Which chemical will cause corrosion if overfeeding occurs?

When considering which chemical can cause corrosion if overfed, carbon dioxide (CO2) plays a significant role in the context of water treatment. When CO2 is introduced into water at high concentrations, it forms carbonic acid, which can lower the pH of the water. This increased acidity can lead to the dissolution of metal ions from pipes and other infrastructures, resulting in corrosion.

Corrosion typically accelerates when the water is more acidic, as the activity of corrosive agents is heightened in low pH environments. This is particularly important in water distribution systems made from metals like iron or copper, where acidic water can lead to significant degradation over time.

While other chemicals listed can have corrosive effects, their mechanisms or typical concentrations do not primarily drive corrosion in the same manner as CO2 does when overfed. Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid are strong acids that can cause corrosion due to their nature, but they are not usually introduced into the water system at levels that would equate to overfeeding in the same context as CO2. Sodium hypochlorite is more often associated with oxidation rather than corrosion, so while it can also lead to material degradation, it does not primarily act through corrosive pH reduction like CO2 does