Microcosmic salt

Marggraf tried in vain to prepare phosphorus without urine. When he used mixtures of various chlorides with vegetable coals, and even animal matters such as oil of hartshorn, human blood, etc. all his attempts failed When he sepaiated some microcosmic salt from urine, however, mixed the salt with lampblack, and distilled the mixture, he I obtained from it a considerable quantity of very fine phosphorus. . . , whence he concluded that in this Saline matter resides die true Acid that is fit to enter into the composition of phosphorus (33). 

B. Dry Reactions.—When heated in the reducing flame a bead of microcosmic salt assumes a blue, violet, or brown colour with increasing quantities of niobic acid the heated bead becomes red on the addition of ferrous sulphate. With tantalic acid under these conditions the bead remains colourless. 

The orthophosphates.—Orthophosphoric acid forms three salts, normal or tertiary, secondary, and primary phosphates, according as all, two, or one of its hydrogen atoms is replaced by an equivalent radicle.26 The hydrogen atoms may be replaced by different radicles. Thus, the secondary acid salt—ammonium sodium hydrogen phosphate, also called microcosmic salt—is illustrated by the subjoined graphic formula along with the formulae for the acid and the primary, secondary, and tertiary sodium salts ... 

Monometaphosphates.—By heating microcosmic salt, (NH4)NaHP04, on a gradually rising temp., T. Fleitmann and W. Henneberg, obtained results similar to those previously obtained by T. Graham, first disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, and then a vitreous cake, which, when treated with an excess of water... 

The chief orthophosphates are Na2HP04.I2H20, obtained by neutralising phosphoric acid with sodium carbonate HNa(NH4)P04-4H20, named microcosmic salt the human organism used to be known as the microcosm, and this salt crystallises out of concentrated urine Ca PO j,prepared by precipitation,and found native... 

Monometaphosphates.—The insoluble salt obtained by heating microcosmic salt, NaNH4IIP04, was apparently polymerised metaphosphate,7 while soluble salts obtained by neutralising metaphosphoric acid with sodium carbonate belonged to two series and quickly changed into orthophosphate when moist.8... 

In the same way we can extract tinctures from iron, copper, antimony, and sulfur, and with the assistance of the flame of spirit of wine, maturate them into most lovely, fragrant, incombustible tinctures. For by means of our microcosmical salt, all metals and minerals may be reduced to potability, without the help of corrosive, in which state they are the most powerful medicaments imaginable. 

Phosphate (or microcosmic salt) bead tests The bead is produced similarly to the borax head except that microcosmic salt, sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate tetrahydrate Na(NH4)HP04.4H20, is used. The colourless, transparent bead contains sodium metaphosphate ... 

Sodium metaphosphate (polymeric) may be prepared by heating microcosmic salt or sodium dihydrogen phosphate ... 

Unless silicates are removed here, they are likely to be confused with Al(OH)3 in the group separation. Repeated evaporation with concentrated HC1 converts silicates into a granular form of hydrated silica, which is readily filtered, particularly after a final digestion with dilute HC1. The precipitate should be subjected to the microcosmic salt bead test or to the silicon tetrafluoride test (Section IV.26). 

Dry test Microcosmic salt bead oxidizing flame - colourless or pale-yellow reducing flame - blue, changing to blood-red upon the addition of a little iron(II) sulphate. 

Dry tests a. Microcosmic salt bead oxidizing flame - yellow to green while hot and colourless when cold reducing flame - brown when hot, green when cold. 

Microcosmic salt bead test reducing flame, cold - blue blood-red when fused with a trace of iron(II) sulphate. 

Sodium metaphosphate. Heat 1 g ammonium sodium hydrogen phosphate (microcosmic salt), NH4NaHP04.4H20, in a porcelain crucible until no more gases are liberated. Dissolve the cold residue in 50 ml water. The reagent must be prepared freshly. 

The most important of the double salts of phosphoric acid with ammonium and the alkali-metals is sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate or microcosmic salt, NaNH4HP04,4H20, a constituent of putrefying urine, and also present in guano under the name stercorite.17 It can be prepared by the interaction of secondary sodium phosphate and ammonium chloride, or that of secondary ammonium phosphate and sodium chloride. It forms colourless columnar crystals belonging... 

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