| Description | Magnesium sulfate is an inorganic salt (chemical compound) containing magnesium, sulfur and oxygen, with the formula MgSO4. It is strongly hygroscopic and often encountered as the heptahydrate sulfate mineral epsomite (MgSO4•7H2O), commonly called Epsom salt. And the monohydrate, MgSO4•H2O, is found as the mineral kieserite.
In gardening and other agriculture, magnesium sulfate is used to correct a magnesium or sulfur deficiency in soil.
In food preparation, magnesium sulfate is used as a brewing salt in beer production or used as a coagulant for making tofu.
In chemistry, anhydrous magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a desiccant in organic synthesis due to its affinity for water.
For Marine use, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate is used to maintain the magnesium concentration in marine aquaria which contain large amounts of stony corals.
For medicine use, it is used in pregnant women to control seizures due to certain complications of pregnancy (eg, severe toxemia) and to control high blood pressure, severe brain function problems (encephalopathy), and seizures in children who have sudden, severe inflammation of the kidneys (acute nephritis). Besides, magnesium sulfate is also used as a laxative to relieve occasional constipation. |
| Chemical Properties | Magnesium sulfate (MgS04) is a colorless crystal with a bitter, saline taste. It is soluble in glycerol and used in fireproofing, textile processes, ceramics, cosmetics, and fertilizers. |
| Chemical Properties | Magnesium Sulfate is found widely in nature as either a double salt or as a hydrate, colorless crystals,very soluble in water, soluble in glycerol, sparingly soluble in alcohol. |
| Physical properties | In their hydrated form, these salts have a pH of 6.0 (5.5 to 6.5) in solution. These magnesium sulfates are white crystalline solids. Their densities are: 2.66 g/cm3 (anhydrous); 2.445 g/cm3 (monohydrate); 1.68 g/cm3 (heptahydrate). Solubilities in water are: anhydrous＝ 26.9 g/100 ml (0°C); monohydrate＝ 25.5 g/100 ml (20°C); heptahydrate＝71 g/100 ml (20°C). Magnesium sulfate is found in nature in many salt deposits and mineral waters, occurring as hydrates or double salts. The heptahydrate or Epsom salt was discovered in 1695, found inthemineralwater at Epsom. Kieserite and epsomite are the two most important minerals. Other than these and the above hydrates, magnesium sulfate is also found in several other minerals, including langbeinite, leonite,vanthoffite,bloedite,kainite,polyhalite, |
| Uses | In agriculture and gardening, magnesium sulfate is used to correct magnesium deficiency in soil, since magnesium is an essential element in the chlorophyll molecule. It is most commonly applied to potted plants, or to magnesium-hungry crops, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and roses. The advantage of magnesium sulfate over other magnesium compounds (such as dolomitic limestone) is its high solubility. MgSO4 has been used in organic synthesis to remove water from nonaqueous solutions before the organic reaction is started. Since it is insoluble in most organic solvents, its addition forms hydrates that can be easily removed.
Epsom salt is also used to prepare footbaths, intended to soothe sore feet. The reason for the inclusion of the salt is partially cosmetic. However, magnesium sulfate can also be absorbed into the skin, reducing inflammation. It is also sometimes found in bottled mineral water, and accordingly is sometimes listed in the contents thereof. Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate is also used to maintain the magnesium concentration in marine aquaria which contain large amounts of stony corals as it is slowly depleted in their calcification process, precipitation into calcium carbonate. Oral Epsom salt is used as a saline laxative as well as for replacement therapy in “hypomagnesaemia” (lack of Mg2+) in animals and humans. Magnesium sulfate paste has been used as an agent for dehydrating (drawing) boils, carbuncles or abscesses. Magnesium sulfate solution has also been shown to be an effective aid in the fight against blemishes and acne when applied directly to problematic areas. Magnesium sulfate, when used through soaking, can soothe muscle pains and help improve rough patches in the skin. Soaking in a warm bath containing Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) can be beneficial to soothe and relieve herpes outbreak symptoms, such as itching and lesions relating to genital herpes or shingles. |
| Uses | Magnesium sulfate is suitable for sensitive molecular biology applications. It used as a component of bath salts and beauty product. It is utilized by the athletes to soothe sore muscles and effective in the removal of splinters. It is commonly used as a desiccant in organic synthesis due to its affinity for water. It acts as a brewing salt in beer production to adjust the ion content of the brewing water as well as enhance enzyme action. It plays a vital role as an antidote for barium chloride poisoning. . It is useful in controlling seizures associated with epilepsy, glomerulonephritis, or hypothyroidism. |
| Uses | Magnesium sulfate is used widely in several industries including fertilizer, cement, textile, chemicals, and medicine. In the cement industry, it is used in manufacturing oxysulfate cement. In medicine, it is an analgesic and cathartic. An important application of anhydrous magnesium sulfate in the laboratory involves drying organic solvents required for syntheses and GC analysis.
In the textile industry, magnesium sulfate is used in finishing composition for dressing cotton; for weighting and sizing silk; as a mordant for fixing basic dyestuffs on wool; and in fireproofing fabrics. It also is a component of certain types of electrolytic plating baths; of various photographic solutions; of cosmetic lotions. It is a catalyst carrier; a dietary supplement in cattle feed; a coagulant for rubber and plastic; and is used in making citric acid and several magnesium salts, such as magnesium stearate. |
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