Sodium Sulfate: Formula, Properties, Structure, Applications

He sodium sulfate (Disodium salt of sulfuric acid, disodium tetraoxidosulfate, soda sulfate, Glauber's salt, thenardite, mirabilite) is the inorganic compound of the formula Na ₂ SW ₄ And their related hydrates. All forms are white solids that are highly soluble in water.

It is considered one of the main chemicals marketed. Its world production (almost exclusively in the form of decahydrate) amounts to approximately 6 million tons per year.

Sample of sodium sulfate

Thenardite is the anhydrous sodium sulphate mineral produced in arid evaporite environments, in dry caves, in old mining operations as an efflorescence, and as a reservoir around fumaroles.

It was first described in 1825 in Salinas Espartinas (Ciempozuelos, Madrid, Spain) and was named thenardite in honor of the French chemist Louis Jacques Thénard (1777-1826).

Anhydrous sodium sulphate (thenardite)

The Dutch / German chemist and apothecary Johann Rudolf Glauber (1604-1670) discovered in 1625, in the water of an Austrian spring, sodium sulphate decahydrate (later known as salt of Glauber). He called it mirabilis salt, because of its medicinal properties.

Between 1650 and 1660, Glauber began to manufacture sodium sulfate from common salt (NaCl) and concentrated sulfuric acid. This process is considered as the beginning of the chemical industry.

Its crystals were used as a laxative until the 20th century.

In the 18th century, Glauber's salt reaction with potash (potassium carbonate) began to be used in the industrial production of soda ash (sodium carbonate).

Sodium sulfate decahydrate (mirabilite)

It is currently used mainly for the manufacture of detergents and in the Kraft process for the production of paper pulp (the dominant method in paper production).

Sodium sulfate minerals are found in the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Mexico, Botswana, China, Egypt, Mongolia and South Africa.

The main producers are China (provinces of Jiangsu and Sichuan), followed by Spain, where the largest glauberite deposit in the world (in Cherry of Rio Tirón, Burgos).

The total world production of natural sodium sulfate is estimated at about 8 million tons, and that obtained as a byproduct of other industrial processes between 2 and 4 Mt.

In Spain, according to information published in the National Inventory of Sodium Sulphate Resources and other updated data, we estimate stocks of sodium sulphate minerals in the order of 730 Mt cataloged as"reserves"and 300 Mt more cataloged as"other resources" .

Source: Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME) (2016)

In the European Union, Spain is currently the only country with ores of sodium sulphate (mainly of thenardite, glauberite and mirabilite).

There is currently a general decline in the demand for sodium sulphate in the textile sector.

In recent years, other sectors such as detergents have experienced some growth, in certain regions, due to their low price as a raw material.

The main expanding markets for sodium sulphate detergents are in Asia, Central America and South America.

Formulas

2D structure

Sodium sulfate Sodium sulphate decahydrate

3D structure

Sodium sulphate / Molecular model of balls and rods Sodium sulphate / Molecular spheres model Sodium sulphate decahydrate / Molecular model of balls and rods Sodium sulfate decahydrate / Molecular spheres model

characteristics

Physical and chemical properties

Sodium sulfate belongs to the reactive group of sodium compounds and also belongs to the group of sulphates, hydrogen sulphates and disulphates.

Inflammability

It is a non-combustible substance. There is no risk of explosion of your powders.

Reactivity

Sodium sulfate is very soluble in water and hygroscopic. It is very stable, being non-reactive toward most oxidizing or reducing agents at normal temperatures. At high temperatures, it can be converted to sodium sulfide by carbothermal reduction.

Chemically non-reactive substances are considered non-reactive under typical ambient conditions (although they may react under relatively extreme circumstances or in catalysis). They are resistant to oxidation and reduction (except in extreme conditions).

Dangerous Chemical Reactions

When the aluminum melts together with sodium or potassium sulfate, a violent explosion occurs.

Toxicity

Chemically non-reactive substances are considered non-toxic (although the gaseous substances in this group may act as asphyxiants).

Although sodium sulfate is generally considered non-toxic, it should be handled with care. Dust may cause asthma or temporary eye irritation. This risk can be avoided by the use of eye protection and a paper mask.

Applications

Its main applications are in the manufacture of:

• Powder detergents.
• paper pulp.
• Textiles.
• glass.
• Synthesis of enzymes (wine making).
• Human and animal feeding.
• Pharmacy products.
• Base chemistry in general.
• Steel processes.
• Powder detergent

Sodium sulfate is a very cheap material. Its largest use is as a filler in detergents powder for the home, consuming approx. 50% of world production. The new compact or liquid detergents do not include sodium sulfate, so this use is decreasing.

Another use of sodium sulfate is declining in importance, especially in the USA. And Canada, is in the Kraft process for the manufacture of wood pulp. Advances in the thermal efficiency of the process, drastically reduced the need for sodium sulfate.

The glass industry provides another important application for sodium sulfate. It is the second largest application in Europe. Sodium sulfate is used to help remove small air bubbles from molten glass.

In Japan, the largest application of sodium sulfate is in the manufacture of textiles. Sodium sulfate helps dyes to penetrate evenly into the fibers and does not corrode the stainless steel containers used in dyeing (unlike sodium chloride, which is the alternative method).

Sodium sulphate is especially suitable for storing low quality solar heat (for later release in heating applications) due to its high heat storage capacity during its phase change from solid to liquid, which is given at 32 ° C .

For cooling applications, a mixture with common sodium chloride (NaCl) salt reduces the melting point to 18 ° C.

In the laboratory, anhydrous sodium sulfate is widely used as an inert drying agent, to remove traces of water from organic solutions. Its action is slower than that of magnesium sulphate, but it can be used with a great variety of materials since it is chemically quite inert.

Sodium sulfate decahydrate (Glauber's salt) was historically used as a laxative. It is effective for the elimination of certain drugs like paracetamol (acetaminophen) from the body after an overdose.

Other applications for sodium sulfate include its use as an additive in the manufacture of carpet fresheners, as an additive in cattle feed, and in the manufacture of starch.

Clinical effects

For its therapeutic applications, sodium sulfate belongs to the category of saline and cathartic laxatives used in the treatment of constipation.

Saline cathartics are salts that retain fluid in the intestine by the osmotic action of the unabsorbed salt, resulting in an increase in peristalsis in an indirect manner.

Saline cathartics are poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, systemic toxicity is unlikely unless massive amounts have been ingested. However, large exposures can cause dehydration and electrolyte disturbances secondary to the osmotic effects of the compound.

Chronic abuse of laxatives may occur in patients with Eating Disorders , Munchausen syndrome or Factitious disorders . Usually patients experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with abdominal cramps. Serious effects may include dehydration, Hypotension , Hypernatremia and electrolyte abnormalities.

Safety and risks

Hazard statements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed system, created by the United Nations designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries through the use of globally consistent criteria United Nations, 2015).

The hazard classes (and their corresponding GHS chapter), classification and labeling standards, and recommendations for sodium sulfate are as follows (European Chemicals Agency, 2017, United Nations, 2015, PubChem, 2017):

GHS Hazard Classes

H315: Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion / irritation - Category 2].

H317: May cause an allergic skin reaction [Warning Sensitization, Skin - Category 1].

H319: Causes serious eye irritation. [Warning Serious eye damage / eye irritation - Category 2A].

H412: Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects [Dangerous for the aquatic environment, long-term hazard - Category 3].

(PubChem, 2017)

Codes of prudence advice

P261, P264, P272, P273, P273, P280, P302 + P352, P305 + P351 + P338, P321, P332 + P313, P333 + P313, P337 + P313, P362, P363, and P501.

References

1. ChemIDplus (2017) 3D structure of 7757-82-6 - Sodium sulfate anhydrous [image]. Retrieved from: chem.nlm.nih.gov.
2. ChemIDplus (2017) 3D structure of 7727-73-3 - Sodium sulfate [USP] [image]. Retrieved from: chem.nlm.nih.gov.
3. Dyet, D. (2007) Thenardite Sodium sulfate near Sodaville Mineral County Nevada [image] Retrieved from: en.wikipedia.org.
4. European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), (2017). Summary of Classification and Labeling. Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation). Sodium sulphate.
5. Grumetisho (2012) Mirabilita [image] Recovered from: en.wikipedia.org.
6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). TOXNET. (2017). Sodium sulfate. Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: toxnet.nlm.nih.gov.
7. Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME) (2016). GLAUBERITA-THENARDITA (NATURAL SODIUM SULFATE) 2014. Mining Overview. Retrieved from: igme.es.
8. National Institute of Occupational Safety (INSHT). (2010). International Chemical Safety Cards. Sodium sulfate. Ministry of Employment and Security. Madrid. IS. Recovered from: insht.es.
9. Langbein Rise (2008) Continuous kraft pulp mill [image] Retrieved from: wikimedia.org.
10. United Nations (2015). Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (SGA) Sixth Revised Edition. New York, USA: United Nations publication. Retrieved from: unece.org.
11. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database (2016) sodium sulfate - PubChem Structure [image] Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
12. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database (2016) sodium sulfate - PubChem Structure [image] Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine.
13. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database. (2017). Sodium sulfate decahydrated. Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
14. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database. (2017). Sodium sulfate. Bethesda, MD, US: National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
15. Walkerma (2005) Sodium sulfate [image] Retrieved from: wikimedia.org.
16. Wikipedia (2017) Kraft process. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
17. Wikipedia (2017) Mirabilita. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
18. Wikipedia (2017) Mirabilite. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
19. Wikipedia (2017) Sodium sulfate. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
20. Wikipedia (2017) Sodium sulfate decahydrate. Retrieved from: https://it.wikipedia.org.
21. Wikipedia (2017) Sodium sulfate. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
22. Wikipedia (2017) Thenardita. Retrieved from: wikipedia.org.
23. Wikipedia (2017) Thenardite. Retrieved from:.wikipedia.org.