Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving riskLegge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Science
Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving risk
Legge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Lead poisoning
Where the estimation is to be made gravimetrically, the substance is
always obtained as a sulphate, and the lead estimated by weighing as
a sulphate. This process is an exceedingly tedious one when a large
number of small samples have to be estimated, as in the determination
of the amount of lead dust present in the air. On the other hand, it
is probable that the use of the balance in the estimation of lead as
sulphate is more accurate where larger quantities up to 10 milligrammes
are present; but where only 2 or 3 milligrammes are present in the
amount of substance examined, the experimental error in washing is
too large to warrant the expenditure of time required in this form of
estimation, and the colorimetric method is used.
=Detection of Lead in Organic Mixtures.=--Acidulate the organic
substances, reduced to fine proportions, with nitric acid, heat for
some time, then permit to cool; filter, wash residue, and mix washings
with filtrate; concentrate filtrate; pass H₂S; place mixture in warm
place to allow precipitate to settle; after which decant supernatant
fluid, collect precipitate on tared filter, thoroughly wash, dry on
water-bath, and weigh. One part of sulphide is equivalent to 0·9331
part of lead oxide and 1·5837 parts of acetate of lead.
The electrolytic method is better adapted for the detection of
minute quantities of lead, as, for example, in the urine or fæces or
in vomited matter. The urine may be evaporated to a viscous state;
the others, finely broken up, are treated in the same way, after
HCl is added, as recommended above, the mixture heated, and pinches
of powdered chlorate of potash added, as necessary, to break down
organic matter. The heating is continued until the odour of chlorine
disappears, after which it is filtered and the filtrate allowed to
cool. The filtrate is then placed in the outer cell of a two-celled
arrangement, not unlike a dialyser, the bottom of which is formed
of vegetable parchment, the outer cell containing distilled water
acidulated with H₂SO₄. Into the inner cell is placed a piece of
platinum-foil measuring about 50 square centimetres of exposed
surface, which is connected with the kathode or negative pole of four
Grove cells, and into the outer cell is placed a like-sized piece
of platinum-foil connected with the anode or positive pole. These
pieces of foil are so placed in relation to one another that they
are only separated by the parchment. The galvanic circuit being now
closed for some hours, any lead in the filtrate will be deposited
on the platinum-foil connected with the kathode in the inner cell.
The foil is then removed, carefully washed, and the metallic lead
dissolved by dilute nitric acid aided by heat, after which the solution
is concentrated until most of the free acid is driven off; dilute
sulphuric acid is added to throw down the sulphate, alcohol being also
added to expedite precipitation. The precipitate is allowed to settle
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