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Co-precipitation is when a solute binds to a carrier, causing it to precipitate instead of remaining dispersed. It can occur naturally or in a lab and can be useful for sampling, purifying solutions, and cleaning up environmental hazards. The process occurs through inclusion, occlusion, or adsorption. It can be deliberate or accidental and is used for extracting valuable compounds or identifying low solute concentrations. It can also be used in sample testing and environmental remediation.
Co-precipitation is a phenomenon in which a solute that would normally remain dissolved in a solution precipitates onto a carrier causing it to bind together instead of remaining dispersed. This can occur in nature and in laboratory settings and is sometimes actively facilitated, while in other cases it is an undesirable chemical reaction. Particularly in environmental remediation, co-precipitation can be an extremely useful tool for sampling, purifying solutions and cleaning up environmental hazards.
In the co-precipitation process, the chemical similarities between a carrier and a solute allow the two to bond in some way. The bond pulls the solute out of solution while the carrier forms crystals or other structures. These can potentially be discarded or removed in other ways, leaving behind a purified solution. In nature, co-precipitation can occur in streams, soils and other environments and sometimes contributes to the formation of mixed deposits of minerals and other compounds.
There are several ways a solute can co-precipitate from a solution. One is through inclusion, where crystals of a carrier form and the solute finds holes in the crystal matrix to occupy. Solutes can also be subject to occlusion. In occlusions, the carrier completely surrounds the solute, trapping it in the middle of a matrix of crystalline material so it cannot go back into solution. Adsorption, where solutes adhere to the surface of a carrier, can also occur.
Sometimes this occurs by accident as two compounds react in a laboratory setting and co-precipitate out of a solution. In other cases, a technician may initiate the process deliberately. A carrier can be introduced into a solution, for example, to remove a solute that cannot be extracted by other means. This is especially common when concentrations of a solute are extremely low. This can allow companies to extract valuable compounds and can also be used in sample testing where scientists want to identify the lowest possible solute concentration.
Sample analysis may require the use of co-precipitate to extract stubborn solutes for evaluation. Environmental contaminants can sometimes be highly dispersed, making them difficult to identify. As a result, they can withstand other means of extraction, challenging researchers who want to test them. With the use of co-precipitation, a scientist can accurately and effectively remove a solute of interest for further study. The same carriers can sometimes also be used in remediation by introducing them into contaminated environments and collecting the resulting aggregates of carriers and contaminants.
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