Copper Sulphate
Other names: Copper sulphate
Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)
Copper sulfate, also known as copper vitriol, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CuSO4. This substance is characterized by its intense blue color, which is the result of the crystallization of copper sulfate pentahydrate. Copper sulphate also exists in other forms such as monohydrate, trihydrate and anhydrate, but these are less common. Copper sulfate is a mixture of one copper II ion and two sulfate ions. It readily hydrates in air and absorbs water.
The uses of copper sulphate are varied and span across different industrial sectors. One of its main areas of use is in agriculture where it is used as a fungicide, herbicide and also as a pesticide. Copper sulphate is also used in horticulture for the treatment of certain plant diseases. Another major industry that uses this chemical compound is leather production, where it serves as a fixative for dyes and therefore as a tanning agent. In the chemical industry, it is used in the production of copper salts, as well as in analytical and synthetic reactions. It is also a component of some types of coatings and is used in pool cleaning. In water and wastewater treatment it is used for algae removal.