Ammonium nitrite
Encyclopedia
Ammonium nitrite, NH4NO2, is the ammonia
salt of nitrous acid
. It is used as a rodenticide
, microbiocide and agricultural pesticide
, and is acutely toxic to both humans and aquatic organisms.
and nitric oxide
upon aqueous ammonia
.
It can also be prepared by oxidizing ammonia with ozone
or hydrogen peroxide
, or in a precipitation
reaction of barium or lead nitrite with ammonium sulfate
, or silver nitrite with ammonium chloride
, or ammonium perchlorate
with potassium nitrite
. The precipitate is filtered off and the solution concentrated. It forms colorless crystals which are soluble in water and decompose on heating or in the presence of acid, with the formation of nitrogen.
Ammonium nitrite solution is stable at higher pH and lower temperature. If there is any decrease in pH lower than 7.0, It may lead to explosion. It is desirable to maintain pH by adding Ammonia solution. The mole ratio of Ammonium Nitrite to Ammonia must be above 10% mole ratio.
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
salt of nitrous acid
Nitrous acid
Nitrous acid is a weak and monobasic acid known only in solution and in the form of nitrite salts.Nitrous acid is used to make diazides from amines; this occurs by nucleophilic attack of the amine onto the nitrite, reprotonation by the surrounding solvent, and double-elimination of water...
. It is used as a rodenticide
Rat poison
Rodenticides are a category of pest control chemicals intended to kill rodents.Single feed baits are chemicals sufficiently dangerous that the first dose is sufficient to kill....
, microbiocide and agricultural pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
, and is acutely toxic to both humans and aquatic organisms.
Preparation
Ammonium nitrite forms naturally in the air and can be prepared by the absorption of equal parts nitrogen dioxideNitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula it is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor and is a prominent...
and nitric oxide
Nitric oxide
Nitric oxide, also known as nitrogen monoxide, is a diatomic molecule with chemical formula NO. It is a free radical and is an important intermediate in the chemical industry...
upon aqueous ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
.
It can also be prepared by oxidizing ammonia with ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
or hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
, or in a precipitation
Precipitation (chemistry)
Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution or inside anothersolid during a chemical reaction or by diffusion in a solid. When the reaction occurs in a liquid, the solid formed is called the precipitate, or when compacted by a centrifuge, a pellet. The liquid remaining above the solid...
reaction of barium or lead nitrite with ammonium sulfate
Ammonium sulfate
Ammonium sulfate , 2SO4, is an inorganic salt with a number of commercial uses. The most common use is as a soil fertilizer. It contains 21% nitrogen as ammonium cations, and 24% sulfur as sulfate anions...
, or silver nitrite with ammonium chloride
Ammonium chloride
Ammonium chloride NH4Cl is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4Cl. It is a white crystalline salt that is highly soluble in water. Solutions of ammonium chloride are mildly acidic. Sal ammoniac is a name of natural, mineralogical form of ammonium chloride...
, or ammonium perchlorate
Ammonium perchlorate
Ammonium perchlorate is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4ClO4. It is the salt of perchloric acid and ammonia. It is a powerful oxidizer, which is why its main use is in solid propellants...
with potassium nitrite
Potassium nitrite
Potassium nitrite is a salt with chemical formula 2.It is a strong oxidizer and may accelerate the combustion of other materials. Like other nitrite salts such as sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite is toxic if swallowed, and laboratory tests suggest that it may be mutagenic or teratogenic...
. The precipitate is filtered off and the solution concentrated. It forms colorless crystals which are soluble in water and decompose on heating or in the presence of acid, with the formation of nitrogen.
Ammonium nitrite solution is stable at higher pH and lower temperature. If there is any decrease in pH lower than 7.0, It may lead to explosion. It is desirable to maintain pH by adding Ammonia solution. The mole ratio of Ammonium Nitrite to Ammonia must be above 10% mole ratio.
- NH4NO2 → N2 + 2 H2O