How to Create Iron Ammonium Citrate
Iron ammonium citrate, also known as ammonium ferric citrate, is primarily used as an acidity regulator in food. This complex salt is also used in water purification, in making cyanotype blueprints and as an iron supplement which is well-tolerated in humans. The chemical formula contains 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, an iron atom, three nitrogen atoms and 14 oxygen atoms. You can create it by mixing quantities of three different chemical compounds.Things You'll Need
- Iron hydroxide
- Citric acid
- Ammonia
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
- Beakers
- Graduated cylinder
Instructions
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Protect yourself with safety glasses. Wear clothing that will prevent accidental splashes from making contact with your skin. The ultimate compound is used safely as a food additive, but alone it acts as an eye, skin and respiratory irritant. The two solutions used in creating it, citric acid and ammonia, can also be harmful separately.
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Prepare a table top with one large beaker holding the ferric hydroxide, another holding the citric acid and the last containing the ammonia solution. A sink and faucet should be nearby to wash any exposed skin that accidentally makes contact with the chemicals. Ventilate the area with a fan or by opening windows.
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Pour citric acid into the beaker holding ferric hydroxide. Allow the two compounds to react. When the compounds have finished reacting, you will have ferric citrate, which may appear yellow or orange in color. These components provide the iron, oxygen, carbon and most of the hydrogen atoms that will later merge with the ammonia.
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Add a solution of ammonium hydroxide to the beaker holding the ferric citrate to treat the mixture of iron hydroxide and citric acid. This completes the reaction and precipitates the iron ammonium citrate. This compound will have a faint scent of ammonia.
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Allow the liquid in the mixture to evaporate. The resulting dry compound should appear as a green or reddish brown powder. It is soluble in water.
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