Solubility of PbCl2 in DMSO and DMSO—water solutions

Non-aqueous solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) have been investigated from time to time as a useful complement to or substitute for typical hydrometallurgical unit operations. This study presents solubility data for PbCl2, FeCl3, and FeCl2 in DMSO as a function of temperature. Solubility data are also presented for PbCl2 in the presence of FeCl3 and FeCl2. Results show that PbCl2 is much more soluble in DMSO than in water by roughly an order of magnitude. In contrast to PbCl2 the solubilities of both FeCl2 and FeCl3 are lower in DMSO than in water. Interestingly, the addition of FeCl2 caused a drastic decrease in PbCl2 solubility in DMSO, particularly at higher temperatures. On the other hand, PbCl2 solubility increased with increasing additions of FeCl3.