CHRIS25
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Testing for the The purity of a Salt product
Ok, this sounds ridiculous even thinking about it, as we all know salt (NaCl) is by its very nature an excellent preservative and sanitiser. However
I have four different brands:
1. Rock salt
2. common cheap Table salt
3. De-Icing salt
4. Large crystals of Sea Salt
I rang the company of the de-icing salt and they confirmed that it was NaCl with nothing added - Mmm... so it is not calcium chloride and no
anti-caking agent added they said.
However, is there a way to test for the purity of a given salt in the lab? I know that table salt contains Potassiumferrocyanide and anti caking
agents. But iwould like to examine the other three if that is possible.
Thankyou.
‘Calcination… is such a Separation of Bodies by Fire, as makes ‘em easily reducible into Powder; and for that reason ‘tis call’d by some
Chymical Pulverization.’ (John Friend, Chymical Lectures London, 1712)
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. (William Penn 1644-1718)
The very nature of Random, Chance development precludes the existence of Order - strange that our organic and inorganic world is so well defined by
precision and law. (me)
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rannyfash
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hmmm, you could test for halogen ions quantitatively by AgNO3, and you could test for Potassium ferro cyanide by mixing with Fe3+ ions (pcb etchant)
producing a blue precipitate if it is present, carbonates are other common caking agents which effervesce when mixed with acids, commercial salt
intended for consumption contains iodide ions to prevent iodine deficiency which causes Goitre
[Edited on 2-5-2012 by rannyfash]
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CHRIS25
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Hi rannyfish, thankyou. I think then it's the carbonates I need to test for. I know that the ferrocyanide is not in the sea salt or the rock salt.
(This is an assumption). The amount of iodine would be inconsequential for my uses, so that does not matter. Yes it would be just carbonates that
would need to know. thankyou.
‘Calcination… is such a Separation of Bodies by Fire, as makes ‘em easily reducible into Powder; and for that reason ‘tis call’d by some
Chymical Pulverization.’ (John Friend, Chymical Lectures London, 1712)
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. (William Penn 1644-1718)
The very nature of Random, Chance development precludes the existence of Order - strange that our organic and inorganic world is so well defined by
precision and law. (me)
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rannyfash
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so what are you going to use it for? just a tad of nosiness
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CHRIS25
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Well, sprinkled on copper under NH3 fumes. Mixing with different chemical solutions and stuff to create patina. Sometimes table salt can affect the
delicate balance in producing the right colours on copper. Also if I want to use NaCl to synthesise another chemical I do want a non-polluted NaCl.
‘Calcination… is such a Separation of Bodies by Fire, as makes ‘em easily reducible into Powder; and for that reason ‘tis call’d by some
Chymical Pulverization.’ (John Friend, Chymical Lectures London, 1712)
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. (William Penn 1644-1718)
The very nature of Random, Chance development precludes the existence of Order - strange that our organic and inorganic world is so well defined by
precision and law. (me)
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rannyfash
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cool, i know nothing in that area but purity wise i would carry out recrystallisation on de-icing salt and use that, as...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt
"Additives in table salt
Most table salt sold for consumption contains a variety of additives, which address a variety of health concerns, especially in the developing world.
The amounts of additives vary widely from country to country.
Iodine and iodide
Main article: Iodized salt
Iodine-containing compounds are added to table salt. Iodine deficiency affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of mental
retardation.[31] The practice began in 1924.[32] Iodized salt is thus table salt mixed with a minute amount of potassium iodide, sodium iodide, or
sodium iodate. Iodized salt is used to help reduce the incidence of iodine deficiency in humans. Iodine deficiency commonly leads to thyroid gland
problems, specifically endemic goiter, a disease characterized by a swelling of the thyroid gland, usually resulting in a bulbous protrusion on the
neck. Iodized table salt has significantly reduced disorders of iodine deficiency in countries where it is used.[33] Iodine is important to prevent
the insufficient production of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), which can cause goiter, cretinism in children, and myxedema in adults.
The amount of iodine and the specific iodine compound added to salt varies from country to country. In the United States, the Food and Drug
Administration recommends [21 CFR 101.9 (c)(8)(iv)] 150 micrograms of iodine per day for both men and women. US iodized salt contains 46–77 ppm
(parts per million), whereas in the UK the iodine content of iodized salt is recommended to be 10–22 ppm.[34] Today, iodized salt is more common in
the United States, Australia and New Zealand than in the United Kingdom.
Fluoride
Especially in countries that have not benefited from fluoridated toothpastes and fluoridated water, fluoride salts are added to table salt. The
practice is more common in some European countries, where water fluoridation is not practiced. In France, 35% of sold table salt contains sodium
fluoride.[35]
Anti-caking agents
Sodium ferrocyanide, also known as yellow prussiate of soda, is sometimes added to salt as an anticaking agent. The additive is considered safe for
human consumption.[36][37] Such anti-caking agents have been added since at least 1911 when magnesium carbonate was first added to salt to make it
flow more freely.[38][39] The safety of sodium ferrocyanide as a food additive was found to be provisionally acceptable by the Committee on Toxicity
in 1988.[36] Some other anticaking agents include tricalcium phosphate, calcium or magnesium carbonates, fatty acid salts (acid salts), magnesium
oxide, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, sodium aluminosilicate, and calcium aluminosilicate. Both the European Union and the United States Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) permitted the use of aluminum in the latter two compounds.[40]
Iron
In "doubly fortified salt", both iodide and iron salts are added. This additive alleviates iron deficiency anemia, which interferes with the mental
development of an estimated 40% of infants in the developing world. A typical iron source is ferrous fumarate.[35]
Other additives
Another additive, especially important for pregnant women, is folic acid (vitamin B9), which gives the table salt a yellow color. Folic acid helps
prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) and anemia, which affect young mothers, especially in developing countries.[35]
In Canada, at least one brand (Windsor Salt) contains inverted sugar syrup.[citation needed]"
it looks like any salt intended for human consumption will contain this shizzle.
but for that reaction my guess is that a maximum of 3% contaminants wont disrupt the reaction, good luck i have used NH3 before to oxidise the tannins
in wood to a deep dark brown colour, btw use the search engine 
[Edited on 2-5-2012 by rannyfash]
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99chemicals
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Hmm. All of that salt will come from halide. It is made when anceint seas evaported in China and America (primerily). Then it is ground up. I am not
sure if it is recrystalized (need to catch up on How It's Made). But the
contaminents in the salt will be from the mineral and a few added ones.
I have some pond test strips that test hardness, alkilinty, pH, nitrate, and nitrite. I think those would be the best thing to test the salt. Just
make a solution at room temp and use the strips. The maker is Tetra. You might have a hard time finding them. I got them for free because most
people do not care about their pond enough to spend 4$ on testing and another 12$ on balancing chemicals that don't realy make a difference in the
pond.
I would rule out the sea salt and rock salt immediately because they are both unpurified.
Good luck.
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