Sodium phosphate

“ Salts are formed when a “basis,” i.e., a metal oxide, replaces water. When potassium-acid sulfate is neutralized by sodium base, the acid-salt divides into Glauber’s salt and potassium sulfate, which proves the acid-salt to be a mixture of the neutral salt with its acid. Sodium-acid phosphate behaves quite differently. After neutralization by a potassium “base” (hydroxide) , the salt does not split up; a uniform sodium-potassium phosphate is obtained. Therefore, phosphoric acid is truly three-basic! ”

“ Sodium chloride may be introduced in large quantities into the circulation without causing increased peristalsis or defaecation. Sodium oxalate and phosphate (Na2HPO4) exert only a slight action. Sodium phosphate, according to Bunge, increases the fluid in the intestine. Sodium tartrate produces quite active movements of the intestine and is considerably stronger in its action than either the oxalate or phosphate. Sodium citrate and sulphate as described above are quite constant and vigorous in their action, while barium chloride is by far the most powerful of all these saline purgatives. ”

“ MICROCOSMIC SALT, or ammonium sodium hydrogen or tho phosphate, NH4NaHPO4.4H2O, so named by the alchemists because it is contained in the decomposing urine of man (the “microcosm”) . It is interesting historically as being the raw material from which Brand prepared phosphorus, whence it is also called “salt of phosphorus.” It may be obtained in large transparent crystals from a mixture of solutions of sal-ammoniac and disodium phosphate, or by saturating a solution of monosodium phosphate with ammonia. ”

“ Powder the citric acid and add the tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate. This basis may be mixed with many of the med­i­ca­ments commonly used in the form of granular effervescent salts, in the proportion which will properly represent their doses and such substances as sodium phosphate, magnesium sulphate, citrated caffeine, potassium bromide, lithium citrate, potassium citrate, and others, will produce satisfactory products. A typical formula for effervescent sodium phosphate would be as follows:
Dry the sodium phosphate on a water bath until it ceases to lose weight ”

“ Of this take 40 ounces and mix with an equal amount of distilled water. Dissolve 6 drachms of sodium phosphate in 5 ounces of boiling water; let cool and add the solution to the filtrate and water, mixing well. Add 2 drachms of calcium chloride dissolved in 5 ounces of water, nearly cold, and again thoroughly shake the whole. Let stand for 12 hours; then filter.
Put the filtrate in a still, and distil off, at as slow a temperature as possible, 30 ounces. Set this distillate to one side, and continue the distillation till another 40 ounces have passed, then let the still cool. ”

“ When the complexion is muddy, the conjunctivæ yellow, and the tongue coated, excellent results are had from the persistent use of phosphate of sodium. Under these circumstances also arsenic is very beneficial. Even better results may be had from a combination of the two agents, a teaspoonful of the pulverized phosphate being given with one-fortieth of a grain of the arseniate of sodium. Alkalies, as lithium citrate, solution of potassa, etc., are unquestionably useful as remedies for obesity and fatty liver, but they must be administered with a proper caution. ”

“ Ordinary nitric acid is heated in a tubulated retort connected with a receiver, and small fragments of phosphorus are dropped into it, singly and at intervals; as soon as the oxygenation of the phosphorus is complete, the heat is increased, the undecomposed acid distilled off, and the residuum evaporated to the consistence of a syrup. In this state it forms the phosphoric acid of the shops. Commercial phosphate of sodium is dissolved in water and the solution precipitated with another of acetate of lead; an abundant white precipitate (phosphate of lead) falls ”

“ It is usually made by treating calcium phosphate with concentrated sulphuric acid. The calcium sulphate produced in the reaction is nearly insoluble, and can be filtered off, leaving the phosphoric acid in solution. Very pure acid is made by oxidizing phosphorus with nitric acid. It forms large colorless crystals which are exceedingly soluble in water. Being a tribasic acid, it forms acid as well as normal salts. Thus the following compounds of sodium are known:
These salts are sometimes called respectively primary, secondary, and tertiary phosphates. ”

“ By this treatment the phosphoric acid in the presence of sodium acetate is completely precipitated as silver phosphate. The excess of silver is determined by diluting the mixture to 200 cubic centimeters, filtering, and titrating 100 cubic centimeters of the filtrate with ammonium thiocyanate. The presence of sulfuric and nitric [Pg 118] acids does not interfere with the reaction, but of course hydrochloric acid must be absent. Alkalies and alkaline earth metals may be present, but not the heavy metals. ”

“ Bilious people have too little sodium sulfate, the melancholics are lacking in potassium sulfate and phosphate; too little calcium phosphate in the phlegmatics. Courageous natures have an excess of iron phosphate. ”

“ Positive Ions From Aluminium Phosphate The positive ions obtained from heated aluminium phosphate have been used by many experimenters. These ions were analyzed and found to consist usually of sodium and potassium, although on one occasion after standing overnight, the emission was at first entirely hydrogen atoms. This wore off in a few minutes and the emission became sodium and potassium, At first the potassium was very much stronger than the sodium, but after heating some time it died off and became much weaker. ”

“ Wash thoroughly with hot water and then dissolve the mixed phosphate and silver carbonate in nitric acid and remove the silver from the solution with sodium chlorid. The phosphoric acid is determined in the filtrate by means of a standard solution of uranium nitrate in the manner already described. Spencer found that the separation of the phosphoric acid by the silver method was more exact than by the Joulie magnesium citrate process. With practice on the part of the analyst in determining the end reaction the process is both rapid and accurate. ”

“ This washing soda is also an important part of bone; mingled with phosphate of lime, phosphate of magnesia, and fluoride of lime, it helps to make our bones and teeth.
Smelling salts seems a funny thing to have within you, but it is there. Sodium, potassium, and ammonium are mixed with hydrogen and oxygen to make it—the pungent ammonia, as well as the soda and potash which are the cleansing principles of soap. These are distributed through all the flesh of the body and are present in the blood. Together with the phosphates they keep the blood and other fluids alkaline. ”

“ When lead has been exposed for a few weeks to a solution of a protecting salt and has acquired a thin film over its surface, it not only is not acted on by the solution, but is even also rendered incapable of being acted on by distilled water.
The preservative power depends on the acid, not on the base of the salt. The acetate, muriate, arseniate, and phosphate of soda differ exceedingly in power. On the other hand, the sulphates of soda, magnesia, and lime, as well as the triple sulphate of alumina and potass, preserve as nearly as can be determined in the same proportion. ”

“ If a sample of copper contained 0.5 per cent. of arsenic, and 1 gram of it were taken for an assay, how much standard uranium acetate solution would be required in the titration?
PHOSPHORUS AND PHOSPHATES.
Phosphorus rarely occurs among minerals except in its highest oxidized state, phosphoric oxide (P2O5) , in which it occurs abundantly as "rock phosphate," a variety of apatite which is mainly phosphate of lime. Phosphates of most of the metallic oxides are found. Phosphoric oxide in small quantities is widely diffused, and is a constituent of most rocks. ”

“ It is absolutely necessary for continued existence. By a combination of phosphorus with sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, the various phosphates are formed.
The phosphates of lime and soda are the most abundant of the salts of the body. They form more than half the material of the bones, are found in the teeth and in other solids and in the fluids of the body. The special place of iron is in the coloring matter of the blood. Its various salts are traced in the ash of bones, in muscles, and in many other tissues and fluids. ”

“ A characteristic reaction is the formation of a red precipitate of cuprous hydride, Cu2H2, when heated with copper sulphate solution to 60°. It is a monobasic acid forming salts which are permanent in air, but which are gradually oxidized in aqueous solution. On heating they yield phosphine and leave a residue of pyrophosphate, or a mixture of meta- and pyrophosphates, with a little phosphorus. They react as reducing agents. On boiling with caustic potash they evolve hydrogen, yielding a phosphate. ”

“ If the phosphate examined has been heated to redness before solution, it then, as a metaphosphate, gives a white precipitate with nitrate of silver.—5. Hydrochloric acid is added to the solution to acid reaction, and afterwards 1 or 2 drops of a concentrated solution of ferric chloride; a solution of acetate of potassium is next added in excess, when a flocculent, gelatinous, white precipitate will be formed if phosphoric acid or any phosphate was present in any form or combination in the original liquor. ”

“ In addition to free phosphoric acid, iron phosphate is separated, which gradually passes into an insoluble form by the abstraction of water due to the crystallization of the gypsum. The alumina present [Pg 141] in a superphosphate seems to have no direct influence on the process of reversion. Its phosphate salt is not acted on by the acid calcium phosphate. Even when a superphosphate solution is treated with alum no precipitation is produced, except on warming, and this disappears when the mass is again cold. ”

“ An artificial phosphate is thus prepared: Melt in an oven a mixture of 100 parts of phosphorite, ground coarsely, 70 parts of acid sulphate of soda; 20 parts of carbonate of lime; 22 parts of sand, and 607 parts of charcoal. Run the molten matter into a receiver filled with water; on cooling it will become granular. Rake out the granular mass from the water, and after drying, grind to a fine powder. The phosphate can be kept for a long time without losing its quality, for it is neither caustic nor hygroscopic. ”

“ When the protection afforded is complete, as for example by a 27,000th of phosphate of soda, a 12,000th of arseniate of soda, or a 4000th of sulphate of soda, the lead undergoes no change in appearance or in weight for several hours, or even days. At length the surface becomes dull, then white, and gradually a uniform film is formed over it. This film, examined at an early period, is found to consist of carbonate of lead,—being entirely soluble in diluted acetic acid, although the salts in solution is a sulphate or phosphate. ”

“ In the system of chemistry, as it developed in the first half of the 19th century, the new development can be characterized as the turn from inorganic to organic phosphates, from the substance of minerals and strong chemical interactions to the components in which phosphate groups remained combined with carbon-containing substances.
Phosphatides and Phosphagens
The important phosphorus compounds in organisms are much more complex than the simple salts, to which Nietzsche attributed such influence on man’s character. ”

“ According to these observations apatite is the most insoluble form of lime phosphate, while artificial basic phosphate is the most soluble. Among the very soluble phosphates, however, are the bones of animals, both fresh and old. Burnt bones, however, are more soluble than bones still containing organic matter. Not only are the organic phosphates extremely soluble in water saturated with carbon dioxid, but also in water which contains common salt or chlorid of ammonium. ”

“ The amount of oxide of iron and alumina in raw phosphates is of great importance, as phosphates containing these bodies are liable to cause superphosphate to “go back” or form what is called “reverted” phosphate, the percentage of “soluble phosphate” being reduced thereby. For this reason many of the older supplies have been replaced by newer and better ones. Florida rock phosphate of high grade contains 75 to 78% of phosphate of lime, and Florida land pebble phosphate about 70%. ”

“ To the boiling acid solution, an aqueous solution of sodium hypophosphate, Na2H2P2O6,6H2O, is added drop by drop. The precipitate, which contains any titanium and zirconium present in the original solution, is best treated with a mixture of sulphuric and fuming nitric acids; the phosphates produced by the oxidation are freed from nitric acid by evaporation, dissolved in water, with addition of sulphuric acid, and thorium precipitated as the oxalate, which is then ignited as usual. ”

“ The deposit consisting of ferrous and ferric phosphates mixed with black iron oxide may be varied in composition, texture and color. It is ordinarily a dull gray and oiling gives a soft mat black more in accordance with modern taste than the shiny nickel plating that delighted our fathers. Even the military nowadays show more quiet taste than formerly and have abandoned their glittering accoutrements.
The phosphate bath is not expensive and can be used continuously for months by adding more of the concentrated solution to keep up the strength and removing the sludge that is precipitated. ”