Sodium sulfite

Sodium sulfite (Na₂SO₃) is an inorganic sodium salt of sulfurous acid. It acts as a reducing agent and oxygen scavenger and is used in preservation and industrial processing.

Sulfur dioxide: A colorless gas with formula SO₂, produced by burning sulfur and used to make sulfurous acid and sulfites. Dissolved sulfur dioxide forms sulfurous acid, whose neutralization can produce sodium sulfite.
Oxygen scavenger: A substance that reacts with or captures oxygen to reduce its concentration in a system. Sodium sulfite consumes dissolved oxygen in water and sealed systems.
Sodium: A soft, highly reactive alkali metal with atomic number 11 and symbol Na. Sodium ions form the cation component of the salt.
Sodium thiosulfate: A sodium salt containing the thiosulfate ion S₂O₃²⁻, widely used in photography and analytical chemistry. It is another sulfur-based reducing agent, but its anion contains two sulfur atoms.
Sulfurous acid: A weak acid represented as H₂SO₃ in aqueous chemistry, formed when sulfur dioxide dissolves in water. Its acid-base equilibria connect dissolved sulfur dioxide to sulfite ions.
Water treatment: Processes that improve water quality by removing contaminants or controlling its chemical and biological properties. Sodium sulfite can remove residual oxygen from boiler feedwater and other process water.
Sulfur: A nonmetallic chemical element with atomic number 16 and symbol S. Sulfur is the central element in the sulfite ion.
Sodium metabisulfite: A sodium salt with formula Na₂S₂O₅ that forms bisulfite species in water. It is a common sulfite-related preservative but differs in formula and aqueous speciation.
Sulfite: The polyatomic ion SO₃²⁻, containing sulfur in the +4 oxidation state. This anion is the reactive part of sodium sulfite.
Boiler water treatment: Chemical and physical treatment used to limit corrosion, scale, and other problems in boiler systems. Sodium sulfite is used to scavenge oxygen that would corrode boiler equipment.

Linked from 4 pages