Is Sodium Acetate Like Epsom Salt?

Chemical Formula

• The chemical formula of sodium acetate is NaC2H3O2. However, it's typically found in trihydrate form, meaning that there are three water molecules for each formula unit of sodium acetate. Thus, the chemical formula becomes NaC2H3O2 ⋅ 3 H2O. Epsom salt is the heptahydrate form of magnesium sulfate, so its chemical formula is MgSO4 ⋅ 7 H2O.
  
  

Sources

• Sodium acetate is the product of a reaction between acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Magnesium sulfate is most commonly found in sea water and mineral deposits, although it is also a product of the reaction between magnesium oxide and sulfuric acid.
  
  

Properties

• Magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate have a similar crystalline structure, and both are very soluble in water. Magnesium sulfate has a much higher melting point than sodium acetate, however.
  
  

Uses

• Sodium acetate is commonly used as a buffer in the lab and in a variety of industrial processes, including plastics and textiles manufacturing; it's also added to food as a seasoning, in the form of sodium diacetate. Epsom salt is used in gardening to provide magnesium for plants, in bath salts, in the manufacture of copper sulfate, and as a laxative.
  
  

Hazards

• Both Epsom salt and sodium acetate are environmentally friendly and have very low toxicity.