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Everyday Salts of Ternary Acids

Y ou may have encountered some salts of ternary acids without even being aware of them. For example, the iron in many of your breakfast cereals and breads may have been added in the form of iron(II) sulfate, FeSO4, or iron(II) phosphate, Fe3(PO4)2; the calcium in these foods often comes from the addition of calcium carbonate, CaCO3. Fruits and vegetables keep fresh longer after an application of sodium sulfite, Na2SO3, and sodium hydrogen sulfite, NaHSO3. Restaurants also use these two sulfites to keep their salad bars more appetizing. The red color of fresh meat is maintained for much longer by the additives sodium nitrate, NaNO3, and sodium nitrite, NaNO2. Sodium phosphate, Na3PO4, is used to prevent metal ion flavors and to control acidity in some canned goods.

Many salts of ternary acids are used in medicine. Lithium carbonate, Li2CO3, has been used successfully to combat severe jet lag. Lithium carbonate is also useful in the treatment of mania, depression, alcoholism, and schizophrenia. Magnesium sulfate, MgSO4, sometimes helps to prevent convulsions during pregnancy and to reduce the solubility of toxic barium sulfate in internally administered preparations consumed before gastrointestinal X-ray films are taken.

Other salts of ternary acids that you may find in your home include potassium chlorate, KQO3, in matches as an oxidizing agent and oxygen source; sodium hypochlorite, NaClO, in bleaches and mildew removers; and ammonium carbonate, (NH4)2CO3, which is the primary ingredient in smelling salts. Limestone and marble are calcium carbonate; gypsum and plaster of Paris are primarily calcium sulfate, CaSO4. Fireworks get their brilliant colors from salts such as barium