Bismuth sulphide

Salmonella typhi, in the presence of glucose, reduces bismuth sulphite to bismuth sulphide, a black compound the organism can produce hydrogen sulphide from sulphur-containing amino acids in the medium and this will react with ferrous ions to give a black deposit of ferrous sulphide (Table 1.2). 

Peter LM, Wright GA (1987) Electrochemical kinetics of bismuth sulphide formation on bismuth amalgam. Electrochim Acta 32 1353-1356... 

We could not find any study of Bi(III) ions in aqueous solutions except that Wang et al. [132] obtained nanorods of bismuth sulphide by sonicating an aqueous solution of bismuth nitrate and sodium thiosulphate in the presence of complexing agents such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, triethanolamine and sodium tarta-rate. Similar results were found when thioacetamide was used in place of sodium thiosulphate as a source of sulfur. However, the results improved with higher yield... 

Bismuth sulphide, Bi2S3, has been rather extensively investigated. Bi is readily hydrolyzed in aqueous solution and is either used in acid solution or strongly com-plexed. Note the very low-solubility product of this compound—10 (Table 1.1). The very low value is due largely to the large number of ions involved (five). However, even apart from this, the solubility (given as the concentration of free BP and ions) is low, and the solid is very readily precipitated. 

Hydrogen sulphide (gas or saturated aqueous solution) black precipitate of bismuth sulphide ... 

Hot dilute nitric acid dissolves bismuth sulphide, leaving behind sulphur in the form of a white precipitate ... 

R. An X-ray computed tomography imaging agent based on long-circulating bismuth sulphide nanoparticles. Nat. Mater. 2006 5 118-122. 

May be converted to bismuth sulphide in the gut, causing blackening of the faeces and tongue... 

Triethylbismuthine, ( 2115)361, has been obtained by the action of ethyl iodide on potassium-bismuth alloy, and from bismuth bromide and zinc diethyl. It is a fuming oil, distilling unchanged at 107° C. at 79 mm., and exploding when heated in air at ordinary pressures. Its density is 1 82. Its solubihty and behaviour towards halogens is similar to that of the methyl compound. Evaporation of its ether solution in the presence of air leads to the formation of bismuth hydroxide, and if the solution be saturated with hydrogen sulphide, bismuth sulphide separates. If to a warm dilute alcoholic solution of triethylbismuthine a sinular solution of mercuric chloride is added, a precipitate of mercurous chloride is thrown down but if the order of addition is reversed, ethylmercuric chloride and ethyldichlorobismuthine are produced ... 

Triethylbismuthine sulphide, (C2H5)3BiS.—It has been stated that an ether solution of triethylbismuthine, when saturated with hydrogen sulphide, yields bismuth sulphide. When the latter is filtered off and the mother liquor treated with water, a yellow powder is... 

The substance (0-2-0-3 gram) is treated with about 10 c.c. of an ammoniacal solution of hydrogen sulphide and the mixture evaporated to dryness m an air-bath at 115° to 125° C., the hydrocarbon formed during the decomposition being driven off and the residue of bismuth sulphide and sulphur boiled for a few minutes with 10 c.c. of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The solution is then filtered, diluted with water, hydrogen sulphide passed in, and the precipitated bismuth sulphide filtered off on a Gooch crucible, washed with carbon disulphide, dried, and weighed. 

The trialkylbismuthines are highly refractive liquids which fume in air and have a tendency to explode when heated. Concentrated sulphuric acid causes violent decomposition, concentrated hydrochloric acid acting with less vigour but with a similar result. Treatment with chlorine or bromine eliminates an alkyl radical forming compounds of the type RgBiX, and with trimethylbismuthme, methyl iodide at 200 C. yields methyldi-iodobismuthine. Mercuric chloride converts triethyl-bismuthme into ethyldichlorobismuthine, whilst hydrogen sulphide breaks it down to bismuth sulphide. 

Similar solubility to the foregoing dichloride. It forms yellow needles, M.pt. 103° C. It is not decomposed by boiling alcohol, and is stable in air. Ammonium sulphide decomposes it with formation of bismuth sulphide. 

The test identifies the substance to be examined as a salt of bismuth, Several insoluble bismutii salts have foxmd use orally as antacids and topically in the treatment of skin disorders. Others have been used in the treatment of syphilis and as an amoebicide. Most of these therapeutic substances have been replaced by more modem alternatives, and reference to bismuth is currently made in only four monographs, and just one dictate method (a). Bismuth forms trivalent and pentavalent ions, but the trivalent is by far the most conunon. Most bismutii(III) and bismuth(V) forms insoluble salts, especially xmder alkaline conditions. This behavior and the insolubility of bismuth sulphide form the basis of test (a). In test (b) a colored complex between bismuth and thiourea is formed. 

O. Rabin, J. Manuel Perez, J. Grimm, G. Wojtkiewicz, R. Weissleder, An X-ray computed tomography imaging agent based on long-circulating bismuth sulphide nanoparticles, Nat. Mater. 5 (2) (2006) 118-122. 

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