Iron water
Currently not available in the USA and the UK.
Reagents
Safety
- Put on protective gloves and eyewear.
- Conduct the experiment on the tray.
- Do not allow chemicals to come into contact with the eyes or mouth.
- Keep young children, animals and those not wearing eye protection away from the experimental area.
- Store this experimental set out of reach of children under 12 years of age.
- Clean all equipment after use.
- Make sure that all containers are fully closed and properly stored after use.
- Ensure that all empty containers are disposed of properly.
- Do not use any equipment which has not been supplied with the set or recommended in the instructions for use.
- Do not replace foodstuffs in original container. Dispose of immediately.
- In case of eye contact: Wash out eye with plenty of water, holding eye open if necessary. Seek immediate medical advice.
- If swallowed: Wash out mouth with water, drink some fresh water. Do not induce vomiting. Seek immediate medical advice.
- In case of inhalation: Remove person to fresh air.
- In case of skin contact and burns: Wash affected area with plenty of water for at least 10 minutes.
- In case of doubt, seek medical advice without delay. Take the chemical and its container with you.
- In case of injury always seek medical advice.
- The incorrect use of chemicals can cause injury and damage to health. Only carry out those experiments which are listed in the instructions.
- This experimental set is for use only by children over 12 years.
- Because children’s abilities vary so much, even within age groups, supervising adults should exercise discretion as to which experiments are suitable and safe for them. The instructions should enable supervisors to assess any experiment to establish its suitability for a particular child.
- The supervising adult should discuss the warnings and safety information with the child or children before commencing the experiments. Particular attention should be paid to the safe handling of acids, alkalis and flammable liquids.
- The area surrounding the experiment should be kept clear of any obstructions and away from the storage of food. It should be well lit and ventilated and close to a water supply. A solid table with a heat resistant top should be provided
- Substances in non-reclosable packaging should be used up (completely) during the course of one experiment, i.e. after opening the package.
Disposal
Dispose of solid waste together with household garbage. Pour solutions down the sink. Wash off with excess of water.
That’s interesting!
Iron in water: advantages and disadvantages
Drinking water contains iron, and its concentration may be from very low to very high. Interestingly, it’s not potential health hazards that set a permissible limit of iron content in water for domestic use. Instead, the limit is based on potential damage to water supply systems. At a concentration above 0.3 milligram per liter (0.3 mg/L), iron leaves rusty stains on sanitary ware and plumbing fixtures. Moreover, such water has distinct “metallic” taste. At a concentration of iron above 1 mg/L, water has quite an unpleasant appearance because it turns cloudy. Nevertheless, according to the World Health Organization, water with up to 2 mg/L iron content is absolutely safe to drink, despite its brownish color, “rusty” taste, and the sound of iron hydroxide Fe(OH)3 scraping against the teeth.
Why cannot iron in drinking water cause intoxication? In fact, iron dissolved in water exists in form of Fe3+, which is poorly digestible. In order for it to be digested, it requires simultaneous intake of ascorbic acid C6H8O6 in large amounts. The latter transfers iron to a Fe2+ form, which is easily digestible. Curiously, even iron from metal filings is digested by our body easier than iron from drinking water. Thus, no need to be scared of iron in water: it only influences taste, but cannot cause harm to the body.
We’ve discussed tap water. Now, we should mention mineral waters with high content of iron in form of Fe2+. Sometimes, its concentration may reach 50 mg/L. Consuming such water is beneficial in case of blood-forming organs dysfunction connected with iron deficiency and low hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin is a very important protein responsible for oxygen transport in human body tissues. The key component of hemoglobin is iron (II), i.e. Fe2+.
Just imagine: without hemoglobin, we wouldn’t have been able to breathe! Breathing is not just air intake by lungs – a whole body has to be “saturated” with oxygen. And hemoglobin is a “courier” that delivers oxygen to all the organs, into all the cells in a body. Moreover, on its way back, this protein clears the body of carbon dioxide and delivers it to lungs, from where we exhale it. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the right hemoglobin (and, therefore, Fe2+) level in blood.
Iron is found in many food products – for instance, in rice, buckwheat, apples, and mushrooms. However, its concentration in there is very low. Thus, since we cannot stuff ourselves with food, a good source of iron would be mineral water. Yet, it is important to understand that consumption of chalybeate water with iron content above 10 mg/L has to be prescribed by a doctor. Such water shouldn’t be consumed as a self-treatment. For an adult, toxic dosage of iron is about 200 mg per day. Also, along with iron, such mineral waters often contain manganese that can cause harm to nervous system if consumed for a prolonged period.
Normally, iron content in natural mineral waters intended for everyday drinking is around 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L. This amount of iron is absolutely safe for health and allows to slowly but gradually “tank up” with iron.
