Aluminum chlorohydrate

Aluminum chlorohydrate (CAS 12042-91-0), commonly abbreviated as ACH, is an inorganic aluminum salt used as a coagulant and flocculant across municipal and industrial water treatment systems. It should not be confused with Polyaluminium Chloride (PAC), which represents a broader family of aluminum chloride hydroxide compounds with varying basicity in industrial applications.

In personal care manufacturing, ACH functions as the active antiperspirant ingredient in topical formulations. In drinking water and wastewater treatment, it destabilizes suspended particles and colloids. This enables efficient sedimentation and filtration at lower dosage rates than alum. Antiperspirant roll-ons, sticks, and aerosols rely on ACH as the active agent that temporarily reduces sweat gland output.

It is the most commonly specified active in OTC antiperspirant products. Pulp and paper producers use ACH for pitch control and retention aid applications during sheet formation to improve efficiency. Industrial effluent treatment operations also apply it for phosphate removal and turbidity reduction. ACH is supplied as a clear to slightly hazy aqueous solution at various concentrations.

It is also available as a spray-dried powder for personal care applications. Cosmetic and antiperspirant grades are available to meet USP and personal care industry specifications. Technical and water treatment grades are supplied in bulk liquid form for large-volume industrial procurement. These grades ensure compliance-driven discharge scenarios for municipal facilities.