Magnesium sulfate constituents of evaporitic potassium-magnesium (K-Mg) salts deposits. Bright spots observed by the Dawn Spacecraft in Occator Crater on the dwarf planet Ceres are most consistent with reflected light from magnesium sulfate hexahydrate. Almost all known mineralogical forms of MgSO are hydrates. Epsomite is the natural analogue of "Epsom salt". Another heptahydrate, the copper-containing mineral alpersite (Mg,Cu)SO·7HO, was recently recognized. Both are, however, not the highest known hydrates of MgSO, due to the recent terrestrial find of meridianiite, MgSO·11HO, which is thought to also occur on Mars. Hexahydrite is the next lower (6) hydrate. Three next lower hydrates—pentahydrite, starkeyite, and especially
Magnesium acetate LiCl, MgSO and MgCl were all compared to see what effect they had on the "Escherichia coli" enzyme Primase. The experimenters found that Mg(OAc) caused the best conformational change. MgSO and MgCl induced the effect slightly while the rest did not. When magnesium acetate is mixed with hydrogen peroxide it acts as a bactericidal. Magnesium acetate has been shown to be effective at ashing organic compounds in preparation for a fluorine analysis when high or low concentrations of fluorine are present. Magnesium acetate is a relatively safe compound to handle and has been given a health hazard rating of zero.