, and check that it matches the specification you agreed.

A ferric chloride COA typically reports:

Batch or lot number and production date, so the result is traceable to your delivery.
FeCl₃ content, stated with its basis (% w/w).
Specific gravity or density.
Further quality parameters where agreed, such as ferrous iron content, free acid or insoluble matter.
Test methods and approval: who tested the sample, and who released the batch.

Check that the COA batch number matches the pack label, and that its concentration basis matches your purchase order.

Check 3: what the NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 listing means

If the ferric chloride will treat drinking water, many utilities and regulators require it to meet NSF/ANSI/CAN 60, the standard for the health effects of drinking-water treatment chemicals.

The key words are listed and maximum use level. A product listed under NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 has been evaluated for use in drinking water up to a stated maximum use level. Under the standard, that level is the maximum concentration of the additive (the product as evaluated) found acceptable, counted over the total quantity used in the treatment train, whatever the number of dosing points.

Our ferric chloride is listed under NSF/ANSI/CAN 60, with a listed maximum use level of 100 mg/L. You can confirm any supplier's listing yourself in NSF's public listings database. Look for the company name, the product, its function and its maximum use level, as shown in the references below.

The listing concerns drinking water; wastewater duties do not usually require it.

For buyers in Europe, our ferric chloride is also REACH-registered.

Check 4: packaging

Export supply is in 1,000 L IBCs. For other formats, ask our sales team.

When you compare offers, compare like for like:

Volume against mass. A 1,000-litre IBC of 40% solution holds about 1.4 tonnes of product, because of its specific gravity. Check whether a quantity is stated in litres, kilograms or tonnes of product.
Product against active content. A tonne of product is not a tonne of FeCl₃. At 40%, it is about 400 kg of FeCl₃.
Pack format. Ask which pack format is supplied and whether it suits your site's unloading arrangement.

For hazard, storage and handling information, see the safety data sheet (on request).

Check 5: what to put in a request for quotation

A complete request for quotation (RFQ) gets you comparable answers faster. Use this checklist:

RFQ item	What to state
Product	Ferric chloride solution, CAS 7705-08-0
Concentration and basis	For example, 40% ± 1% w/w FeCl₃
Application	Drinking water, municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater or sludge
Approvals needed	NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 listing, REACH registration, or a national approval
Quantity	Per delivery and per year, with the unit (litres, kg or tonnes of product)
Packaging	IBC (1,000 L)
Delivery	Destination and preferred Incoterm
Documents	COA per batch, technical data sheet, safety data sheet
Sample	Whether you want a sample for jar testing before ordering

Compare offers on the same basis, and request a sample if you want to jar test first. Our guide to ferric chloride dosing explains the method, and our phosphorus removal guide covers that application. To compare ferric chloride with other coagulants, read ferric chloride vs PAC vs alum.

Choosing a ferric chloride manufacturer

Buying from the manufacturer gives you a direct line to the people who make and test each batch. CHIMI ART has been a chemical manufacturer since 1977. We produce ferric chloride in Egypt. To start, request a quote or request a sample.

References

NSF International. Drinking water treatment chemicals listings, NSF/ANSI/CAN 60, company search "chimi": listing for CHIMIART, ferric chloride, coagulation and flocculation, maximum use 100 mg/L (checked 6 October 2026).
NSF International / ANSI. NSF/ANSI/CAN 60-2020, Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals: Health Effects, section 2.21 (definition of maximum use level), as incorporated by reference by the Virginia Department of Health (checked 6 October 2026).
PubChem, National Library of Medicine. Ferric chloride (CID 24380): formula and molar mass (checked 6 October 2026).
US Environmental Protection Agency. Nutrient Control Design Manual, EPA/600/R-10/100, August 2010: chapter 3, forms of metal salts, ferric chloride as an aqueous solution (checked 6 October 2026).