Chemical Type(s)
Location(s)
- Chicago
Description
Sodium Thiosulfate Pentahydrate 99% (Na₂S₂O₃·5H₂O)
Sodium Thiosulfate Pentahydrate is a versatile inorganic compound with a wide range of applications, including photography, water treatment, and medicine. The “99%” signifies a high level of purity, making it suitable for applications requiring precise chemical composition and minimal impurities. It is a white or almost white crystalline substance that is odorless.
Key Uses:
Photography: Sodium thiosulfate is a critical component in the photographic developing process. It acts as a “fixer,” dissolving unexposed silver halide crystals from film or photographic paper after development, thus making the image permanent. Without this fixing step, the image would continue to darken and become unusable.
Water Treatment: Used to dechlorinate water, effectively neutralizing the harmful effects of chlorine in tap water, swimming pools, and industrial wastewater. It’s also used to remove excess iodine in certain water treatment scenarios. This dechlorination is vital in applications like aquaculture where chlorine is harmful to aquatic life.
Medicine: Sodium thiosulfate has several medical uses:
- Cyanide Poisoning Antidote: It is a crucial component of the treatment for cyanide poisoning, helping to convert cyanide to a less toxic thiocyanate.
- Antifungal Agent: Used topically as an antifungal agent to treat certain skin infections.
- Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones: Sometimes used to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.
Analytical Chemistry: Sodium thiosulfate is a valuable reagent in analytical chemistry, particularly in titrations involving iodine (iodometric titrations). These titrations are used to determine the concentration of various substances.
Other Industrial Applications: Sodium thiosulfate finds use in various other industrial settings, including:
- Textile Industry: Used as a reducing agent in some textile dyeing and finishing processes.
- Leather Industry: Used in the leather tanning process.
- Gold Extraction: Used in some gold extraction processes to dissolve gold from ore.
Packaging: Available in various packaging options to suit your needs, including bags and supersacks.