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Zinc Solubility
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Please..... What is the exact solubility of the element zinc? Thank-you.....its for a science project!
Ashleigh
- London, Ontario, Canada
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Hi,
I believe you want the solubility of zinc in water.
There is no single value -- the solubility depends upon the properties of the water. For example, the solubility
increases as acidity increases (also known as lowering of pH), temperature increases, chlorine concentration
increases and hardness decreases.
However, for ordinary water, the solubility of zinc is often limited by how much can dissolve before zinc
hydroxide forms. From the solubility product, Ksp, for zinc hydroxide Zn(OH)2, and the pH value of the water,
the solubility of zinc can be calculated. At room temperature, a water with pH = 7 (neutral) will have a dissolved
zinc concentration, Zn(+2), of 0.29 grams per Liter = 290 ppm (parts per million, by weight) = 0.039 oz. (wt.) per
gallon. If the pH increases to 8, the solubility decreases by a factor of 100, to 2.9 ppm. A chart showing Zn
solubility at different pH values is at http://www.finishing.com/Library/metalpH.html The solubility values shown
on this chart are lower than those calculated above because they were measured for hard water containing
several dissolved metals.
It may also be of interest that a small amount of Zn is present in natural waters. "Zinc is present in most rocks
and in certain minerals. As these materials break down over time, zinc may be released to surface water or
groundwater. This source of zinc is diluted and widely dispersed. Rainwater in urban areas, mine drainage, and
municipal and industrial wastes are more concentrated sources of zinc in water." ---FACT FLASH 9: Common
Contaminants, U.S. EPA.
February 3, 2010
From the solubility product, Ksp, for zinc hydroxide Zn(OH)
2
, and the pH value of the water, the solubility of
zinc can be calculated. How can you calculate this , can you give example please?
Adel Albadran
Ken Vlach
- Goleta, California
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employee - Exeter, UK
February , 2010
Hi, Adel. There is currently an excellent page on line at
www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/howtosolveit/equilibrium/solubility_products.htm#Solubilitycommonion
which gives the calculations and examples.
This subject is exceptionally dry for most readers (like me!), and you'll probably get a much more enthusiastic
response if you can lift the veil of tedium by describing the real-world situation you find yourself in that is
requiring you to run such calculations. Good luck.
Regards,

October 12, 2010
Thanks for the graph on metals solubility vs. pH. Was very helful at a customer site today to explain why it was
best to reduce the pH (which was at 11.5) in order to improve Zn precipitation. A picture is worth a thousand
words and the graph explained it better than saying "Zinc is amphoteric"! The fact that solubility can go back up
as you increase the pH is a surprise to some.
Narahari Kramadhati
- Long Beach, California








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finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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