The absorption of oxygen into sodium sulphite solution

Abstract

In this work the kinetics of the absorption of oxygen by sulphite solution have been investigated, for which many diverse mechanisms have been proposed. For this end the oxidation reaction of sulphite with oxygen in liquid phase was first investigated by a polarographic method. From the experiments it was found that the reaction was first order with respect to both oxygen and sulphite concentration, and that the promoting effect of cobaltous catalyst was proportional to its concentration. The reaction rate constant was obtained at 20°C. Using these results the mechanism of oxygen gas absorption from bubbles into sulphite solution could be determined. The results of experiments agreed roughly with the theoretical prediction and it was shown that in the presence of cobaltous catalyst the absorption process was determined by the second-order reaction with sulphite in the liquid film.