# solution containing silver



## arthur kierski (Apr 3, 2009)

a friend sent me one litre of a solution containing silver---the solution is alkaline(i tested with ph paper)--how should i act to extract the silver? he says he can get 150 litres of this solution every 3months--he does not tell me the origin of this solution--


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## Harold_V (Apr 4, 2009)

You should be able to recover the silver with zinc flour (dust).

Be careful. Being basic, it could well be cyanide. 

Harold


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## arthur kierski (Apr 4, 2009)

thanks Harold---i will do just that-i suspected that might be cyanide


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## shyknee (Apr 4, 2009)

if you do not know the origin of the solution ,then you don't know of possible compounds in the mix,
adding
touching
or sneezing can cause a explosive reaction ?
i would not exept a unknown solution in my building or home
but that's just me


muinto cuidado ?


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## LittleJohnnyH2SO4 (Apr 4, 2009)

arthur kierski said:


> thanks Harold---i will do just that-i suspected that might be cyanide



I'm going to guess that it's either spent thiosulfate solution from a photography lab or cyanide solution.

take a few drops and acidify. HCN smells like almonds, but some people can't smell it at all, IIRC. if the mix goes cloudy, its sulfur precipitate from the hydrolysis of thiosulfate.


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Apr 4, 2009)

Arthur:

If you want to know how much silver is in that unknown solution dip a piece of copper wire,if it gets plated then the solution has silver.Time elapsed getting plated is a measure of silver contents.What color is the unknown solution?.

Regards.
Manuel


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## arthur kierski (Apr 4, 2009)

the colour of the solution is light redish brown---the sugestion of using copper wire is interesting--thanks manuel --i hope harold `s sugestion of using zinc powder works(much less work for me)---shynee; vou ter muito cuidado--the litre is at home---will take to my lab monday


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## peter i (Apr 5, 2009)

To test for cyanide make a solution of iron(II)sulphate ("copperas").


Mix a couple of drops of the solution with a couple of drops of the solution to be tested, then make the mix acidic.
Formation of a blue colour (prussian blue) indicates cyanide.


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