If the end-point is determined as prescribed, it can be as accurately fixed as that of other methods; and if a ferrous solution is at hand, the titration need consume hardly more time than that of the permanganate process to be described later on.]

STANDARDIZATION OF POTASSIUM BICHROMATE SOLUTIONS

!Selection of a Standard!

A substance which will serve satisfactorily as a standard for oxidizing solutions must possess certain specific properties:  It must be of accurately known composition and definite in its behavior as a reducing agent, and it must be permanent against oxidation in the air, at least for considerable periods.  Such standards may take the form of pure crystalline salts, such as ferrous ammonium sulphate, or may be in the form of iron wire or an iron ore of known iron content.  It is not necessary that the standard should be of 100 per cent purity, provided the content of the active reducing agent is known and no interfering substances are present.

The two substances most commonly used as standards for a bichromate solution are ferrous ammonium sulphate and iron wire.  A standard wire is to be purchased in the market which answers the purpose well, and its iron content may be determined for each lot purchased by a number of gravimetric determinations.  It may best be preserved in jars containing calcium chloride, but this must not be allowed to come into contact with the wire.  It should, however, even then be examined carefully for rust before use.

If pure ferrous ammonium sulphate is used as the standard, clear crystals only should be selected.  It is perhaps even better to determine by gravimetric methods once for all the iron content of a large commercial sample which has been ground and well mixed.  This salt is permanent over long periods if kept in stoppered containers.

STANDARDIZATION

Procedure.—­Weigh out two portions of iron wire of about 0.24-0.26 gram each, examining the wire carefully for rust.  It should be handled and wiped with filter paper (not touched by the fingers), should be weighed on a watch-glass, and be bent in such a way as not to interfere with the movement of the balance.

Place 30 cc. of hydrochloric acid (sp. gr. 1.12) in each of two 300 cc.  Erlenmeyer flasks, cover them with watch-glasses, and bring the acid just to boiling.  Remove them from the flame and drop in the portions of wire, taking great care to avoid loss of liquid during solution.  Boil for two or three minutes, keeping the flasks covered (Note 1), then wash the sides of the flasks and the watch-glass with a little water and add stannous chloride solution to the hot liquid !from a dropper! until the solution is colorless, but avoid more than a drop or two in excess (Note 2).  Dilute with 150 cc. of water and cool !completely!.  When cold, add rapidly about 30 cc. of mercuric chloride solution.  Allow the solutions to stand about three minutes and then titrate without further delay (Note 3), add about 35 cc. of the standard solution at once and finish the titration as prescribed above, making use of the ferrous solution if the end-point should be passed.