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The chemical formula of thiosulfate is Na2S2O3. This compound has a few other variations as well. For instance, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate can also be represented as Na2S2O3●5H2O. Thiosulfate belongs to a class of compounds called salts. It is often formed when sulfurous acid is neutralized using a base.
However, thiosulfate can also exist in the form of acids and esters. In thiosulfate, the sulfur atoms are the ones that bear the least oxidized in the tetragonal. It is often termed as the thiosulfate anion. Thiosulfate anions can be represented as SCN2-. In thiosulfate anions, one of the sulfur atoms is bound to oxygen and therefore represents the SO3E2 group. This is the feature that distinguishes the sulfur from the other two. The other two sulfur atoms are bound to the first using a single bond of thiosulfate.
The following are some of the most common industrial applications of sodium thiosulfate:
In the textile and paper industries, sodium thiosulfate is often used to neutralize excess chlorine. Chlorine is usually used as a bleaching and disinfecting agent. It is also used in the process of pulp and bleaching in paper manufacturing. It also helps to hypochlorite during the dyeing process of textile fabrics in the water treatment industry.
However, if chlorine is left unneutralized in the abovementioned process, it can result in detrimental effects. For instance, in textile, it can cause chlorine residue that results in the fabric having an undesirable odor. Unneutralized chlorine can also lead to the weakening and discoloration of textile fabrics. In paper manufacturing, unneutralized chlorine can lead to paper with an undesirable smell and weakened fiber integrity.
This is why sodium thiosulfate is used in these industries. Sodium thiosulfate captures and reduces chlorine's bleaching activity, leading to safer manufacturing processes.
Excess silver halide in photographic films can lead to images with undesirable spots. Though, it's a good thing that sodium thiosulfate can be used to fix such films. Sodium thiosulfate is added to photographic "fixing" solutions to remove unexposed silver halide after the film has been developed.
This makes the film safe to be exposed to light for significant periods without the halide crystals affecting the picture quality. It also makes the film viewable because only the silver crystals that were exposed during the picture-taking process will remain on the film.
Sodium thiosulfate can also act as a mild reducing agent for metal ions in chemical manufacturing. For instance, it can help reduce copper(II) to copper(I) ions and facilitate the production of copper(I) salts.
It can also be used to synthesize other chemicals such as sodium sulfite and sodium bisulfite by reacting with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate respectively.
Just like most sulfates and sulfide, sodium thiosulfate is used to manufacture ammonium thiosulfate. Ammonium thiosulfate is used as a nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer in farming. It's a popular fertilizer combination that can enhance crop yields by providing essential nutrients for plants. It is valued for its ability to promote healthier growth, increase crop productivity, and improve the overall quality of agricultural produce. This makes farmers around the world use it to enhance the growth of plants.
Photomicrography is basically taking pictures of microscopic objects such as living cells. Living cells might distort and even die when exposed to light and heat for a considerably long period. Sodium thiosulfate is used in photomicrography to avoid this effect. When living cells are exposed to light, it forms thiosulfate esters that lower the cells' exposure to harmful effects of light and heat. This makes sodium thiosulfate a vital compound in photomicrography as it helps to obtain quality images of living microscopic objects.
Sodium thiosulfate has a plethora of uses, particularly in fixing photographs. Here are some common uses of sodium thiosulfate:
Sodium thiosulfate is one of the most commonly used water treatment chemicals. It is used to neutralize chlorine and chloramine in drinking water. Chlorine and chloramine are highly energetic and poisonous to health. Though they are commonly used as bacteria-killing agents during the water treatment process. After the treatment process, a small amount of chlorine may remain in the water. When it does, it can lead to a negative effect on people who drink the water as well as aquatic life.
Sodium thiosulfate is added to the water to dechlorinate it by binding with chlorine atoms and forming sodium chloride and thiosulfate ions. Both of which are safe for health. The resultant water will no longer possess the effect of chlorine and chloramine, making it safe to drink and carry fishes.
Sodium thiosulfate can be used to treat individuals who have kidney problems and undergo dialysis. Dialysis is a medical process that removes waste and excess water from the blood of individuals whose kidneys are not functioning well. During dialysis, some of the vital electrolytes such as calcium and potassium might be removed from the blood. Sodium thiosulfate can be administered to patients undergoing dialysis to replace the lost sodium and thiosulfate and maintain their blood balance. This makes it a vital compound in managing patients undergoing dialysis.
Congenital hyperbilirubinemia and sulfite oxidase deficiency syndrome are caused by an inherited defect in the genes that produce the enzyme needed to digest certain amino acids. Sodium thiosulfate can be administered to patients suffering from these hereditary conditions to replace the missing sulfate and find relief. Individuals suffering from these conditions are often combined with sodium bisulfite, sodium thiosulfate, and zinc sulfate to manage the conditions.
As aforementioned, sodium thiosulfate is used in photography to fix films and prints. By removing unexposed silver halide crystals to prevent the resulting images from having negative spots.
Sodium thiosulfate usually takes the form of colorless or white crystalline solid. It has a crystal structure that belongs to a monoclinic. Sodium thiosulfate has a molar mass of around 158.11 gram per mole. The compound usually dissolves well in water, forming a colorless and transparent solution. It has a slightly salty and bitter taste. However, it's crucial not to taste sodium thiosulfate for safety reasons.
This compound has a slightly basic pH range of around 6 to 8. Sodium thiosulfate solution looks clear and colorless. It can also look white and opaque when mixed with solid particles. The compound solidifies into a crystalline structure that comes in the form of monoclinic prisms or rhombus shapes. Sodium thiosulfate can interact with several chemicals, including acids, oxidizing agents, silver salts, and alkali metals.
Yet, it is worth mentioning that it is incompatible with strong acids such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Interacting with acids can lead to the release of toxic sulfur dioxide gas. Sodium thiosulfate is generally considered safe when used properly. Nevertheless, when handling its fine powders, it is important to wear a respiratory mask to avoid inhaling it. Exposure to sodium thiosulfate can lead to skin irritation and allergic reactions in certain individuals.
Yes, sodium thiosulfate and thiosulfate are the same. However, sodium thiosulfate is commonly referred to as thiosulfate. Thiosulfate is a chemical compound. Sodium thiosulfate is a salt that is used to prepare thiosulfate solution.
Thiosulfate is used to manufacture ammonium thiosulfate. Farmers use ammonium thiosulfate as a nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer to promote the growth of crops.
When sodium thiosulfate is mixed with hydrochloric acid, a translucent sulfur colloid precipitate is formed, and the solution will turn milky white.
No, sodium thiosulfate is not a strong acid. It is a salt that is formed when sulfurous acid is neutralized using sodium hydroxide.
The difference between sodium thiosulfate and sodium sulfolane is that sodium thiosulfate is a salt of thiosulfate anion. While sodium sulfolane is a sulfone derived from thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid.
