Test to determine the presence of iron oxide?

[AndrewR]

There's an orangish-red powder which is getting on my shoes when I walk my dog near our house, and the groundskeeper said it's iron oxide coming from the ground when it's really dry.

Since my daughter and my dog run around there, is there some sort of test to verify his claim that it isn't a pesticide or herbicide of some sort? Is there some sort of chemical I could put on it that would yield a positive result with a color change, etc.?

Any chemistry geeks in here?

 

[BatmanNate]

I'd help out but I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I'd help out but I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty.

laff

 

[drinkmorejava]

lol, well, it does act as a catalyst.

For me, I would do

2% mystery substance
20% Potassium Perchlorate
rest, some type of fuel, use powdered sugar to keep it semi safe.

mix it, and light it
if the reaction is significantly stronger, then it's Iron Oxide.

Or you could do a flame test

Or check the conductivity

Or see if it?s magnetic

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: AndrewR
There's an orangish-red powder which is getting on my shoes when I walk my dog near our house, and the groundskeeper said it's iron oxide coming from the ground when it's really dry.

Since my daughter and my dog run around there, is there some sort of test to verify his claim that it isn't a pesticide or herbicide of some sort? Is there some sort of chemical I could put on it that would yield a positive result with a color change, etc.?

Any chemistry geeks in here?

It's not iron oxide, it's some sort of pesticide/herbicide. They use around here every fall.

 

[potato28]

Test it with a magnet.

 

[jagec]

Mix it with equal parts of aluminum powder, pour a decent amount on the hood of your car, and light it with a magnesium ribbon. If it melts through your hood, your engine block, and your axle, it's iron oxide.

 

[Eli]

Use 50% nitric and 50% sulphuric acid, digest the sample for about an hour. Dissolve the digested material in water and use ammonia to neutralize the acid. Once neutralized, make it slightly acidic with hydrochloric acid, 0.9 molar. Add 5ml of ammonium acetate as a buffer. Add 2ml of hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Add 5ml of dipyridel.

The solution will turn red if there is presence of iron oxide.







*I am not a chemist, but apparently Google is.

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: jagec
Mix it with equal parts of aluminum powder, pour a decent amount on the hood of your car, and light it with a magnesium ribbon. If it melts through your hood, your engine block, and your axle, it's iron oxide.

Answer, ding ding ding!


A magnet should work. Also, if it doesn't dissolve in water, there's a good chance it's iron oxide (I'm betting pesticides are water-soluble).

 

[Gibsons]

add it to some water and see if it dissolves any. Iron oxide shouldn't dissolve at all. Not a definitive test, but...

 

[Tom]

put some on an ant and a dandelion and see what happens.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Gibsons
add it to some water and see if it dissolves any. Iron oxide shouldn't dissolve at all. Not a definitive test, but...

The same idea within minutes of each other...

I'll see what happens with the water test. I thought about a magnet, but it's a very fine powder. I wasn't sure the magnet would do much, and I only have very weak ones (fridge magnets).

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: Gibsons
add it to some water and see if it dissolves any. Iron oxide shouldn't dissolve at all. Not a definitive test, but...

The same idea within minutes of each other...

I'll see what happens with the water test. I thought about a magnet, but it's a very fine powder. I wasn't sure the magnet would do much, and I only have very weak ones (fridge magnets).

Doesn't matter...if it's a powder, it will stick, and be a pain to get off as well.

 

[jonessoda]

It's not just dusty soil? Around here, the soil is a rusty color, especially when dry.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: jonessoda
It's not just dusty soil? Around here, the soil is a rusty color, especially when dry.

No, there's rusty colored/red soil down in the South, especially Georgia where I'm from, but the soil here is just tan/brown. This didn't happen last year, which is why we're skeptical about the groundskeeper's claim that it's from the ground.

 

[letdown427]

Originally posted by: jagec
Mix it with equal parts of aluminum powder, pour a decent amount on the hood of your car, and light it with a magnesium ribbon. If it melts through your hood, your engine block, and your axle, it's iron oxide.

I think he's right. Oh, and if you could film that too? Sweet, thanks.

 

[Fritzo]

If you wanted to find out what it really is, you could take it to the chemistry dept. of your local college, which will have access to a spectral analyzer. If you ask nicely, they should be able to tell you what it is.