Sciencemadness Discussion Board

What to do with unknown copper waste?

Draeger - 14-3-2020 at 06:19

So, from the experiment I did a while ago, I still have some copper waste left. I had thought that it was all copper hydroxide and basic copper carbonate. So, I added acetic acid to covert it all to copper acetate so that I finally had generally the same product.

Well, that didn't end up working. A lot of it converted to copper acetate, but a lot of it stayed as an insoluble solid, even after adding distilled water. Thus, I am now stuck with some copper acetate and unknown blue waste.

What do I do with this?

And, for the future, what do I do with unknown waste in general?

stephill92 - 14-3-2020 at 07:20

You could probably just put it in a container and save it or just take it to a chemical waste disposal since you know that it contains copper. As for other waste, I just try to save all the stuff I can't pour down the drain if it's inorganic, and for organics I just try to evaporate or burn them off.

Draeger - 14-3-2020 at 09:17

Quote: Originally posted by stephill92  
You could probably just put it in a container and save it or just take it to a chemical waste disposal since you know that it contains copper. As for other waste, I just try to save all the stuff I can't pour down the drain if it's inorganic, and for organics I just try to evaporate or burn them off.

Okay. Thanks.

anti - 14-3-2020 at 10:39

Do electrolysis with lead dioxide anode to plate out the copper out of your acetate.
The blue stuff could be any of the following :
Copper Oxychloride
Copper Carbonate
Copper(I) Chloride
ALL ARE INSOLUBLE
Tho the carbonate should have reacted with the acetic acid. Try adding more.


garphield - 14-3-2020 at 11:18

Couldn't you just add sodium hydroxide or carbonate to precipitate out the copper as the hydroxide/oxide/carbonate?

[Edited on 14-3-2020 by garphield]