When you think of the potable drinking water and sewage treatment systems in your community, you can thank ferric sulphate for making it happen. Ferric sulphate is an inorganic chemical compound that is used for increasing the rate of sedimentation in wastewater cleaning processes. With a pH of less than two, ferric sulphate is highly corrosive and should not be touched with bare skin.

The chemical compound is written out as Fe2(SO4)3, which means it contains a total of three naturally occurring chemical elements. Ferric sulphate is supplied as a reddish brown liquid manufactured from mined magnetic iron ore, virgin sulfuric acid, liquid oxygen, and water. Before use in its myriad industrial applications, the solution is prepared through oxidation, converting the ferrous iron within its composition into ferric iron. Stable iron concentrations in the resulting compound run up to 14%. The resulting solution can also be converted into granular form.

Ferric sulphate should be stored in appropriate containers. Because of its corrosive nature in liquid form, tanks and pipes must be made of resistant materials like fiberglass or cross-linked polyethylene. However, ferric sulphate can be fed straight into water systems or blended with organic polyelectrolytes. It is not considered a marine pollutant and despite its properties, is used to reduce odor and corrosion.

The many applications of ferric sulphate in the industrial sector include dyeing, coagulation for pigments or industrial wastes, potable drinking water production, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, and sludge conditioning. Ferric sulphate works to prevent odor by eliminating hydrogen sulfide. It works in a wide pH range too and decomposes at a high temperature. In other non-industrial sectors, ferric sulphate is also used to remove natural organic matter in water, such as bacteria, arsenic, and heavy metals.

Ferric sulphate is also known by numerous synonyms including Combiron, Copperas, Ferobuff, Ferric Persulfate, green salts, and Slow Fe.