Experiment 5

Ferrate: An Environmentally Friendly Oxidant

By

Monty N. J. Attzs
CHM 1101-02
Experiment Performer: 11th Mar 2014
Report Submitted: 25th Mar 2014

Lab Partners:
Faseeh Syed
Alyaa Galil

Introduction
The purpose of this lab was to investigate the use of sodium ferrate as an oxidant. Particularly,
the effects of different concentrations of the pharmaceutical pollutant DTZA on the rate of the
reaction were investigated.

Data/ Results
1st Week Results:
Part 1
A sodium ferrate solution was synthesized.

Part 2
The percent yield of the solution was then calculated:
All SpectaVis absorbance (abs) readings were taken at 512 nm
Using original synthesized sodium ferrate solution:
Abs = 2.6
Therefore solution was further diluted; 3:7 parts solution : water
1st dilution: Abs = 0.943
2nd dilution: Abs = 0.943
Therefore average abs = 0.943
Concentration of further diluted solution, c1:
A
= bc
0.943 = 1150 * 1 * c
c1
= 0.943/(1150 * 1) = 8.2 *10-4
Therefore concentration of the original synthesized solution, cex:
M1V1 = M2V2
M1 * (3ml) = (8.2 *10-4)(10ml)
M1
= cex
cex
= 2.7 * 10-3 M
The theoretical yield of the original synthesized solution, cth, was then calculated:
No. moles FeCl3 = 0.50 * (1L / 1000ml) * (0.30mol / 1L) = 1.5 * 10-4 moles
Therefore, no. moles Na2FeO4 = 1.5*10-4
Theoretical yield, cth = (1.5*10-4) / (0.019L) = 7.89 * 10-3 M
Percent Yield = experimental yield / theoretical yield = 2.7 * 10-3 / 7.89 * 10-3

Part 3
The reaction between Ferrate and Diatrizoic Acid (DTZA) was performed twice.
Sample using second reaction:

Ferrate Conc. vs. Time

0
0f(x) = - 0x + 0
0R = 0.93
0
Concentration of Ferrate (M) 0
0
0
0

= 400
0 f(x)
200
Time (s)

Time
(s)
15
45
75
105
135
165
195
225
255
285
315
345
375

ABS @ 510
nm
0.382
0.382
0.379
0.364
0.357
0.344
0.345
0.331
0.34
0.318
0.32
0.32
0.32
Figure 1

Ferrate Conc.
(M)
0.000332174
0.000332174
0.000329565
0.000316522
0.000310435
0.00029913
0.0003
0.000287826
0.000295652
0.000276522
0.000278261
0.000278261
0.000278261
Figure 2

Figure 1 shows a table of the time versus absorbance versus concentration of ferrate for the
reaction.
Figure 2 shows the graph of ferrate concentration versus time; it shows a negative correlation
between the two.
From the graph in Figure 2 it was noted that the initial rate of reaction was -1.76*10-7 M/s.

2nd Week Results:

The reaction between Sodium Ferrate and DTZA was repeated eight times, using a different
concentration of DTZA per every two trials.
The rate of reaction was found for all trials. From those results, an average rate of reaction was
found for each related pair and a graph of these averages versus their respective concentrations
of DTZA was plotted:

Avg Rate of Rxn

(x10-7)
-3.51
-1.348
-1.048
-3.715

Concentration of
DTZA
0.1
0.08
0.016
0.008
Figure 3

Avg Initial Rate of Rxn (*10^-7) Concentration of DTZA

0
-0.5 0

0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08

-1
-1.5
Avg Rate of Rxn

-2
-2.5
-3

f(x) = - 2.32x - 2.29

R = 0.01

-3.5
-4
Conc. of DTZA

0.1

0.12

Figure 4

Figure 3 shows the table of average rate of reaction versus concentration of ferrate

Figure 4 shows a plot of the data in Figure 3, giving a linear relationship between the variables.

Discussion
The general purpose of this experiment was to investigate the use of sodium ferrate as an
oxidant. Particularly, the effects of different concentrations of the pharmaceutical pollutant
DTZA on the rate of the reaction were investigated.
It was hypothesized that an increase in the concentration of DTZA would increase the rate of
reaction up until the point at which the DTZA becomes the limiting reactant, provided the initial
volume and concentration of ferrate were kept constant (controlled variables). This was tested by
comparing the rate of reaction (dependent variable) to the concentration of DTZA (independent
variable).
Four solutions of DTZA of varying concentrations were made; 0.008M, 0.016M, 0.08M, 0.1M.
Following the experiment handout procedure, the reaction between ferrate and DTZA was
conducted, recording the absorbance values at 30 second intervals. This was done twice for each
concentration of DTZA so as to get an averagerate of reaction related with each concentration of
DTZA (Figure 3). A graph of these averages versus their respective concentrations of DTZA was
plotted (Figure 4)
From the graph (Figure 4) it can be seen that there is little to no correlation between the
concentration of DTZA and the rate of the reaction, with an R2 value of 0.0058; however, it is
negative correlation if it does exist. This result completely disproves the hypothesis. As such it
can be said that the reaction between ferrate and DTZA is not a zero order reaction. However, it
is unknown as to what kind of reaction it is as further calculations are required to assess such.

This result may have also been cause because of some limiting factor(s) during the
experimentation. Such possible limitations would include:
-

The cuvette may not have been perfectly clean and/or dry before each trial
The pipettes may have held extra content from previous trials; which suggests also that it
may not have released all of its contents for some trials.
There also may have been delays in the recoding of data, that is, readings may not
actually have been taken at the exact time noted.

Could the experiment be repeated, more care should be taken with respect to cleaning the cuvette
and emptying/filling the pipette between trials. Also, the SpectraVis should be cleared of data
after ever few trials as its response time became noticeably slower when it was full of data for
multiple trials.

Reflections
For this experiment my group consisted of three persons instead of the usual four. As such I filled
the roles of both manager and software technician while my fellows each took on the roles of
chemist and instrument technician respectively. We shared the work evenly, allocating jobs prior
to the actual experiment and as such completed the assignment efficiently.
In the end we had fun learning from each other and I believe we make a good team.