XXIII.—On the Reaction of Natural Waters with Soluble Lead Salts

Extract

In a former communication to the Society, I noticed a reaction presented by all spring, well, and river waters which I had examined, that, even after being boiled, they yielded, with acetate of lead, a precipitate readily soluble, in whole or in great part, in acetic acid. This easy solubility in acetic acid shewed that the precipitate was neither a sulphate nor a phosphate, and the comparatively slight action of nitrate of silver proved that it was not a chloride. There seemed, therefore, to remain only the conclusion that it was either a carbonate, or was due to organic matter. The former alternative, of course, depended on whether the solution in acetic acid was attended with effervescence or not; and as this seemed usually not to be the case, and as, on decomposing some of the precipitate by sulphuretted hydrogen, some organic matter in solution was obtained, the conclusion seemed to be, that the appearance was caused by organic matter, probably of the nature of the crenic and apocrenic acids of Berzelius. I have since, however, found that by very careful observation, effervescence may be noticed during the solution of the precipitate more frequently than I at first supposed. It is not so easy as might be imagined to determine this point.