Sodium nitrite represented by the chemical formula NaNO2 is a nitrous acid sodium salt  that is soluble in water and aqueous acid . It is non-combustible itself but assists the burning of combustible material . It is an ionic compound and a strong reducing agent . In acidic solution, though, it mainly executes oxidation reactions .
Sodium Nitrite Identification
|CAS Number||7632-00-0 |
|PubChem CID||23668193 |
|ChemSpider ID||22689 |
|EC Number||231-555-9 |
Composition and Synthesis
Sodium nitrite can be prepared by heating sodium nitrate and lead .
NaNO3 + Pb = NaNO2 + PbO
Properties and Characteristics of Sodium Nitrite
|Molar mass/molecular weight||68.995 g/mol |
|Color/appearance||Yellowish white crystals |
|Melting point/freezing point||271°C, 519.8°F |
|Boiling point||320°C, 608°F (decomposes) |
|Density||2.17 g cm-3 |
|State of matter at room temperature (normal phase)||Solid |
|Vapor pressure||0.2 |
|Solubility in water||820 g/l (at 20oC) |
|pH||9 (basic) |
|Crystal structure||Orthorhombic |
NH4Cl + NaNO2 = NH4NO2 + NaCl
NH4NO2 = N2 + 2H2O
It reacts with concentrated hydrochloric acid under boiling condition to produce sodium nitrate, sodium chloride, nitric oxide and water .
3NaNO2 + 2HCl = NaNO3 + 2NaCl + 2NO + H2O
Sodium nitrite reacts with sulfuric acid to form sodium sulfate, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide and water .
2NaNO2 + H2SO4 = Na2SO4 + NO2 + NO + H2O
Sodium Nitrite Uses
- In meat curing, preservation and coloring .
- As a reagent in techniques involving analytical chemistry .
- As a corrosion inhibitor, food additive, hog poison and an antidote to cyanide poisoning (used in combination with sodium thiosulfate) [1, 4].
- For the production of various dyes and fertilizers [1, 4].
- For bleaching fibers and printing textile fabrics .
- As a laxative, bronchodilator and vasodilator in the medical field .
Is It Harmful
The compound is highly toxic and if ingested it may cause cyanosis, convulsions and even death. It causes digestive tract, skin and eye irritation on contact. If inhaled, it may be fatal. It can cause cancer and an explosion or fire hazard . Repeated exposure may have an acutely poisonous effect on health. Having it during pregnancy may pose a health risk by increasing the probability of brain tumors in the baby .
Sodium Nitrite (NaNO2) Price
The compound costs around $400 – $500 for every metric ton. The price may vary slightly across suppliers .
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- Sodium Nitrite – Chemspider.com
- Sodium Nitrite – Fearschemistry.wikidot.com
- Sodium Nitrite – Chemicalbook.com
- Sodium Nitrite – Americanelements.com
- Sodium Nitrite (7632-00-0) – Chemicalbook.com
- Preparation of sodium nitrite – Prepchem.com
- Sodium nitrite price – Alibaba.com
- What is the gas produced by heating ammonium chloride with sodium nitrite? – Quora.com
- Maternal consumption of cured meats and vitamins in relation to pediatric brain tumors. – Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Sodium nitrite react with hydrogen chloride – Chemiday.com
- Sodium nitrite react with sulfuric acid – Chemiday.com