Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Analytical Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Potash Quality Engineer on January 01, 2017, 07:23:44 AM
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Dear Chemists,
I am a fresh graduate engineer and was recently assigned to make a research about chemical analysis as an assessment for a quality lab chemist position. The product is potassium sulfate salts obtained from the reaction of KCl + H2SO4.
I managed to find the recognized method for testing for potassium content (K2O) in this specific fertilizer. However, the sulfur content (SO3) testing methods I found were meant for sulfate of ferrous sulfate fertilizers.
My question, I wonder if I can simply calculate the sulfur content from the result I get from the recognized method of potassium content by knowing the chemical formula of the product. Would that be reliable? or should I use the sulfur content analysis for ferrous sulfates to determine the sulfur content of the potassium sulfates?
Thanks in advance. I'd be really glad to discuss this with experienced chemists. Chemistry again seems interesting :D
Regards,
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There are many methods of sulfate determination.
Just google.
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Speaking in the most general terms, you will be expected to quantitate both cation and anion. You'll want a number for both, and to be able to report how pure each is. The standards to which you have to conform: how much accuracy, how much precision, how fast an analysis, how you will multiplex samples, how you will identify and report impurity traces -- all that is up to you.
You can't exclude the possibility that any assay won't be suitable, so you're going to have to try to find out what's use for samples similar to yours.