Sodium phosphate

For the chemical known as sodium phosphate, see Trisodium phosphate.
Sodium dihydrogen phosphate
Sodium hydrogen phosphate
Trisodium phosphate

A sodium phosphate is a generic variety of salts of sodium (Na+) and phosphate (PO3−4). Phosphate also forms families or condensed anions including di-, tri-, tetra-, and polyphosphates. Most of these salts are known in both anhydrous (water-free) and hydrated forms. The hydrates are more common than the anhydrous forms.[1]

Uses

Sodium phosphates have many applications in food and for water treatment. For example, sodium phosphates are often used as emulsifiers (as in processed cheese),[2] thickening agents, and leavening agents for baked goods. They are also used to control pH of processed foods.[3] They are also used in medicine for constipation and to prepare the bowel for medical procedures. They are also used in detergents for softening water and as an efficient anti-rust solution.

Adverse effects

Sodium phosphates are popular in commerce in part because they are inexpensive and because they are nontoxic at normal levels of consumption.[4] However, oral sodium phosphates when taken at high doses for bowel preparation for colonoscopy may in some individuals carry a risk of kidney injury under the form of phosphate nephropathy. There are several oral phosphate formulations which are prepared extemporaneously. Oral phosphate prep drugs have been withdrawn in the United States, although evidence of causality is equivocal.[5] Since safe and effective replacements for phosphate purgatives are available, several medical authorities have recommended general disuse of oral phosphates.[6]

Monophosphates

Three families of sodium monophosphates are common, those derived from orthophosphate (PO3−4), hydrogen phosphate (HPO2−4), and dihydrogenphosphate (H2PO−4). Some of the best known salts are shown in the following table.

name formula CAS registry number
monosodium phosphate (anhydrous) NaH2PO4 7558-80-7
monosodium phosphate monohydrate NaH2PO4·H2O 10049-21-5
monosodium phosphate dihydrate NaH2PO4·2H2O 13472-35-0
disodium phosphate (anhydrous) Na2HPO4 7558–79–4
disodium phosphate dihydrate Na2HPO4·2H2O 10028-24-7
disodium phosphate heptahydrate Na2HPO4·7H2O 7782–85–6
disodium phosphate octahydrate Na2HPO4·8H2O
disodium phosphate dodecahydrate Na2HPO4·12H2O 10039–32–4
trisodium phosphate (anhydrous, hexagonal) Na3PO4
trisodium phosphate (anhydrous, cubic) Na3PO4 7601–54–9
trisodium phosphate hemihydrate Na3PO4·0.5H2O
trisodium phosphate hexahydrate Na3PO4·6H2O
trisodium phosphate octahydrate Na3PO4·8H2O
trisodium phosphate dodecahydrate Na3PO4·12H2O 10101-89-0

Di- and polyphosphates

In addition to these phosphates, sodium forms a number of useful salts with pyrophosphates (also called diphosphates), triphosphates and high polymers. Of these salts, those of the diphosphates are particularly common commercially.

name formula CAS Registry number
monosodium diphosphate (anhydrous) NaH3P2O7
disodium diphosphate (anhydrous) Na2H2P2O7 7758-16-9
disodium diphosphate hexahydrate Na2H2P2O7·6H2O
trisodium diphosphate (anhydrous) Na3HP2O7
trisodium diphosphate monohydrate Na3HP2O7·H2O
trisodium diphosphate nonahydrate Na3HP2O7·9H2O
tetrasodium diphosphate (anhydrous) Na4P2O7 7722-88-5
tetrasodium diphosphate decahydrate Na4P2O7·10H2O 13472-36-1

Beyond the diphosphates, sodium salts are known triphosphates, e.g. sodium triphosphate and tetraphosphates. The cyclic polyphosphates, called metaphosphates, include the trimer sodium trimetaphosphate and the tetramer, Na3P3O9 and Na4P4O12, respectively.

Polymeric sodium phosphates are formed upon heating mixtures of NaH2PO4 and Na2HPO4, which induces a condensation reaction. The specific polyphosphate generated depends on the details of the heating and annealing. One derivative is the glassy (i.e., amorphous) Graham's salt (sodium hexametaphosphate). It is a cyclic polyphosphate with the formula Na6[(PO3)6]. Crystalline high molecular weight polyphosphates include Kurrol's salt and Maddrell's salt (CAS#10361-03-2). These species have the formula [NaPO3]n[NaPO3(OH)]2 where n can be as great as 2000, and it is a white powder practically insoluble in water. In terms of their structures, these polymers consist of PO−3 units, with the chains are terminated by protonated phosphates.[1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b Klaus Schrödter; Gerhard Bettermann; Thomas Staffel; Friedrich Wahl; Thomas Klein; Thomas Hofmann (2012). "Phosphoric Acid and Phosphates". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a19_465.pub3. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  2. ^ "Monosodium Phosphate | Sodium Phosphate Formula". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02.
  3. ^ Lampila, Lucina E. (2013). "Applications and functions of food-grade phosphates". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1301 (1): 37–44. Bibcode:2013NYASA1301...37L. doi:10.1111/nyas.12230. PMID 24033359. S2CID 206223856.
  4. ^ Razzaque, M. S. (2011). "Phosphate toxicity: New insights into an old problem". Clinical Science. 120 (3): 91–97. doi:10.1042/CS20100377. PMC 3120105. PMID 20958267.
  5. ^ Markawitz, GB; Parezelli, MA (Aug 12, 2007). "Acute Phosphate Nephropathyl". Kidney International. 76 (10): 1027–34. doi:10.1038/ki.2009.308. PMID 19675530.
  6. ^ Mackey, AC; Breen, L; Amand, KS; Evigan, M (August 2007). "Sodium phosphate tablets and acute Phosphate Nephropathy". The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 104 (8): 1903–1906. doi:10.1038/ajg.2009.342. PMID 19661931. S2CID 12551005.
  7. ^ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 530. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.
  • US 3726960, Bell, Russel N, "Sodium Aluminum Phosphate Cheese Emulsifying Agent", published 1973 
  • Lien, YH (16 July 2008). "Is bowel preparation before colonoscopy a risky business for the kidney?". Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology. 4 (11): 606–14. doi:10.1038/ncpneph0939. PMID 18797448. S2CID 340122.