PRECIPITATED SULFUR

Preparations & Properties of Precipitated Sulfur

1. Give the balanced chemical equation in the preparation of precipitated sulfur

12S + 3Ca(OH)2  2CaS5 + CaS2O3 + 3H2O
2CaS5 + CaS2O3 + 6HCl  3CaCl2 + 12S + 3H2O

2. Provide the official description of the product

Very fine, pale yellow, amorphous or microcrystalline powder; odorless and tasteless

3. Give the solubility of precipitated sulfur

Practically insoluble in water, very slightly soluble in alcohol; slightly soluble in olive oil.
Distinguished from other forms of sulfur by more rapid solubility in carbon disulfide; on
shaking 1 g of precipitated sulfur with 5 mL carbon disulfide, it should dissolve quickly
except for a small amount of insoluble matter usually formed.

4. Determine the actual, percent and theoretical yield of your product.

Questions

1. What are the common name/s or synonym/s of precipitated sulfur?

Precipitated Sulphur; Lac Sulfuris; Milk of Sulfur

2. What are the therapeutic uses of precipitated sulfur?

An active parasiticide; a 10% sulfur paste or ointment is an alternative treatment for S.
scabei. Also is actively keratolytic; used in the treatment of skin disorders such as psoriasis,
seborrhea, eczema-dermatitis, and lupus erythromatosus.

3. What are the some pharmaceutical products containing precipitated sulfur?

4. Why must the precipitation medium be kept alkaline in reaction?

the liquid is kept alkaline and the addition of diluted hydrochloric acid is discontinued while
the liquid is still alkaline to litmus. Although giving a lesser yield of precipitated sulfur than
would be obtained if the liquid was made slightly acid, this is done for several excellent
reasons. Most sublimed sulfur contains a small amount of arsenic as the trisulfide, and
when this is digested with hot milk of lime, calcium sulfarsenite [Ca3(AsS3)2] is formed.
This is soluble in the alkaline liquid. However, if the liquid is made acid by the addition of
hydrochloric acid, the calcium sulfarsenite is decomposed into the insoluble arsenic
trisulfide which will again contaminate the precipitated sulfur.

5. In what liquid should the product be completely soluble? What is indicated if it is partially
insoluble in this liquid? Explain your answer.
The product obtained from the sulfides of calcium is completely soluble in carbon disulfide.
If the product is rendered insoluble, the sulfur obtained has been precipitated from calcium
thiosulfate.