Sodium metabisulfite or sodium pyrosulfite (IUPAC spelling; Br. E. sodium metabisulphite or sodium pyrosulphite) is an
inorganic compound
In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...
of chemical formula Na
2S
2O
5. The substance is sometimes referred to as disodium metabisulfite. It is used as a
disinfectant
A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than st ...
,
antioxidant
Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...
, and
preservative
A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by ...
agent.
Preparation
Sodium metabisulfite can be prepared by treating a solution of
sodium hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions .
Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali ...
with
sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide (IUPAC-recommended spelling) or sulphur dioxide (traditional Commonwealth English) is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a toxic gas responsible for the odor of burnt matches. It is released naturally by volcanic activ ...
.
When conducted in warm water, Na
2SO
3 initially precipitates as a yellow solid. With more SO
2, the solid dissolves to give the disulfite, which crystallises upon cooling.
:SO
2 + 2 NaOH → Na
2SO
3 + H
2O
:SO
2 + Na
2SO
3 → Na
2S
2O
5
which yields a residue of colourless solid Na
2S
2O
5.
Chemical structure
The anion
metabisulfite
A disulfite, commonly known as metabisulfite or pyrosulfite, is a chemical compound containing the ion . It is a colorless dianion that is primarily marketed in the form of sodium metabisulfite or potassium metabisulfite. When dissolved in wat ...
consists of an SO
2 group linked to an SO
3 group, with the negative charge more localised on the SO
3 end. The S–S bond length is 2.22 Å, and the "thionate" and "thionite" S–O distances are 1.46 and 1.50 Å, respectively.
Reactivity
Upon dissolution in water, bisulfite is generated:
:Na
2S
2O
5 + H
2O → 2 Na
+ + 2 HSO
3−
Uses
Sodium and
potassium metabisulfite
Potassium metabisulfite, K2S2O5, also known as potassium pyrosulfite, is a white crystalline powder with a pungent odour. It is mainly used as an antioxidant or chemical sterilant. As a disulfite, it is chemically very similar to sodium metabis ...
have many major and niche uses. It is widely used for
preserving food and beverages.
*Sodium metabisulfite is added as an
excipient
An excipient is a substance formulated alongside the active ingredient of a medication, included for the purpose of long-term stabilization, bulking up solid formulations that contain potent active ingredients in small amounts (thus often referred ...
to medications which contain adrenaline (
epinephrine
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions (e.g., respiration). It appears as a white microcrystalline granule. Adrenaline is normally produced by the adrenal glands and ...
), in order to prevent the oxidation of adrenaline.
For example, it is added to
combination drug
A combination drug or a fixed-dose combination (FDC) is a medicine that includes two or more active ingredients combined in a single dosage form. Terms like "combination drug" or "combination drug product" can be common shorthand for a FDC prod ...
formulations which contain a
local anaesthetic
A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of pain sensation. In the context of surgery, a local anesthetic creates an absence of pain in a specific location of the body without a loss of consciousness, as opposed to a general ...
and adrenaline,
and to the formulation in
epinephrine autoinjector
An epinephrine autoinjector (or adrenaline autoinjector, also known by the trademark EpiPen) is a medical device for injecting a measured dose or doses of epinephrine (adrenaline) by means of autoinjector technology. It is most often used for t ...
s, such as the EpiPen. This lengthens the shelf life of the formulation,
although the sodium metabisulphite reacts with adrenaline, causing it to degrade and form epinephrine sulphonate.
*In combination with
sodium hydrosulfite
Sodium dithionite (also known as sodium hydrosulfite) is a white crystalline powder with a sulfurous odor. Although it is stable in dry air, it Chemical decomposition, decomposes in hot water and in acid Solution (chemistry), solutions.
Structu ...
it is used as a rust-stain remover
*It is used in photography.
*Concentrated sodium metabisulfite can be used to remove
tree stump
After a tree has been cut and felled, the stump or tree stump is usually a small remaining portion of the trunk with the roots still in the ground. Stumps may show the age-defining rings of a tree. The study of these rings is known as dendrochrono ...
s. Some brands contain 98% sodium metabisulfite, and cause degradation of
lignin
Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity ...
in the stumps, facilitating removal.
*It is also used as an
excipient
An excipient is a substance formulated alongside the active ingredient of a medication, included for the purpose of long-term stabilization, bulking up solid formulations that contain potent active ingredients in small amounts (thus often referred ...
in some
tablets, such as
paracetamol
Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol.
At a standard dose, paracetamol only slightly decreases body temperature; it is inferior ...
.
*A very important health related aspect of this substance is that it can be added to a blood smear in a test for
sickle cell anaemia
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blo ...
(and other similar forms of
haemoglobin
Hemoglobin (haemoglobin BrE) (from the Greek word αἷμα, ''haîma'' 'blood' + Latin ''globus'' 'ball, sphere' + ''-in'') (), abbreviated Hb or Hgb, is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein present in red blood cells (erythrocyte ...
mutation
In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mi ...
). The substance causes defunct cells to sickle (through a complex
polymerisation
In polymer chemistry, polymerization (American English), or polymerisation (British English), is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form polymer chains or three-dimensional networks. There are many for ...
) hence confirming disease.
*It is used as a bleaching agent in the production of coconut cream
*It (or liquid SO
2) is commonly used as an antimicrobial and antioxidant in winemaking; bottled wine indicates its use with the label "Contains Sulfites" in the US.
*It is used as a reducing agent to break sulfide bonds in shrunken items of clothing made of natural fibres, thus allowing the garment to go back to its original shape after washing
*It is used as a SO
2 source (mixed with air or oxygen) for the destruction of cyanide in commercial
gold cyanidation
Gold cyanidation (also known as the cyanide process or the MacArthur-Forrest process) is a hydrometallurgical technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore by converting the gold to a water-soluble coordination complex. It is the most commonly ...
processes.
*It is used as a SO
2 source (mixed with air or oxygen) for the precipitation of elemental gold in
chloroauric (aqua regia) solutions.
*It is used in the water treatment industry to quench residual chlorine.
*It is used in tint etching iron-based metal samples for microstructural analysis.
*It is used as a fungicide for anti-microbe and mould prevention during shipping of consumer goods such as shoes and clothing. Plastic stickers and packaging (such as Micro-Pak
™) containing the anhydrous, sodium metabisulfite solid active ingredient are added prior to shipping. The devices absorb moisture from the atmosphere during shipping and release low levels of sulfur dioxide.
*It is used for preserving fruit during shipping.
*It is used as a solvent in the extraction of starch from tubers, fruit, and cereal crops.
*It is used as a pickling agent to treat high pressure reverse osmosis and nanofiltration water desalination membranes for extended storage periods between uses.
Safety
Sodium metabisulfite, despite not being flammable, decomposes in 150°C of heat releasing
toxic gasses when decomposed. It is corrosive when dissolved in water.
Harmful if swallowed, it is corrosive to metals and should be stored safely.
References
External links
International Chemical Safety Card 1461The surprisingly elusive crystal structure of sodium metabisulfite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sodium Metabisulfite
Metabisulfites
Sodium compounds
Food additives
Disinfectants
Homebrewing
E-number additives