Following the addition of caustic soda, hexafluorosilic acid can be determined through back titration of excess hydroxide with hydrochloric acid. Hydrofluoric acid (hydrogen fluoride) is determined by precipitation with aluminum in the presence of sodium and potassium ions. Nitric acid is determined by subtracting the equivalence concentrations of hexafluorosilic acid and hydrofluoric acid from the total acid concentration.