Cadmium sulfate

Cadmium sulfate is the name of a series of related inorganic compounds with the formula. The most common form is the monohydrate, but two other forms are known: the octahydrate and the anhydrous salt. All salts are colourless and highly soluble in water.

Preparation

Cadmium sulfate hydrate can be prepared by the reaction of cadmium metal or its oxide or hydroxide with dilute sulfuric acid:
The anhydrous material can be prepared using sodium persulfate:

Applications

Cadmium sulfate is used widely for the electroplating of cadmium in electronic circuits. It is also a precursor to cadmium-based pigment such as cadmium sulfide. It is also used for electrolyte in a Weston standard cell as well as a pigment in fluorescent screens.

Structure

X-ray crystallography shows that is a typical coordination polymer. Each center has octahedral coordination geometry, being surrounded by four oxygen centers provided by four sulfate ligands and two oxygen centers from the bridging water ligands.

Occurrence

Cadmium sulfates occur as the following rare minerals drobecite, voudourisite, and lazaridisite.

Safety

Cadmium sulfate are classified as group 1 by IARC and have been identified as causing lung and prostate cancer as well as mutagenic effects in humans.