# What is "vitriol liquor"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507 "2005-12-28T22:49:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sequent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507/1 "2005-12-28T22:49:49Z")

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From [this story](http://english.people.com.cn/200512/27/eng20051227_231166.html). Some kind of acid, I’d presume?

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**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507/2 "2005-12-28T22:52:10Z")

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It’s a common term for sulphuric acid.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507/3 "2005-12-28T23:18:16Z")

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The vitriols were the sulphates, white vitriol being zinc sulphate, green vitriol iron suplhate, etc. Vitriolic acid, or vitriol liquor, was the acid that gave rise to the vitriols, i.e., sulphuric acid.

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**Author:** ![Sequent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-vitriol-liquor/337507/4 "2005-12-29T20:35:00Z")

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Thanks guys!