《黄帝九鼎神丹经》炼制单质砷的初步模拟实验研究

Preliminary Simulations of Arsenic Refining in Huangdi Jiudingshendan Jing

单质砷的提炼是由炼金术士最先完成的。已有的研究及资料显示:在西方,德国炼金术士大阿尔伯特(Albertus Magnus)于13世纪提炼出单质砷;在中国,晋、唐和南宋时期的炼丹术士都曾成功炼制过单质砷。我们发现汉代《黄帝九鼎神丹经》保存的使用含碳物质升炼含砷矿物获取升华产物的记载涉及到单质砷的炼制,使用矿石原料对此进行野外模拟实验,检测结果表明实验产物为单质砷。这可能是迄今所知世界上最早的炼制单质砷的记载。

Elemental arsenic was first refined by alchemists. Previous studies have shown that German alchemist Albertus Magnus refined elemental arsenic in the thirteenth century, and Chinese alchemists successfully refined elemental arsenic during the Jin Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty. The authors find that the Han alchemical book named Huangdi Jiudingshendan Jing kept a detailed record of refining minerals containing arsenic with materials containing carbon. Using raw ores, the authors make simulations in the field. Results indicate that the experimental products are arsenic. This may be the earliest records of arsenic refining thus far discovered.