SALT ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
Aim : To analyze the given salt and to identify the anion and cation present
PRELIMINARY TEST:
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Solubility in water Soluble Chloride, nitrate, sulphate or
ammonium carbonate may
be present
Insoluble Carbonate may be present
2. Odour test: Ammonical smell Ammonium may be present
Take a pinch of salt
between the fingers
and rub with a drop No characteristic smell Absence of ammonium salts
of water.
3. Flame Test: Brick red (not persistent) Ca2+ may be present
A small amount of
salt is made into a Crimson red (persistent) Sr2+ may be present
paste by mixing with
few drops of Con HCl Persistent grassy-green Ba2+ may be present
in a watch glass and (appears after prolonged
introduced into a heating)
flame
No characteristic flame Absence of Ca2+, Sr 2+,
is observed Ba2+ ,
4. Ash test: to the salt Green ash Zinc present
add cobalt nitrate
solution and dil Blue ash Aluminium present
HNO3. Dip a filter
paper in the above Pink ash Magnesium present
solution and
introduce in the flame No characteristic ash Absence of Zn2+, Mg2+,
is observed Al3+
DETECTION OF ANION
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. A pinch of Colourless, odourless gas with brisk Presence of carbonate
the salt in a effervescence, turns lime water milky.
test tube is
treated with
1-2 ml of No characteristic gas evolution Absence of carbonate
dilute
sulphuric
acid
2. A pinch of Colourless (HCl) gas with pungent Presence of chloride
salt in a test smell is evolved which gives dense
tube is white fumes (NH 4Cl) when a glass rod
warmed with dipped in ammonium hydroxide is
conc. shown at the mouth of the test tube
sulphuric
acid.
Reddish brown vapours (Br2) with Presence of bromide
pungent smell, turns starch iodide
paper blue
Colourless vapour of HNO3 Presence of nitrate
condensing to colourless liquid. When
a piece of Cu is added to it gives
reddish brown NO2 gas
No characteristic gas or vapour Absence of Chloride,
evolution is observed bromide and nitrate ions
To I ml of solution White precipitate formed which is Sulphate ion present
add excess HCl. insoluble in dil. HCl
Then add BaCl2
solution to it.
CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR ANIONS:
Carbonates (CO32-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. To one portion of the salt Formation of white Presence of carbonate
solution add magnesium precipitate confirmed
sulphate solution +
ammonium hydroxide
Chloride (Cl-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Acidify a portion of the A white precipitate Presence of chloride is
aqueous salt solution with insoluble in confirmed
dil.Nitric acid, boil, cool and dil.HNO3
add silver nitrate solution.
Bromide (Br-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Acidify a portion of A pale yellow precipitate is Presence of bromide is
the aqueous obtained which is partially confirmed
solution with soluble in NH 4OH but
dil.HNO3, boil , cool insoluble in dil.HNO3
and add silver formed
nitrate solution
Nitrate (NO3-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Brown ring test: 1ml of salt A dark brown ring is Presence of nitrate is
solution is acidified with dil formed at the junction of confirmed
H2SO4. A freshly prepared the layers of the acid and
solution of FeSO 4 is the solution
added. Then con H 2SO4 is
slowly added along the
sides of the test tube to
form the lower layer
Sulphate (SO 42-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Lead acetate test: Neutralise 1ml A white precipitate Presence of sulphate is
of salt solution by adding insoluble in dil.HCl is confirmed
dil CH3COOH till no more CO2 is formed
evolved. Warm the solution, cool it
and add lead acetate solution
DETECTION OF CATIONS:
NOTE: Original solution (o.s) is prepared by mixing salt in water.
If the salt is insoluble in water, dissolve the salt in dil.HCl.
PRELIMINARY TEST FOR CATIONS:
SL. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
NO.
1. Original solution + Evolution of a colourless gas Presence of group zero
dil. NaOH and boil with the smell of ammonia, red (NH4+)
litmus paper turns blue
Absence of group zero
No characteristic gas evolution. (NH4+)
2. Original solution + Thick White ppt. (as chlorides) Presence of Group I
dil.HCL (Pb2+)
No characteristic ppt Absence of group I
(Pb2+)
3. Black ppt. Presence of Group II
Original solution + (as sulphides) (Cu2+)
dil HCL+ H2S(g)
No characteristic ppt Absence of Group II
(Cu2+)
4. Gelatinous white ppt Presence of Group
Original solution + (as hydroxides) (Al3+)
solid NH4Cl +
NH4OH Absence of Group (Al3+)
No characteristic ppt
5. Dirty white ppt Presence of Zn2+
Original solution + (as sulphides in alkaline
solid NH4Cl + medium)
NH4OH + H2S(g Absence of Group IV
No characteristic ppt (Zn2+ )
6. White ppt Presence of Group V
Original solution + (as Carbonates) (Ba2+,Ca2+ , Sr2+)
solid NH4Cl +
NH4OH +
(NH4)2 CO 3 soln. No characteristic ppt. Absence of Group V
(Ba2+,Ca2+ , Sr2+)
7 Original solution + White precipitate Presence of Group VI (
Ammonium Mg2+)
hydroxide drop by
drop No precipitate Absence of Group
VI(Mg2+)
CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS:
AMMONIUM NH4+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1 Salt solution+NaOH + Reddish brown ppt NH4+ is confirmed
Nessler's reagent + heat
ANALYSIS OF GROUP I (Pb2+)
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + KI solution yellow ppt of lead iodide Pb2+ is confirmed
dissolves on heating and
reappears as golden
spangles
ANALYSIS OF GROUP III (Al3+)
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + dil HCl+ a few A blue lake formation Al3+ is confirmed
drops of blue litmus
solution+ammonium
hydroxide solution in excess
ANALYSIS OF GROUP IV (Zn2+)
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ sodium White ppt is formed and Zn2+ is confirmed
hydroxide solution (drop it dissolves in excess
wise addition) NaOH
2. Salt solution + dil HCL + White / bluish white ppt Zn2+ is confirmed
potassium ferrocyanide
solution
ANALYSIS OF GROUP V(Ca2+, Ba2+ , Sr 2+)
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + dil acetic acid yellow ppt Ba2+ is confirmed
+ few drops of potassium
chromate solution
2. Salt solution + dil Acetic acid White ppt Sr2+ is confirmed
+ ammonium sulphate
1. Salt solution + dil acetic acid White ppt Ca2+is confirmed
+ ammonium oxalate
solution + few drops of
ammonium hydroxide
solution
ANALYSIS OF GROUP VI (Mg2+)
Sl.No.EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + solid ammonium White ppt on Mg2+ is confirmed
chloride + ammonium hydroxide scratching the sides
in slight excess + disodium of the test tube with
hydrogen phosphate solution a glass rod
RESULT: The given salt is _____________
Anion is ________, cation is ____________
