World's Saltiest Water - Periodic Table of Videos

TL;DR

Record-breaking saltiest water found in Ethiopian pond with high temperatures, dissolving salts, and unique yellow coloration.

Transcript

So this sample may not look very much but it's a sample of the saltiest water that you can find on this planet. It comes from a really small lake - not even a lake, a pond - in the north of Ethiopia. This was collected by one of my friends, Eduardo Perez, when he was on holiday collected in a plastic water bottle and then he analyzed it and found t... Read More

Key Insights

• 👻 Ethiopia's Danakil Depression hosts the saltiest water in the world, with a record-breaking total dissolved solids of 433 grams per kilogram.
• 😅 Hot springwater and volcanic activity contribute to the extreme temperature and salinity of the Ethiopian pond water.
• 💛 The unique yellow coloration of the water is attributed to trace iron(III) presence despite the primary salts being colorless calcium and magnesium chloride.

Questions & Answers

Q: What makes the water in the Ethiopian pond so salty?

The high salinity is due to a combination of hot springwater dissolving salts in the soil, resulting in a concentration beyond saturation, with 43.3% dissolved solids by weight.

Q: How does the salinity of the Ethiopian pond water compare to the Dead Sea?

The Ethiopian pond water is approximately twice as salty as the Dead Sea in terms of dissolved material, with a distinct compositional difference having very little sodium unlike sea water.

Q: Why does the water appear yellow even though the salts present are colorless?

The yellow coloration in the water is caused by trace iron(III) that reacts with high concentrations of chloride, despite the primary salts being colorless calcium and magnesium chloride.

Q: How did Eduardo Perez's discovery set a new Guinness World Record for the saltiest water?

Eduardo Perez's analysis of the Ethiopian pond water's composition revealed a total dissolved solids of 433 grams per kilogram, establishing a new record for the saltiest water on Earth.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The saltiest water ever discovered originates from a small pond in Ethiopia.

• The water is extremely hot at 60 degrees Celsius due to volcanic activity and contains a high concentration of calcium and magnesium chloride.

• The dissolved solids in the water weigh 43.3% by weight, with unique coloration from trace iron(III) presence.