Chemical Knowledge Share – Magnesium Sulfate
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With the chemical formula MgSO4, it is a white crystal; there are many variants containing crystalline water. Among them, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, MgSO4·7H2O, is known as Epsom salt; magnesium sulfate monohydrate, MgSO4·H2O, is called magnesite. Epsomite is a colorless orthorhombic or monoclinic crystal; it loses 6 molecules of crystal water at 150°C, forming magnesite; at 200°C it loses all its water and becomes an anhydrous form. Magnesium sulfate dissolves in water, glycerin, and ethanol. It is used as a fire retardant and dyeing aid in the textile industry, as a tanning agent and bleaching aid in the leather industry. It is also utilized in industries such as **, papermaking, ceramics, and fertilizers. In medicine, laxatives based on barbiturate salts are used as antidotes and laxatives, as well as for reducing inflammation in tissues. Magnesium sulfate can be produced by treating magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, or magnesium carbonate with sulfuric acid.
I have a question: can an aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate be discharged directly into the sea? In wet desulfurization, if the desulfurizing agent is magnesium oxide, the product is magnesium sulfate; this can be converted into magnesium sulfate heptahydrate through pressure filtration. There is a desire to discharge this substance directly, but concerns exist regarding compliance with environmental regulations. After consulting the local environmental protection authorities, no clear answer was given as to whether such discharge is allowed