Chemistry:Ammonium thiosulfate

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Ammonium thiosulfate
AmmonS2O3.svg
Ammonium-thiosulfate-3D-vdW.png
Names
IUPAC name
Diammonium thiosulfate
Other names
Ammonium thiosulphate, ATS
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
UNII
Properties
[NH
4
]
2
S
2
O
3
Molar mass 148.20 g·mol−1
Appearance colorless or white, hygroscopic solid
Density 1.679 g/cm3
Melting point decomposes at 100 °C
173 g/100 mL (20 °C)
Solubility slightly soluble in acetone
insoluble in alcohol
Structure
monoclinic
Hazards
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
2980 mg/kg (rat, oral)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Ammonium thiosulfate (ammonium thiosulphate in British English) is an inorganic compound with the formula [NH
4
]
2
S
2
O
3
. It is white crystalline solid with ammonia odor, readily soluble in water, slightly soluble in acetone and insoluble in ethanol and diethyl ether.[1]

Production

It is produced by treating ammonium sulfite with sulfur at temperatures between 85 and 110 °C:[2]

[NH
4
]
2
SO
3
+ S → [NH
4
]
2
S
2
O
3

Applications

Ammonium thiosulfate is used in photographic fixer. It is a so-called rapid fixer, acting more quickly than sodium thiosulfate fixers.[3] Fixation involves these chemical reactions (illustrated for silver bromide):[4]

AgBr + 2 [NH
4
]
2
S
2
O
3
→ [NH
4
]
3
[Ag(S
2
O
3
)
2
] + [NH
4
]Br
AgBr + 3 [NH
4
]
2
S
2
O
3
→ [NH
4
]
5
[Ag(S
2
O
3
)
3
] + [NH
4
]Br

Ammonium thiosulfate is also used for leaching of gold and silver. It works with presence of copper as a catalyst here. This process is a nontoxic alternative gold cyanidation.[5] The advantage to ammonium thiosulfate is that the pyrolysis of its silver complexes leaves a residue solely of silver sulfide, in contrast to complexes derived from sodium thiosulfate.[2]

Other

Ammonium thiosulfate can be used as a fertilizer.[6] As suggested by some research studies, it can also be used as an additive to coal-waste mixtures to reduce formation of dioxins and furans during combustion.[7]

Safety

LD50 (oral, rat) is 2890 mg/kg.[2]

See also

References

  1. MSDS - Ammonium Thiosulfate
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 J. J. Barbera; A. Metzger; M. Wolf (2012). "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a25_477. 
  3. "Praní černobílých filmů a papírů". http://www.paladix.cz/clanek.php?aid=10304&sid=1&hledej=. 
  4. Keller, Karlheinz (2005). "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a20_001. 
  5. Aylmore, M.G; Muir, D.M (2001). "Thiosulfate leaching of gold—A review". Minerals Engineering 14 (2): 135–174. doi:10.1016/S0892-6875(00)00172-2. Bibcode2001MiEng..14..135A. 
  6. McCarty, G. W.; Bremner1, J. M.; Krogmeier1, M. J. (1990). "Evaluation of ammonium thiosulfate as a soil urease inhibitor". Fertilizer Research 24 (3): 135–139. doi:10.1007/BF01073581. 
  7. Wielgosiński, Grzegorz (2011). "The Reduction of Dioxin Emissions from the Processes of Heat and Power Generation". Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 61 (5): 511–526. doi:10.3155/1047-3289.61.5.511. PMID 21608491. Bibcode2011JAWMA..61..511W.