The key difference between zinc acetate and zinc sulphate is that zinc acetate is the zinc salt of acetic acid, whereas zing sulphate is the zinc salt of sulfuric acid.
Zinc acetate is a salt compound having the chemical formula Zn(CH3COO)2. Zinc sulphate or zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula ZnSO4.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Zinc Acetate
3. What is Zinc Sulphate
4. Zinc Acetate vs Zinc Sulphate in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Zinc Acetate vs Zinc Sulphate
What is Zinc Acetate?
Zinc acetate is a salt compound having the chemical formula Zn(CH3COO)2. Commonly, we can find it in the form of the dihydrate compound. The chemical formula of this dihydrate compound is Zn(CH3COO)2.2H2O. Generally, the anhydrous and dihydrate compounds appear as colourless solid compounds that are useful as dietary supplements. We can prepare this compound from the reaction of acetic acid on zinc carbonate or zinc metal.
Figure 01: Zinc Acetate
When considering the anhydrous form, it has a zinc atom coordinated with four oxygen atoms, giving a tetrahedral environment. Thereafter, these tetrahedral polyhedrals are interconnected by acetate ligands, giving a range of polymeric structures. In zinc acetate dihydrate, the zinc atom has octahedral geometry around it, where both acetate groups are bidentate.
There are several uses of zinc acetate, including dietary and medical applications. This substance is useful in lozenges that are used to treat the common cold. It is also useful in treating zinc deficiency. It is available as an oral supplement where it can inhibit the adsorption of copper by the body by acting as a part of the treatment of Wilson’s disease. Moreover, it is sold as an ointment to be used as an astringent, as a topical lotion, as a medication combined with antibiotics, etc.
What is Zinc Sulphate?
Zinc sulphate or zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula ZnSO4. This substance is useful as a dietary supplement in treating zinc deficiency. The most common form is the heptahydrate zinc sulphate. Historically, this heptahydrate substance was referred to as “white vitriol”. Zinc sulfate and its hydrate compounds are usually colourless solid compounds.
Figure 02: Zinc Sulphate
There are several different uses of zinc sulphate. In medicinal applications, it is used with oral rehydration therapy and as an astringent. This substance also has applications in manufacturing processes where its heptahydrate form is useful as a coagulant during the production of rayon, as a precursor to lithopone pigment, as an electrolyte for zinc electroplating, etc. In addition, it is useful in animal feed production as a source of zinc, as a component in toothpaste, in fertilizers, and in agricultural sprays.
We can produce zinc sulphate by treating virtually any zinc-containing metal, mineral, or oxide with sulfuric acid. This usually gives the heptahydrate form of zinc sulphate and hydrogen gas as a byproduct. However, in pharmaceutical applications, we can produce it by treating high-purity zinc oxide with sulfuric acid.
What is the Difference Between Zinc Acetate and Zinc Sulphate?
Zinc acetate is a salt compound having the chemical formula Zn(CH3COO)2, while zinc sulphate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula ZnSO4. The key difference between zinc acetate and zinc sulphate is that zinc acetate is the zinc salt of acetic acid, whereas zing sulphate is the zinc salt of sulfuric acid.
The below infographic lists the differences between zinc acetate and zinc sulphate in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Zinc Acetate vs Zinc Sulphate
Zinc acetate is a salt compound having the chemical formula Zn(CH3COO)2, while zinc sulphate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula ZnSO4. The key difference between zinc acetate and zinc sulphate is that zinc acetate is the zinc salt of acetic acid, whereas zing sulphate is the zinc salt of sulfuric acid.