Help with homework please...

[mob.socratic]

I would like to use Phosphoric Acid in combination with Vovin's Tek, however, Vovin calls for HCl. Would it be okay to replace the HCl with hydroponic grade, 2.5M Phosphoric Acid?

"Hydrochloric, acetic, phosphoric, citric, and tartaric acids have all been used with good result."

that's right BUT...

Don't worry about using a few drops concentrated form of acid and making a solution. just use a few tablespoons vinegar (acetic) in a solution to reach your PH of 3-4. Eleminate the safety issue/hassle.

Along a similar line, would it be okay to utilize 2.5M Potassium Hyrdroxide for my base?

Should work fine, just slowly baseify to a PH of 12.5 or so (use a solution)... drip... stir... drip... stir. wear safety goggles at all times during the use of base chemicals and solutions... When it turns from purple/deep red to jet black your 75% there... check your PH and continue.

Finally, does the pre-shredded MHRB have a greater possiblity of harboring a large percentage of the N-Oxide form of spice, or is the degradation caused during the extraction process itself?

The form of material that you get shouldn't affect that. store the final product in a tightly sealed container and put it in the freezer, should halt degridation.