Ferric magnesium alum

Ferric magnesium alum, MgS04.Fe2(S04)3.24H20, has also been obtained.6... 

In 1863 R. C. Bottger of Frankfort-on-the Main found that thallium occurs in some spring waters. A certain salt mixture from Nauheim contained, in addition to the chlorides of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, those of cesium, rubidium, and thallium. Since he was able to prepare a thallium ferric alum exactly analogous to potassium ferric alum, he regarded thallium as an alkali metal (72, 73). Although it is sometimes univalent like sodium and potassium, it is now classified in Group III of the periodic system. 

Coagulants are often added in conjunction with lime to increase the settling rate of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Most of these coagulants are acidic in nature and react with the alkalinity of the water. Commonly used coagulants include aluminium sulphate (alum), sodium aluminate, ferric sulphate and ferrous sulphate (Table 6.8). Alum reacts with natural alkalinity in water to form aluminium hydroxide floe (Equations 2.5—2.8) [14]. About 1 ppmofalumdecreaseswater alkahnity by 0.5 ppm and produces 0.44 ppm of CO2 ... 

The bronze age did not arrive in China until around 1500 bce, and iron appeared only about 500 bce, but by the beginning of their alchemical age, around 100 ce, the Chinese had knowledge of zinc and brass (a copper-zinc alloy), mercury, sulfur, and several of the common salts, such as niter. In the 400s bce an administrator made a list of known materials that included lead oxide, lead carbonate, sulfur, calcium carbonate, hydrated calcium sulfate, ferric oxide, niter, talc or soapstone, hydrated magnesium silicate, alum (the double sul-... 

Mitscherlich also measured the angles of the crystals of double sulphates of potassium and ammonium with magnesium, ferrous iron, manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt and nickel. This established the isomorphism of potassium and ammonium sulphates. He found that the double potassium sulphates had one proportion of water more than the double ammonium sulphates, and also obtained a salt crystallising in beautiful and large octahedra with exactly the same composition as alum but containing ferric oxide instead of alumina (ferric alum). He says he hoped to show that a study of crystallisations would give the compositions of bodies as certainly and definitely as chemical analysis . A letter from Humboldt to Mitscherlich said this beautiful work had exposed the incorrectness of Haiiy s view. ... 

For surface water, treatment is aimed primarily at removal of turbidity (fine suspended matter) and perhaps softening the water. The typical treatment processes for removal of turbidity involve the addition of chemicals such as alum or ferric chloride. The chemicals are rapidly mixed into the water so that they react with alkalinity in the water, then slowly mixed (flocculation) to form a settleable precipitate. After sedimentation, the water passes through a sand filter and finally is disinfected wdth chlorine. If the water is to be softened as part of the treatment, lime, Ca(OH)2, and soda ash, Na COj, are used in place of alum or ferric chloride, and the water hardness (calcium and magnesium ions) is removed along with its turbidity. 

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