Monograph

pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/acsreagents

Sodium Sulfite
(Sodium Sulfite, Anhydrous)
Part 4, Monographs for Reagent Chemicals: General Descriptions, Specifications, and Tests
eISBN: 9780841230460
Tom Tyner Chair, ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents
James Francis Secretary, ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents

ABSTRACT
Publication Date (Web): February 28, 2017 | doi: 10.1021/acsreagents.4371
Downloaded by CORNELL UNIV on May 25, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org

This monograph for Sodium Sulfite provides, in addition to common physical constants, a general description including
typical appearance, applications, and aqueous solubility. The monograph also details the following specifications and
corresponding tests for verifying that a substance meets ACS Reagent Grade specifications including: Assay, Insoluble
Matter, Free Acid, Titrable Free Base, Chloride, Heavy Metals, and Iron.

Na2SO3 Formula Wt 126.04 CAS No. 7757-83-7

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Typical appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . white solid
Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reducing agent
Aqueous solubility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 g in 100 mL at 84 °C

SPECIFICATIONS
Assay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≥98.0% Na2SO3
Maximum Allowable
Insoluble matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.005%
Free acid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passes test
Titrable free base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.03 meq/g
Chloride (Cl) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.02%
Heavy metals (as Pb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.001%
Iron (Fe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.001%

DOI:10.1021/acsreagents.4371
© 2017 American Chemical Society A ACS Reagent Chemicals, Part 4

ACS Reagent Chemicals

ACS Reagent Chemicals; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.
 ACS Reagent Chemicals Monograph

pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/acsreagents

TESTS
Assay
(By titration of reductive capacity). Place about 0.5 g, accurately weighed, into 100 mL of 0.1 N iodine volumetric solution.
Mix, allow to stand for 5 min, and add 1 mL of hydrochloric acid. Titrate the excess of iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulfate
volumetric solution, adding 3 mL of starch indicator solution near the end of the titration. Perform a complete blank
titration. One milliliter of 0.1 N iodine consumed corresponds to 0.006302 g of Na2SO3.

Insoluble Matter
[Part 2: Gravimetric Methods; Insoluble Matter]. Use 20.0 g dissolved in 200 mL of water.
Publication Date (Web): February 28, 2017 | doi: 10.1021/acsreagents.4371
Downloaded by CORNELL UNIV on May 25, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org

Free Acid
Dissolve 1.0 g in 10 mL of water, and add 0.10 mL of phenolphthalein indicator solution. A pink color should be produced.

Titrable Free Base

Dissolve 1.0 g in 10 mL of water, and add 3 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide that has been previously neutralized using 0.15 mL
of methyl red indicator solution. Shake well, allow to stand for 5 min, and titrate with 0.01 N hydrochloric acid. Not more
than 3.0 mL of the acid should be required to neutralize the solution.

Chloride
Dissolve 1.0 g in 10 mL of water, filter if necessary through a small chloride-free filter, add 3 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide,
and dilute with water to 100 mL. Dilute 5 mL of this solution with water to 20 mL, and add 1 mL of nitric acid and 1 mL of
silver nitrate reagent solution. Any turbidity should not exceed that produced by 0.01 mg of chloride ion (Cl) in an equal
volume of solution containing the quantities of nitric acid and silver nitrate used in the test.

Heavy Metals
[Part 2: Colorimetry and Turbidimetry; Heavy Metals (as Lead); Procedure for Heavy Metals, Method 1]. Dissolve 3.0 g in 20
mL of dilute hydrochloric acid (1:1), and evaporate the solution to dryness on a hot plate (~100 °C). Add 10 mL more of
dilute hydrochloric acid (1:1), and again evaporate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in about 20 mL of water, and dilute with
water to 25 mL. For the control, add 0.02 mg of lead ion (Pb) to 1.0 g of sample, and treat exactly as the 3.0 g of sample.

Iron
[Part 2: Colorimetry and Turbidimetry; Iron; Procedure for Iron, Method 1 (Ammonium Thiocyanate)]. Dissolve 1.0 g in 20 mL
of dilute hydrochloric acid (1:9), and evaporate on a hot plate (~100 °C) to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 5 mL of dilute
hydrochloric acid (1:1), and again evaporate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 4 mL of dilute hydrochloric acid (1:1), dilute
with water to 50 mL, and use the solution without further acidification.

DOI:10.1021/acsreagents.4371
© 2017 American Chemical Society B ACS Reagent Chemicals, Part 4

ACS Reagent Chemicals

ACS Reagent Chemicals; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.