MIN'ERAL WATERS. 



Mineral it. Thus it is known that the alkaline carbonates de- 

 Wt?r. compose the sulphates and muriates of the earths and 

 '*"""'* ""' metal*, these, therefore, it is supposed, are not con- 

 tainetl in the same water. The same is the case with 

 the alkaline sulphates, and the muriates of the earths, 

 and with sulphate of magnesia and muriate of lime; 

 these decomposing each other. Much reliance cannot 

 however be placed in this conclusion, because salts 

 which are known to decompose each other, when their 

 solutions are not much dilute*.!, exist together in solu- 

 tion, if a large quantity of the solvent be present, as 

 has been fully proved by the analysis of different mine- 

 ral waters. 



By the different methods which have been pointed 

 out, the different saline compounds of a mineral water 

 may be procured ; of course the mode to be followed 

 must differ according to the ingredients, which by the 

 use of the tests we have discovered in it. When the 

 water contains a great variety of ingredients, the me- 

 thods recommended require to be varied considerably 

 before we can with certainty infer the presence of the 

 different compounds. In addition to the evaporation 

 of the fluid, and the use of alcohol, other substances 

 must be employed to separate the saline bodies from 

 each other, 10 that there may be no doubt of their na- 

 ture. The various mode* followed have been particu- 

 larly illustrated by Kirwan, in his Etiay on Mineral 

 Haters. 



65. Alkaline nitrates. To procure the alkaline ni- 

 trates, the water must first be freed of the sulphuric 

 and muriatic acid*, by means of acetate of baryta and 

 cetate of silver, and then, after filtration, evapo- 

 rated to drynesa. Alcohol must be poured on the re- 

 sidue, which will dissolve part of it, and leave the ni- 

 trates probably mixed with acetate of lime. If this 

 be present, the lime may be precipitated by dissolv- 

 ing the residue in water, and adding carbonate of 

 magnesia to the solution. After this the fluid must be 

 filtered, evaporated to dry ness, and the residue di- 

 gested in alcohol, by which the nitrates will be left. 

 The alkali present may be known by the use of the 

 tests. (46, 47.) 



66. Xilrate of lime. To procure the nitrate of lime, 

 the fluid must be evaporated, but the evaporation 

 must be stopped before any deposition takes place. 

 Alcohol is then to be added, which precipitates the 

 sulphates. The fluid alter filtration must be boiled, 

 and the muriatic acid precipitated by acetate of sil- 

 ver. The fluid must be again filtered, evaporated to 

 dryness, and the residue treated with alcohol. The 

 solution then contains the acetates, and probably nitrate 

 of lime. If present the lime may be precipitated by 

 oxalate of ammonia. 



67. \ilratr of magnesia. Remove the sulphuric and 

 muriatic acids, (65) and evaporate to dryness. Digest 

 the residue in alcohol, evaporate the solution to ory- 

 DCM, and dissolve what is left in water ; the solution 

 contains the acetates, and perhaps nitrate of magne- 

 sia. To this pptassa must be added ; if magnesia be 

 present, a precipitate will fall. After this the solu- 

 tion must be filtered, evaporated to dryness, and di- 

 gested in alcohol . if any of it remain undissolved, it 

 is nitrate of potaasa, the nitric acid of which must have 

 been set free from the magnesia. 



68. Alkaline carbonate i. The presence of the carbo- 

 nates of the alkalie* may be known, br the change ef- 

 fected on the vegetable colours. Should these changes 

 not be permanent, we conclude that they are produced 

 by ammonia. If permanent, then they are occasioned 



rot. xiv. FART it. 



by the fixed alkalie;. Whether potassa or soda may be 

 known by the proper tests. (46, 47.) 



69. The super-carbonales of the earths and iron are 

 detected by boiling the fluid, by which the excess of 

 acid is expelled and the carbonate precipitated. The 

 substance precipitated may be known, by dissolving 

 the residue in muriatic acid, and applying the tests. 

 (IS, 50, 53.) 



70. Sulphates of poiassa and soda. To procure the 

 sulphate of soda, evaporate the fluid to about one half 

 of its bulk, and add lime-water, till all precipitation 

 cease ; this will throw down the earths, except lime. 

 After this evaporate the fluid a little, and add alcohol, 

 and then oxalic acid. After filtration add nitrate of 

 lime. If a precipitate full, then the solution contains 

 sulphate of soda or potassa. These may be distin- 

 guished from each other by the tests of potassa, (46, 47.) 

 or by adding to the solution acetate of baryta, which 

 will throw down the sulphuric acid. Evaporate the 

 fluid to dryness, and dissolve the residue in alcohol. 

 Again evaporate to dryness, and expose the residue to 

 the air. If it be acetate of potassa it will deliquesce, 

 if acetate of soda it will effloresce. 



71. Sulphate of lime may be detected by evaporating 

 the water till a deposit be formed. 11 this be soluble 

 in a Urge quantity of water, and the solution give u 

 precipitate with baryta, not soluble in nitric acid, and 

 also with oxalic acid, then it is sulphate of lime. 



72. Sulphate of mmgnesia may be procured by the 

 addition of hydro-sulphuret of strontia, which, if there 

 be no free acid or sulphate of alumina present, given 

 a precipitate only with sulphate of magnesia. If .-ul- 

 phate of lime be present, a precipitate will be form- 

 ed, but not for twenty-four hours after the addition 

 of the hydro-sulphuret. 



73. Sulphate of iron. When iron is in union with 

 sulphuric acid, it is known by the tests of this metal 

 detecting it in the water after it has been boiled. (53.) 



7 1. Muriate of soda. Precipitate the sulphates by 

 alcohol, and nitrate of baryta. After filtration, de- 

 compose the nitrates and muriates by sulphuric acid, 

 and boil the fluid. Again add alcohol and baryta to 

 precipitate the sulphates formed. The fluid then con- 

 tains only alkaline nitrates and muriates. If the last 

 be present, they must be decomposed by the addition of 

 acetate of silver, by which acetates of the alkalies will 

 be formed. These may be known by the methods re- 

 commended. (46, 47.) 



75. Muriate of lime. Deprive the water of sul- 

 phates, by evaporation, and the addition of alcohol 

 and nitrate of baryta ; after filtration evaporate to dry- 

 ness, and digest the residue in alcohol. Evaporate the 

 solution, and subject the residue to the action ot water. 

 If the solution afford precipitates with oxalic acid, and 

 with acetate of silver, then it contains muriatic acid 

 and lime. But these may not be in union with each 

 other, u the solution may contain magnesia or alu- 

 mina. To ascertain if this be the case, add ammo- 

 nia; if a precipitate fall, it contains magnesia. If 

 the fluid give a precipitate on the addition of carbo- 

 nate of lime, then it contains alumina, either of which 

 may perhaps be in union with the muriatic acid. It 

 neither of these earth* be present, then the fluid con- 

 tains muriate of lime. Suppose one or both present, 

 to find out if the acid be in union with the lime, pre- 

 cipitate the earth by oxalic acid, filter and subject the 

 fluid to distillation, collecting the product in a cool 

 receiver, containing a little water. If this give a pre- 

 cipitate with nitrate of silver, then it contains muriatic 



Sc 



Mineral 

 Water*. 



