SODIUM NITRATE 

Sodium nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO 3. This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Chile saltpeter (large deposits of which were historically mined in Chile)[2][3] to distinguish it from ordinary saltpeter, potassium nitrate. The mineral form is also known as nitratine, nitratite or soda niter.

CAS NO:7631-99-4
EC NO:231-554-3

IUPAC NAMES:
Chile salpeter
Nitric acid sodium salt
Oxidising agent
Sodio Nitrato
SODIUM NITRATE
Sodium Nitrate
Sodium nitrate
sodium nitrate
Sodium Nitrate
Sodium nitrate
sodium nitrate
sodium;nitrate
Trioxonitrate (V) of sodium

SYNONYMS
Sodium nitrate [ACD/IUPAC Name] [Wiki];15621-57-5 [RN];231-554-3 [EINECS];7631-99-4 [RN];Chile niter;Chile salpeter;Chile saltpeter, Soda niter;E251;MFCD00011119 [MDL number];MFCD04113753 [MDL number];Natriumnitrat [German] [ACD/IUPAC Name];Nitrate de sodium [French] [ACD/IUPAC Name];Nitric acid monosodium salt,Nitric acid sodium salt;Nitricacidsodiumsalt(1:1);Nitricacid,sodiumsalt;SODIUMNITRATE-14N;231-554-3MFCD00011119;Chilesaltpeter;Chilesaltpetre;Cubicniter;cubicnitre;etabisulfite;https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:63005;Natrum nitricum;Natrum Nitricum Liquid;Niter (VAN);Nitrate, sodium;Nitratine [Wiki];nitratine NaNO3
;NITRIC ACID, SODIUM SALT(1:1)Saltpeter (Chile)
Saltpeter (Chile) (VAN)
Soda niter
soda nitre
sodium and nitrate
Sodium nitrate (NaNO3)
Sodium nitrate, 99.999% (metals basis)
Sodium nitrate, ACS reagent grade
Sodium nitrate, Puratronic
Sodium nitrate-15N
Sodium nitric acid
Sodium saltpeter
sodium trioxidonitrate(1-)
Sodium(I) nitrate (1:1)
sodium;nitrate
Sodiumnitrate

SODIUM NITRATE 

:History
The first shipment of saltpeter to Europe arrived in England from Peru in 1820 or 1825, right after that country's independence from Spain, but did not find any buyers and was dumped at sea in order to avoid customs toll.[4][5] With time, however, the mining of South American saltpeter became a profitable business (in 1859, England alone consumed 47,000 metric tons[5]). Chile fought the War of the Pacific (1879–1884) against the allies Peru and Bolivia and took over their richest deposits of saltpeter. In 1919, Ralph Walter Graystone Wyckoff determined its crystal structure using X-ray crystallography.

Occurrence
The largest accumulations of naturally occurring sodium nitrate are found in Chile and Peru, where nitrate salts are bound within mineral deposits called caliche ore.[6] Nitrates accumulate on land through marine-fog precipitation and sea-spray oxidation/desiccation followed by gravitational settling of airborne NaNO3, KNO3, NaCl, Na2SO4, and I, in the hot-dry desert atmosphere.[7] El Niño/La Niña extreme aridity/torrential rain cycles favor nitrates accumulation through both aridity and water solution/remobilization/transportation onto slopes and into basins; capillary solution movement forms layers of nitrates; pure nitrate forms rare veins. For more than a century, the world supply of the compound was mined almost exclusively from the Atacama desert in northern Chile until, at the turn of the 20th century, German chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch developed a process for producing ammonia from the atmosphere on an industrial scale (see Haber process). With the onset of World War I, Germany began converting ammonia from this process into a synthetic Chilean saltpeter, which was as practical as the natural compound in production of gunpowder and other munitions. By the 1940s, this conversion process resulted in a dramatic decline in demand for sodium nitrate procured from natural sources.

Chile still has the largest reserves of caliche,with active mines in such locations as Pedro de Valdivia, María Elena and Pampa Blanca, and there it used to be called white gold.[2][3] Sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium sulfate and iodine are all obtained by the processing of caliche. The former Chilean saltpeter mining communities of Humberstone and Santa Laura were declared Unesco World Heritage sites in 2005.

Synthesis
Sodium nitrate is also synthesized industrially by neutralizing nitric acid with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate:

2 HNO3 + Na2CO3 → 2 NaNO3 + H2O + CO2
HNO3 + NaHCO3 → NaNO3 + H2O + CO2
or also by neutralizing it with sodium hydroxide (however, this reaction is very exothermic):

HNO3 + NaOH → NaNO3 + H2O
or by mixing stoichiometric amounts of ammonium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate:

NH4NO3 + NaOH → NaNO3 + NH4OH
NH4NO3 + NaHCO3 → NaNO3 + NH4HCO3
2NH4NO3 + Na2CO3 → 2NaNO3 + (NH4)2CO3

USES

Sodium nitrate can be combined with sulfuric acid to produce nitric acid, which is distilled off. At lower pressure the lower temperature needed results in less decomposition. The theoretical 2 moles of nitric acid per 1 mole of sulfuric acid results in a very high end temperature, much decomposition and a solid neutral sulfate that is difficult to remove. When this reaction was important industrially, it was common practice to operate with sulfuric acid in excess to end on a mostly bisulfate product poured molten out of the retort.

Hobbyist gold refiners use sodium nitrate to make a hybrid aqua regia that dissolves gold and other metals.[citation needed]

Less common applications include as an oxidizer in fireworks, replacing potassium nitrate commonly found in black powder, and as a component in instant cold packs.[8]

Sodium nitrate is used together with potassium nitrate and calcium nitrate for heat storage and, more recently, for heat transfer in solar power plants. A mixture of sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate is used as energy-storage material in prototype plants, such as Andasol Solar Power Station and the Archimedes project.[citation needed]

It is also used in the wastewater industry for facultative microorganism respiration. Nitrosomonas, a genus of microorganisms, consumes nitrate in preference to oxygen, enabling it to grow more rapidly in the wastewater to be treated.

Sodium nitrate is also sometimes used by marine aquarists who utilize carbon-dosing techniques. It is used to increase nitrate levels in the water and promote bacterial growth.[citation needed]

Food
Sodium nitrate is also a food additive used as a preservative and color fixative in cured meats and poultry; it is listed under its INS number 251 or E number E251. It is approved for use in the EU,[9] US[10] and Australia and New Zealand.[11] Sodium nitrate should not be confused with sodium nitrite, which is also a common food additive and preservative used, for example, in deli meats.

Sodium nitrate appears as a white crystalline solid. Noncombustible but accelerates the burning of combustible materials. If large quantities are involved in fire or the combustible material is finely divided an explosion may result. May explode under prolonged exposure to heat or fire. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced in fires. Used in solid propellants, explosives, fertilizers, and for many other uses.

Sodium nitrate is the inorganic nitrate salt of sodium. It has a role as a fertilizer. It is an inorganic sodium salt and an inorganic nitrate salt.

For sodium nitrate (USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code: 76104) ACTIVE products with label matches. /SRP: Registered for use in the U.S. but approved pesticide uses may change periodically and so federal, state and local authorities must be consulted for currently approved uses.

Manufacture of nitric acid and as catalyst in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. Manufacture sodium nitrite, glass, enamels for pottery; in matches; for improving burning properties of tobacco; pickling meats; as color fixative in meats. Clinical reagent (parasites). Technical grade is used as fertilizer.

Fertilizer for cotton, tobacco & vegetable crops; oxidizing component of explosives & blasting agents; oxidizer & fluxing agent in the mfr of glass & enamels; component of charcoal briquettes, heat-transfer salt; curing agent & preservative in meats; chem for recovery of tin from scrap; oxidizing agent (eg, in metal coloring solns); chem int (eg, for potassium nitrate)

More than half of the sodium nitrate produced worldwide (including Chile saltpeter) is used as a fertilizer for crops such as cotton, tobacco, and vegetables ... In Europe and the United States, sodium nitrate is of minor importance compared to other fertilizers. The major industrial use of sodium nitrate is in the explosives industry.

*Industry Uses        
Adhesives and sealant chemicals
Agricultural chemicals (non-pesticidal)
Explosive Materials
Explosives Manufacturing
Explosives Materials
Finishing agents
Intermediates
Odor agents
Oxidizing/reducing agents
Plasticizers
Plating agents and surface treating agents
Process regulators
Processing aids, not otherwise listed
Solvents (for cleaning and degreasing)
Viscosity adjustors

*Consumer Uses        
Adhesives and sealants
Agricultural products (non-pesticidal)
Building/construction materials not covered elsewhere
Cleaning and furnishing care products
Explosive materials
Metal products not covered elsewhere
Water treatment products

*Industry Processing Sectors
Adhesive manufacturing
All other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing
All other basic organic chemical manufacturing
All other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
Carbon black manufacturing
Construction
Explosives manufacturing
Fabricated metal product manufacturing
Mining (except oil and gas) and support activities
Miscellaneous manufacturing
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (includes clay, glass, cement, concrete, lime, gypsum, and other nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing.
Oil and gas drilling, extraction, and support activities
Paint and coating manufacturing
Pesticide, fertilizer, and other agricultural chemical manufacturing
Petroleum refineries
Primary metal manufacturing
Services

A mixture of Sodium nitrate and sodium hypophosphite constitute a powerful explosive [Mellor 8, Supp. 1:154 1964]. Sodium nitrate and aluminum powder mixtures have been reported to be explosive. The nitrate appears to be incompatible with barium thiocyanate, antimony, arsenic trioxide/iron(II) sulfate, boron phosphide, calcium-sodium alloy, magnesium, metal amidosulfates, metal cyanides, powdered charcoal, peroxyformic acid, phenol/trifluoroacetic acid, sodium, sodium nitrite/sodium sulfide, sodium phosphinate, sodium thiosulfate, tris( cyclopentadienyl)cerium, and even wood.

Consumer Uses
This substance is used in the following products: fertilisers, adhesives and sealants, anti-freeze products, cosmetics and personal care products, hydraulic fluids, washing & cleaning products and heat transfer fluids. Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners), outdoor use, indoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. cooling liquids in refrigerators, oil-based electric heaters) and outdoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. hydraulic liquids in automotive suspension, lubricants in motor oil and break fluids).

Article service life
Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: of articles where the substances are not intended to be released and where the conditions of use do not promote release, in processing aids at industrial sites, in the production of articles and industrial abrasion processing with low release rate (e.g. cutting of textile, cutting, machining or grinding of metal).
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners), outdoor use, outdoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. metal, wooden and plastic construction and building materials) and indoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. flooring, furniture, toys, construction materials, curtains, foot-wear, leather products, paper and cardboard products, electronic equipment).
Sodium nitrate can be found in products with material based on: stone, plaster, cement, glass or ceramic (e.g. dishes, pots/pans, food storage containers, construction and isolation material).

Widespread uses by professional workers
Sodium nitrate is used in the following products: anti-freeze products, pH regulators and water treatment products, fertilisers, water treatment chemicals, adhesives and sealants, heat transfer fluids and hydraulic fluids.
Sodium nitrate is used in the following areas: agriculture, forestry and fishing and formulation of mixtures and/or re-packaging.
Sodium nitrate is used for the manufacture of: chemicals.
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: outdoor use, indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners), outdoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. hydraulic liquids in automotive suspension, lubricants in motor oil and break fluids) and indoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. cooling liquids in refrigerators, oil-based electric heaters).

Formulation or re-packing
Sodium nitrate is used in the following products: fertilisers, water treatment chemicals, adhesives and sealants, anti-freeze products, explosives, metal surface treatment products, heat transfer fluids, pH regulators and water treatment products and hydraulic fluids.
Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: formulation of mixtures, as an intermediate step in further manufacturing of another substance (use of intermediates), in the production of articles, as processing aid, in processing aids at industrial sites and of substances in closed systems with minimal release.

Uses at industrial sites
Sodium nitrate is used in the following products: pH regulators and water treatment products, metal surface treatment products, water treatment chemicals, heat transfer fluids, adhesives and sealants, anti-freeze products, explosives, hydraulic fluids and fertilisers.
Sodium nitrate has an industrial use resulting in manufacture of another substance (use of intermediates).
Sodium nitrate is used in the following areas: formulation of mixtures and/or re-packaging, agriculture, forestry and fishing and scientific research and development.
This substance is used for the manufacture of: chemicals.
Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: as an intermediate step in further manufacturing of another substance (use of intermediates), as processing aid, in the production of articles, in processing aids at industrial sites, of substances in closed systems with minimal release and formulation of mixtures.

What is Sodium Nitrate?
Sodium nitrate is an inorganic nitrate salt of an alkali metal with the chemical formula NaNO3.

This compound is non-flammable. However, it is a strong oxidizing agent and can react with many flammable compounds violently. NaNO3 decomposes explosively when heated to temperatures above 538oC.

Rich deposits of sodium nitrate can be found in some South American countries such as Chile and Peru. The primary applications of this compound are in agriculture (fertilizers) and pyrotechnics.

The nitrate anion has a trigonal planar structure in which 3 oxygen atoms are bonded to a central nitrogen atom. The negative charge on this ion is delocalized due to resonance. Therefore, the nitrogen atom a charge of +1 whereas each oxygen atom carries a charge of -⅔. The net formal charge on the NO3– is -1.

Sodium Nitrate Preparation
The industrial synthesis of sodium nitrate involves the neutralization of nitric acid with sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or sodium hydroxide. The chemical equations for these reactions are listed below.

NaHCO3 + HNO3 → NaNO3 + H2O + CO2
Na2CO3 + 2HNO3 → 2NaNO3 + CO2 + H2O
NaOH + HNO3 → NaNO3 + H2O
It is important to note that the reaction between sodium hydroxide and nitric acid is a highly exothermic one (since NaOH is a strong base and HNO3 is a strong acid).  Therefore, an alternate method of preparing sodium nitrate is by reacting sodium hydroxide with ammonium nitrate instead of nitric acid. The chemical reaction is:

NH4NO3 + NaOH → NH4OH + NaNO3

Alternately, ammonium nitrate can be reacted with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.

Na2CO3 + 2NH4NO3 → (NH4)2CO3 + 2NaNO3

NaHCO3 + NH4NO3 → NH4HCO3 + NaNO3

2. Physical Properties
Sodium nitrate is a crystalline solid which is white.
It has two crystal structures – rhombohedral and trigonal.
This compound has a sweet odour.
The solubility of NaNO3 in water corresponds to 91.2g/100mL at a temperature of 25o
This compound is also highly soluble in ammonia.
3. Chemical Properties
When dissolved in water, sodium nitrate dissociates into Na+ and NO3–
It is a very strong oxidizing agent; it reacts violently with reducing agents.
At high temperatures, this compound is known to explosively decompose.

Sodium Nitrate in Food
Sodium nitrate has been used in meat curing for centuries. Sodium nitrate has no antioxidant activity but becomes functional on reduction to nitrite. The important functions of sodium nitrite include stabilization of meat colour, texture improvement, development of the characteristics cured meat flavour, elimination of the problem of warmed over flavour and antimicrobial activity. Nitrites probably function as metal chelators may form nitroso compounds that have antioxidants properties and convert the heme proteins into stable nitric oxide forms.

Visible Influence of Sodium Nitrate on Plant Growth
Nitrogen is the first limiting element of plant growth in many of the soils. For this reason the application of any readily available nitrogenous fertilizer often materially increases crop growth. This effect following an application of sodium nitrate is often noted by the layman, with the result that in the past sodium nitrate has been looked upon by many as a stimulant. This is an erroneous conception and should be discreated.

How Sodium Nitrate Should be applied?
Because sodium nitrate is readily and entirely soluble in water, and because the nitrate ion is not absorbed by soil colloids, it should be applied for early utilization by the crop following application. This principle is applicable to all nitrate fertilizers. The loss of nitrates in drainage water is especially severe when nitrates are applied to sands and particularly sands with open subsoils, from which they may be leached easily.

Larger quantities of sodium nitrate may be applied to clays than the sands, but even in such cases the application of quantities greater than that which the crop is in position to utilize within a reasonable length of time should be avoided. When large amounts are to be used it will be found best to apply sodium nitrate in two or more applications. Such a practise will minimize the loss of nitrogen by leaching, and at the same time will avoid injuring plant roots by applying excessive quantities of soluble salt at one time. The first application may be broadcast or applied in the drill before plating, and the second and later applications may be applied as side dressings or top dressings. Top dressings of sodium nitrate often appear to be more effective during cool than during warm seasons.

Uses of Sodium Nitrate
Owing to its high solubility in water, low cost, and nitrogen content, sodium nitrate is used in several fertilizers. Some other uses of this compound are listed below.

Hybrid forms of aqua regia can be prepared with the help of NaNO3. These hybrids also have the ability to dissolve gold.
This compound is widely used as a food additive since it acts as a preservative.
Sodium nitrate is used as an oxidizer in several types of fireworks.
It is also a component of some instant cold packs.
NaNO3 is one of the components used for the storage and transfer of heat in some solar power plants.
In order to promote the growth of Nitrosomonas bacteria, this compound is added to the wastewater in several wastewater treatment plants.
Sodium nitrate is also used in several rocket propellants and is known to be a substitute for potassium nitrate in gunpowder.

Sodium nitrate was referred to as ‘white gold’ in the 19th century. Wars have been waged over lands that were rich in sodium nitrate. The war of the Pacific, which was waged between 1879 and 1884, is commonly referred to as the saltpeter war. The South American country of Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru in order to obtain territory in the Atacama Desert (which was rich in sodium nitrate).

The development of the Haber process led to a decrease in the demand for saltpeter. This is because NaNO3 could now be produced synthetically with the help of ammonia. Eventually, the mining of NaNO3 from natural deposits became obsolete.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is sodium nitrate used for?
Sodium nitrate is a kind of salt used for food preservation for a long time. It produces a separate flavour, regulates the oxidation of lipids and acts as an antimicrobial.

When was sodium nitrate discovered?
Sodium Nitrate History. In 1820 or 1825, Chile Saltpeter’s first shipment to Europe arrived in England, but found no buyers and was dumped at sea to prevent customs tolls.

What is the difference between sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite?
Sodium nitrate is a salt often added to meats that are jerky, bacon and luncheon. On the other side, sodium nitrite is salt and antioxidant widely used for the healing of ham and bacon. Both chemicals function as food preservatives and, among other uses, add red or purple colour to processed meats.

Nitrates are a set of compounds that involve nitrogen and oxygen molecules. While they are often associated with cured meats, green, leafy vegetables are actually much richer in nitrates.

Sodium Nitrate is a highly water soluble crystalline Sodium source for uses compatible with nitrates and lower (acidic) pH. All metallic nitrates are inorganic salts of a given metal cation and the nitrate anion. The nitrate anion is a univalent (-1 charge) polyatomic ion composed of a single nitrogen atom ionically bound to three oxygen atoms (Formula: NO3) for a total formula weight of 62.05. Nitrate compounds are generally soluble in water. Nitrate materials are also oxidizing agents. When mixed with hydrocarbons, nitrate compounds can form a flammable mixture. Nitrates are excellent precursors for production of ultra high purity compounds and certain catalyst and nanoscale (nanoparticles and nanopowders) materials. Sodium Nitrate is generally immediately available in most volumes. High purity, submicron and nanopowder forms may be considered.

A white crystalline solid. Noncombustible but accelerates the burning of combustible materials. If large quantities are involved in fire or the combustible material is finely divided an explosion may result. May explode under prolonged exposure to heat or fire. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced in fires. Used in solid propellants, explosives, fertilizers, and for many other uses.

Sodium nitrite, with chemical formula NaNO2, and molar mass of 69.00 g/mol is used as a color fixative and preservative in meats and fish. When pure, it is a white to slight yellowish crystalline powder. It is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic. It is also slowly oxidized by oxygen in the air to sodium nitrate, NaNO3. The compound is a strong reducing agent.
It is also used in manufacturing diazo dyes, nitroso compounds, and other organic compounds; in dyeing and printing textile fabrics and bleaching fibers; in photography; as a laboratory reagent and a corrosion inhibitor; in metal coatings for phosphatizing and detinning; and in the manufacture of rubber chemicals. Sodium nitrite also has been used in human and veterinary medicine as a vasodilator, a bronchodilator, an intestinal relaxant or a laxative, and an antidote for cyanide poisoning.

Uses
Sodium Nitrite as a Food additive

Sodium nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO3. and molecular mass of 84.9947 g/mol. This salt, also known as "Chile saltpeter" (to distinguish it from ordinary saltpeter, potassium nitrate), is a white solid which is very soluble in water. Sodium nitrate is used as an ingredient in fertilizers, explosives, and in solid rocket propellants, as well as in glass and pottery enamels; the compound has been mined extensively for those purposes.

Sodium nitrate is also synthesized industrially by neutralizing nitric acid with soda ash.

Applications of Sodium Nitrate

Sodium nitrate was used extensively as a fertilizer and a raw material for the manufacture of gunpowder in the late nineteenth century.

Sodium nitrate has antimicrobial properties when used as a food preservative. It is found naturally in leafy green vegetables.

Sodium nitrate should not be confused with the related compound, sodium nitrite.The presence of sodium nitrite in food is controversial due to the development of nitrosamines when the food, primarily bacon, is cooked at high temperatures. The nitrate compound itself is not harmful, however, and is among the antioxidants found in fresh vegetables. (6) Its usage is carefully regulated in the production of cured products; in the United States, the concentration in finished products is limited to 200 ppm, and is usually lower.

It can be used in the production of nitric acid by combining it with sulfuric acid and subsequent separation through fractional distillation of the nitric acid, leaving behind a residue of sodium bisulfate. Less common applications include its use as a substitute oxidizer used in fireworks as a replacement for potassium nitrate commonly found in black powder and as a component in instant cold packs(7).

Appearance:
White crystals.
Odor:
Odorless.
Solubility:
81.5 g/100 g water @ 15C (59F)
Specific Gravity:
2.26
pH:
Aqueous solution is neutral.
% Volatiles by volume @ 21C (70F):
0
Boiling Point:
380C (716F)
Melting Point:
308C (586F)
Vapor Density (Air=1):
No information found.
Vapor Pressure (mm Hg):
No information found.
Evaporation Rate (BuAc=1):
No information found.

The huge salt reserves of certain desert areas in Chile were, during the early last century, almost inexhaustible supply of sodium nitrate, whose uses and applications in agriculture are today and pyrotechnics two of its main beneficiaries.

Subsequent to that date, the new possibility of producing synthetic ammonia resulted in the sodium nitrate could also be produced synthetically.

Sodium nitrate is used as usual in agriculture, acting as a fertilizer. One advantage is the price, an economic return that may be short on large tracts of land. Another feature is its high solubility and its high nitrogen content.

Furthermore, one of the applications of sodium nitrate occurs in the field of pesticides, although its function is not toxic, but adjunct to combustion of charcoal, one of the substances that are also commonly used in pyrotechnics. In the field of explosives and pyrotechnics, black powder is another traditional compounds, and also includes sodium nitrate.

Other uses sodium nitrate is given in the food industry as a preservative of processed meats. Also used in the production and handling of chromium and certain derivatives. Sodium nitrate is also used as a cement additive.

The chemical properties of sodium nitrate, NaNO ₃ formula, make its casting is given to 308 ° C and decomposition at 380 ° C. At higher temperatures decompose explosively. As perchloratesand other products for pyrotechnics and explosives, sodium nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent, which transmits its atoms optimally. It also has as its chemical properties and solubility of ammonia in different types of alcohol.

What it is:
Sodium nitrate is a form of salt also known as Chilean saltpeter due to the large natural deposits found in Chile .

What it does:
This salt is used for a variety of purposes including as a food additive, a preservative, and a fertilizer that helps restore nutrient levels in soil.

Product Summary
A white, odorless, crystalline powder, which is deliquescent and its water solution displays a neutral reaction. It dissolves in water and glycerin, and is slightly soluble in alcohol. It is a strong oxidizing agent.

Chemical formula
NaNO3

Application
Glass (antifoaming agent)
Fertilizer
Dye
Low explosive
Manufacture of salts such as potassium nitrate
Oxidizing agent
Combustion improver for cigarettes
Heat treatment (brine solvent)
For heat mediums

Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) is obtained by leaching caliche ore. It is used preferentially to produce glass, ceramics, explosives and metal treatments.

Sodium nitrate, chemical compound, NaNO3, a colorless, odorless crystalline compound that closely resembles potassium nitrate (saltpeter or niter) in appearance and chemical properties. It is soluble in water, alcohol, and liquid ammonia. Sodium nitrate is also called soda niter or Chile saltpeter. It is found naturally in large deposits in arid regions of Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia as caliche, a crude, impure nitrate rock or gravel. Natural deposits are the major source of sodium nitrate; it is also obtained in small amounts as a byproduct of chlorine production by the nitrosyl chloride process, in which sodium chloride (common salt) is reacted with nitric acid. Sodium nitrate is used in making potassium nitrate, fertilizers, and explosives. It was formerly an important raw material for the production of nitric acid.

Definition and Usage Areas:

Sodium Nitrate, also known as saltpeter, the molecular formula of this chemical is NaNo3. It is colorless crystals in the form of white powder. This substance, which can dissolve at high temperatures, is a sweet chemical. Alcohol solubility of nitrate alcohol, ammonia and pyridine, which has an oxidizing and irritating structure. It does not have a flammable structure. This chemical, a member of the salt family, is abundant in Chile compared to other countries in the world. Accordingly, the most produced place is Chile. Sodium nitrate is more soluble in water than potassium nitrate and absorbs moisture from the air.

Sodium nitrate entered Europe for the first time in 1820-1825, but it was poured into the sea since the area of ​​use has not been discovered yet, as no buyer has been found. Over the years, sodium nitrate has gained value and sodium nitrate mining has developed, especially in South America.

Usage areas

* It is used to provide color and durability in printing and products.
* It is used as a fertilizer in the agricultural sector.
* It is used in the content of smoke grenades.
* It is used as an auxiliary material in the ceramic industry.
* It is used to make explosives (fireworks, gunpowder, etc.).
* It is used in heat transfer processes in industry.
* Used as solid rocket propellant.
* It is used as an additive in the construction industry.
* It is used as an aid in bluing baths for steel and in the metal industry.
* It is used in petrochemical and metal processing to aid the production of other chemicals.
* It is used for magnifying glass and increasing its brightness, cleaning and providing color order.
* Used in chemical laboratories.
* It is used as a preservative in food products due to its anti-microbial properties.
* Sodium nitrate's anti-microbial properties provide it as a food preservative additive.
* Like potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate is a curing agent used in food, especially meat, meat products and fish to provide characteristic flavor, color and microbial stability.
* It is mostly used as a fertilizer or in addition to fertilizer production in the agricultural sector.
* It is used in the production of fireworks, gunpowder and other explosives.
* It can be used as phase change material. It can benefit from sodium nitrate in heat transfer applications in industry.
* Used as an accelerator in metal industry, cleaning steel, pickling aluminum, phosphating (as a component of heat transfer salts in the metalworking industry; in the preparation of bluing baths for steel)
* It is used as a cement additive in the building sector.
* In the glass industry, in the glass industry in the glass processing industry for cleaning and decolorization during enamelling (enamel) and in the glass processing industry;
* It is used in the preparation of nitric acid and other nitrates and nitrites in chemical laboratories. When sodium nitrate combines with sulfuric acid, nitric acid is produced.
* It is a raw material generally used in award accelerators in concrete. As a result of contact with air, it quickly retains moisture and tends to solidify.

What is sodium nitrite?
Sodium nitrite is a salt and an anti-oxidant that is used to cure meats like ham, bacon and hot dogs. Sodium nitrite serves a vital public health function: it blocks the growth of botulism-causing bacteria and prevents spoilage. Sodium nitrite also gives cured meats their characteristic color and flavor. Also, USDA-sponsored research indicates that sodium nitrite can help prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, an environmental bacterium that can cause illness in some at-risk populations.
Are cured meats the major source of sodium nitrite?
The amount of nitrate in some vegetables can be very high. Spinach, for example, may contain 500 to 1900 parts per million of sodium nitrate. Less than five percent of daily sodium nitrite intake comes from cured meats. Nearly 93 percent of sodium nitrite comes from leafy vegetables & tubers and our own saliva. Vegetables contain sodium nitrate, which is converted to sodium nitrite when it comes into contact with saliva in the mouth.
Can cured meats be produced without sodium nitrite?
Cured meats by their definition must include sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is the ingredient that gives a product like ham its color and taste. Without sodium nitrite, these products shelf life would be shortened substantially.
Some uncured products available today use vegetable-based ingredients like celery juice, which may contain nitrate naturally, to deliver a color and flavor similar to traditionally cured meats. When the sodium nitrate in celery, or other sodium nitrate-containing vegetables, is exposed to certain types of bacteria in the product, the nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite, which results in product characteristics similar to traditionally cured meat products. The amount of sodium nitrite consumed from these types of products versus traditionally cured meat products is virtually the same.

Sodium Nitrate
Sodium nitrate was one of the first commercially available inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizers. It was very important in plant nutrition before the discovery of ammonia synthesis by the Haber-Bosch process in the early 1900’s. Sodium nitrate is a naturally occurring
mined product, and as such is used to provide a portion of N nutrition in some organic cropping systems.

Production
Sodium nitrate ore is mined from surface deposits in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The ore body occurs within the top two meters in a zone nearly 500 miles (800 km) long and 10 miles (16 km) wide. Sodium nitrate accumulates in this remote region due to very low rainfall and unique geologic conditions. The nitrate ore, called caliche, is crushed and washed with hot water to dissolve the sodium nitrate. The solution is then filtered and chilled to recover the final product. It is ultimately sold as crystalline or prilled products. Small deposits of sodium nitrate are reported in other countries, but the Republic of Chile is the only commercial source of this product, so it is frequently referred to as Chilean nitrate.

Agricultural Use
Sodium nitrate provides an immediately available source of N nutrition to plants since it is highly soluble. It has been used as a source of N nutrition since the mid 19th century and has a distinguished history as a valuable fertilizer material. It has been a preferred source of plant nutrition for many crops, notably for tobacco, which is typically fertilized with a nitrate form of fertilizer. Sodium nitrate is approved by the U.S. National Organic Program for use as a supplemental source of N nutrition. The permitted use recognizes that mineralization of carbon-based organic N sources is not always rapid enough to meet the N demand of the
growing crop. This deficit between N release and plant demand can be overcome with appropriate applications of sodium nitrate. Organic farmers are urged to check with their local certifying agency to determine the appropriate use of sodium nitrate.

Management Practices
Appropriate management is needed to achieve maximum advantage of any fertilizer, including sodium nitrate. Since nitrate is highly mobile in soils, careful consideration of placement, timing, and rate will minimize undesirable losses. Sodium nitrate can be broadcast onto the soil surface or applied in a concentrated band on top, or beneath the soil surface. This source of N is not susceptible to volatile losses, so it can provide added flexibility compared to ammonium and urea-containing N fertilizers. Concern is sometimes expressed over sodium (Na) in the fertilizer. Excessive Na in soils can have damaging effects on soil structure, but this risk is minimal at typical application rates of sodium nitrate. When used in organic production, Na inputs are quite low. For example, application of 30 lb N would supply only 50 lb Na to the soil. Sodium is held less strongly on soil cation exchange sites than other common cations, so it can be leached during typical rainfall or irrigation events. Sodium nitrate ore is a naturally occurring product. Therefore, it may contain traces of various elements and compounds such as iodate, borate, perchlorate, magnesium, chloride, and sulfate.

Non Agricultural Uses
Sodium nitrate is a strong oxidizer and is used in a variety of industrial and food processes. For example, it is commonly added to charcoal briquettes to make them easier to light, and is used for making glass and in wastewater treatment. It is used as a food additive in meats and poultry (not to be confused with sodium nitrite which is used as a preservative in deli meats). Sodium nitrate is combined with other nitrate materials to store heat from solar thermal projects. Solar thermal plants store energy in molten nitrate salts instead of storage in electrical batteries.

Sodium Nitrate, also known as saltpeter, has the molecular formula NaNo3. It is colorless crystals in the form of white powder. This substance, which can dissolve at high temperatures, is a sweet chemical. Sodium nitrate, which has an oxidizing and irritating structure, is soluble in alcohol, ammonia and pyridine. It is also called Chilean saltpeter.

SODIUM NITRATE PROPERTIES

Sodium nitrate is a naturally occurring mineral. It is also produced synthetically from the reaction of Nitric Acid with soda.

Sodium Nitrate is produced synthetically from the reaction of nitric acid with soda ash. Sodium nitrate dissolves easily in water. Their solutions in water are neutral.

Sodium nitrate is an essential inorganic nitrate. It exhibits anti-microbial properties when used as a food preservative.

usage areas

* The anti-microbial properties of sodium nitrate allow it to be used as a food preservative additive.
* Like potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate is a curing agent used in food, especially in meat, meat products and fish, to give characteristic flavor and color properties and to provide microbial stability.
* It is mostly used as a fertilizer or in addition to fertilizer production in the agricultural sector.
* It is used in the production of fireworks, gunpowder and other explosives.
* It can be used as phase change material. It can benefit from sodium nitrate in heat transfer applications in industry.
* Used as an accelerator in metal industry, cleaning steel, pickling aluminum, phosphating (as a component of heat transfer salts in the metalworking industry; in the preparation of bluing baths for steel)
* In the glass industry, for increasing the quality of glass produced and for cleaning and decolorization during enamelling in the glass processing industry;
* It is also used in the preparation of nitric acid and other nitrates and nitric in chemical laboratories. When sodium nitrate combines with sulfuric acid, it produces nitric acid.
* It is a raw material generally used in set accelerators in concrete admixture. Even with contact with air, it quickly retains moisture and tends to solidify.

Chemical Properties        
Colorless tripartite crystal or diamond crystals or white tiny crystal or powder. Odourless, taste salty, slightly bitter. Soluble in water and liquid ammonia, soluble in ethanol, methanol, slightly soluble in glycerol and acetone.

Uses        
Sodium nitrate is one of the earliest nitrogen fertilizer, can be used for acid soil, especially suitable for root crops, such as sugar beet and radish. In the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century, Chile exploited sodium nitrate mining in large scale as nitrogen fertilizer for the world. Farmers in Xinjiang uygur autonomous region in China digged desert surface soil contain NaNO3 to plant grape fruits, and the fertilizer effect is remarkable.
Sodium nitrate can be used to make nitrate, picric acid, explosives, mineral raw materials, dyes, osmotic pressure regulator in medicine and other nitrogen compounds, it also can be used in glass, metallurgy, light industry and other industrial sectors.
In glass industry, it can be used for the production of various kinds of glass and its products of defoaming agent, decoloring agent, clarifying agent and oxidation solubilizer. Enamel industry uses it as oxidant, solubilizer, and to make enamel powder. Machinery industry uses it as metal cleaner, dispensing black metallic blue agent. Metallurgical industry uses it for steel and aluminum alloy heat treatment. Light industry uses it as combustion improver of cigarettes. Pharmaceutical industry uses it as a medium of penicillin.
It can be reduction by bacteria into sodium nitrite in meat, which results in color protection and bacteriostatic effect, and can be used as food color fixative in China.
It also can be used as decolorizing agent of molten caustic soda and analytical reagent.

Uses        
Sodium Nitrate is the salt of nitric acid that functions as an antimi- crobial agent and preservative. it is a naturally occurring substance in spinach, beets, broccoli, and other vegetables. it consists of color- less, odorless crystals or crystalline granules. it is moderately deli- quescent in moist air and is readily soluble in water. it is used in meat curing to develop and stabilize the pink color. see nitrate.

Uses        
manufacture of nitric acid and as catalyst in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. manufacture of sodium nitrite, glass, enamels for pottery; in matches; for improving burning properties of tobacco; pickling meats; as color fixative in meats. Clinical reagent (parasites). The technical grade is used as fertilizer.

Reactivity Profile        
A mixture of Sodium nitrate and sodium hypophosphite constitute a powerful explosive [Mellor 8, Supp. 1:154 1964]. Sodium nitrate and aluminum powder mixtures have been reported to be explosive,[Fire, 1935, 28, 30]. The nitrate appears to be incompatible with barium thiocyanate, antimony, arsenic trioxide/iron(II) sulfate, boron phosphide, calcium-sodium alloy, magnesium, metal amidosulfates, metal cyanides, powdered charcoal, peroxyformic acid, phenol/trifluoroacetic acid, sodium, sodium nitrite/sodium sulfide, sodium phosphinate, sodium thiosulfate, tris( cyclopentadienyl)cerium, and even wood [Bretherick 5th ed., 1995].