A specific test reagent, ideally,
possesses a specific reaction with each type of anion.
The reagent might react with one anion to provide a
distinguishing product, but not with the other anions
in the mixture. The colour of precipitate formed and
the reaction of the precipitate formed with dilute acid
or identity of gas liberated gives us definitive proof
of the unknown anion in the solution.
There are three main solution tests
and these are also confirmatory tests for specific anions:
Test reagents
Specific Anions Identified
a. Silver nitrate
solution followed by dilute nitric acid
Chloride, Cl- Iodide, I-
Carbonate, CO32-
b. Barium nitrate
solution followed by dilute nitric acid or
Barium chloride solution followed by dilute hydrochloric
acid.
