What Is Aluminum Sulfate?

Aluminum sulfate is a chemical compound that's sometimes referred to as sulfuric acid, aluminum
salt, or cake alum. It has a wide variety of applications, including waste treatment, water purification,
and papermanufacturing.

Chemical Properties

Aluminum sulfate is an odorless, white, or off-white crystalline solid or powder. The compound is
made by adding aluminum hydroxide to sulfuric acid. It's hygroscopic, which means it has the ability
to absorb and hold water molecules from the surrounding atmosphere. It's also water soluble and not
volatile or flammable. Aluminum sulfate is extremely acidic. When combined in solution with water its
pH can be less than two, which can make it capable of burning human skin and corroding metal.

Ways to Use It

Aluminum sulfate has a wide and diverse range of uses.

One of its primary uses is to help with filtering in water
purification. The aluminum sulfate causes impurities in the
water to clump together so they're more easily removed. It's
also used to dye cloth, kill certain kinds of slugs and insects,
and relieve pain. Aluminum sulfate is often found in baking
powder and occasionally in antiperspirants. Gardeners even
use aluminum sulfate to increase the acidity of soil.

Dangers of Using It

Aluminum sulfate is harmful if swallowed or inhaled. Inhalation causes coughing and potentially
shortness of breath. Upon contact with skin or eyes, aluminum sulfate causes irritation,
redness, itching, and pain. Eating or swallowing aluminum sulfate produces severe irritation to the
intestines and stomach. An affected person may experience vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. In
addition, adding water to aluminum sulfate can cause sulfuric acid to form. This compound can
cause severe burns if it touches exposed skin.
First Aid

If aluminum sulfate comes in contact with eyes or skin, flush or wash the affected area for 15
minutes with water. Upon inhaling the substance, move away from the toxic area and slowly breathe
fresh air. For ingestion of aluminum sulfate, drink a glass of milk and then force vomiting. Do not use
bicarbonate; it's an explosive combination, literally. Finally, if the aluminum sulfate comes into
contact with skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash the skin.

Handling and Storage

Store aluminum in a cool, dry area in a sealed container, and don't mix with other substances. Take
care that the aluminum sulfate does not get wet because it can absorb water, which causes the
surfaces it touches to become slippery. Aluminum sulfate can also leave a light residue in containers
where it was stored. Sweep or shovel spills of the compound and place in a covered container.
Wash down residue with large amounts of water and neutralize with soda ash or lime, if necessary.

Aluminum sulfate is used for a wide variety of purposes in both industrial and home settings.
However, because it's a very acidic compound, there are some basic safety precautions you
must take when using it. Make sure you know what they are so you stay safe!

Uses of Aluminum Sulfate

Aluminum sulfate has many different uses in day-to-day life, as well as being used in several
essential industries. In fact, you probably come into contact with it on a daily basis without even
knowing it!

Household Uses

Some of the most common uses of aluminum sulfate are found within the home. The compound is
often found in baking soda, although there’s some controversy over whether it’s appropriate to add
aluminum tothe diet. Some antiperspirants contain aluminum sulfate because of
its antibacterial properties, although as of 2005 the FDA does not recognize it as a wetness reducer.
Finally, the compound is the astringentingredient in styptic pencils, which are designed to stop small
cuts from bleeding.

Gardening
Other interesting uses of aluminum sulfate around the
house are in gardening. Because aluminum sulfate is
extremely acidic, it’s sometimes added to very alkaline soils
to balance the pH for plants. When the aluminum sulfate
comes into contact with water, it forms
aluminum hydroxide and a much diluted sulfuric acid
solution, which alters the soil acidity. Gardeners who plant
hydrangeas apply this property to change the flower
color (blue or pink) of the hydrangeas since this plant is very
sensitive to soil pH.

Water Treatment

One of the most important uses of aluminum sulfate is in

water treatment and purification. When added to water, it causes microscopic impurities to clump
together into larger and larger particles. These clumps of impurities will then settle to the bottom of
the container or at least get large enough to filter them out of the water. This makes the water safer
to drink. On the same principle, aluminum sulfate is also sometimes used in swimming pools to
decrease the cloudiness of the water.

Dyeing Fabrics

Another one of the many uses of aluminum sulfate is in dyeing and printing on cloth. When dissolved
in alarge amount of water that has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, the compound produces a gooey
substance, aluminum hydroxide. The gooey substance helps dyes stick to the cloth fibers by making
the dye water insoluble. The role of aluminum sulfate, then, is as a dye “fixer,” which means that it
combines with the molecular structure of the dye and the fabric so the dye doesn’t run out when the
fabric gets wet.

Paper Making

In the past, aluminum sulfate was used in making paper, although synthetic agents have mostly
replaced it. The aluminum sulfate helped to size of the paper. In this process, aluminum sulfate was
combined with rosin soap to change the absorbency of the paper. This changes the ink-absorbing
properties of the paper. Using aluminum sulfate means that the paper was made under acidic
conditions. Use of synthetic sizing agents means that acid-free paper can be produced. Acid-free
paper does not break down as fast as paper sized with acid.

Though you may not have known it, aluminum sulfate is used to make many products you use daily.
Even the water you drink is filtered using aluminum sulfate!