500ml Aluminum Sulfate Solution

Aluminum sulfate, with the chemical formula Al2(SO4)3, is a versatile compound with numerous industrial, agricultural, medical, and consumer applications. Its primary use is as a coagulating agent in water treatment, where it neutralizes the charge on suspended particles, causing them to clump together into larger flocs that can be easily settled or filtered out, thereby purifying drinking water, wastewater, and even swimming pool water. This process is crucial for reducing turbidity, organic matter, color, and microorganism levels in water.

In the paper manufacturing industry, aluminum sulfate was historically used to size paper by combining with rosin soap to alter its absorbency and ink-absorbing properties, although synthetic agents have largely replaced it due to the acidic conditions it creates, which can lead to paper degradation. It is also used as a mordant in dyeing and printing textiles, where it helps fix dyes to fibers by forming an insoluble precipitate with the dye, improving color retention.

In agriculture, aluminum sulfate is applied to soil to lower its pH, making it more acidic, which benefits plants that thrive in acidic conditions, such as blueberries, potatoes, and hydrangeas. The color of hydrangea flowers, for instance, can be changed from pink to blue by lowering the soil pH with aluminum sulfate, as the aluminum becomes available to the plant at lower pH levels. It is also used to prevent moss growth on roofs, sidewalks, and trees.

In the medical and consumer fields, aluminum sulfate is used as a topical astringent and antiseptic, commonly found in styptic pencils and over-the-counter treatments for minor cuts and abrasions to stop bleeding. Its antibacterial properties make it useful in deodorants and antiperspirants. It is also used in the pharmaceutical industry, for example, in the preparation of aluminum acetate ear drops, and as a vaccine adjuvant to facilitate the slow release of antigens, enhancing immunogenicity.

Aluminum sulfate has applications in food processing as a firming agent (E520) in products like pickles and preserved fruits and vegetables, and as a pH adjuster in various foods and beverages. It is also used in the production of fire-fighting foam, where it reacts with sodium bicarbonate to generate carbon dioxide, creating a foam that smothers fires by cutting off oxygen. Additionally, it serves as a molluscicide to kill slugs and is used in the construction industry as a waterproofing agent and concrete accelerator.