Perchlorates

Book excerpt: Perchlorates are the salts derived from perchloric acid (HClO4). They occur both naturally and through manufacturing. They have been used as a medicine for more than 50 years to treat thyroid gland disorders and are used extensively within the pyrotechnics industry, and ammonium perchlorate is also a component of solid rocket fuel. This book presents current research data from across the globe in the study of perchlorates, their production, uses, and health effects. Some topics discussed, herein, are: trends in the study of the electrochemical stability of perchlorate ions; the structural and vibrational properties of chromyl perchlorate; perchlorate formation in electrochemical water disinfection; metal perchlorates as Lewis acids; alkaline earth metal perchlorates; and removal of perchlorate from water.