20 Examples of Nitrates

Examples   /   by admin   /   November 09, 2023

The nitrates are chemical compounds which can be salts or esters that are derived from nitric acid (HNO3). These compounds contain the nitrate ion (NO3–). For example: sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and potassium nitrate (NaNO3).

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Types of nitrates

Nitrates can be organic or inorganic:

  • Inorganic nitrates. They are those that are formed in nature by the decomposition of chemical compounds that contain nitrogen, such as proteins or urea. As a result of this decomposition, ammonia or ammonium is formed, which in contact with oxygen is oxidized by microorganisms of the nitrobacter type (type of gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria) to form the corresponding nitrate in the presence of some base found in the medium. For example: silver nitrate (AgNO3) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2).
  • Organic nitrates. They are those that are derived from nitric acid with alcohols. For example: nitroglycerin and amyl nitrate.

Examples of nitrates

  1. sodium nitrate (NaNO3)
  2. potassium nitrate (KNO3)
  3. ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
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  4. calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2)
  5. chromium(III) nitrate (Cr(NO3)3)
  6. iron(II) nitrate (Fe(NO3)2)
  7. iron(III) nitrate (Fe(NO3)3)
  8. aluminum nitrate nonahydrate (Al (NO3)3*9H2EITHER)
  9. copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO3)2)
  10. silver nitrate (AgNO3)
  11. magnesium nitrate (Mg (NO3)2)
  12. zinc nitrate (Zn (NO3)2)
  13. lead nitrate (Pb (NO3)2)
  14. barium nitrate (Ba (NO3)2)
  15. Chilean nitrate (KNO3 + NaNO3)
  16. amyl nitrate (O2NO(CH2)4CH3)
  17. nitroglycerin (C3h5N3)

Applications of nitrates

Nitrates have a wide range of applications:

  • They are used to make explosives. Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is an important component of black gunpowder and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is mixed with petroleum to be used as an explosive in mining.
  • They are used to produce fertilizer. Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and Chilean nitrate (KNO3 + NaNO3) are widely used for this purpose.
  • They are used in medicine as vasodilators and to reduce the pain of angina pectoris. Nitroglycerin and amyl nitrate are widely used for this purpose.
  • They are used in medicine to remove tissue that grows around feeding tubes or tracheostomies. For this purpose, silver nitrate (AgNO) is used3).
  • They are used to preserve food. Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) is used for this purpose.

Foods that contain nitrates

Nitrates are found naturally in vegetables, primarily leafy greens, such as spinach, lettuce, and arugula. Additionally, they are found in canned meat and drinking water.

Nitrate toxicity

Nitrates are low-toxic compounds, but they can be transformed into nitrites by the action of certain bacteria, and nitrites have greater toxicity. The transformation of nitrates to nitrites can occur in food, saliva or the gastrointestinal tract.

The different signs and symptoms of nitrate poisoning usually include: vomiting, abdominal pain, tachycardia, hypotension, cyanosis, lack of control of consciousness, alteration of heart rhythm and convulsions.

Water pollution with nitrates

The nitrates that reach the water come mainly from two sources:

  • Floor washing abundant in nitrates as a consequence of agricultural activity. The nitrogen provided by these nitrates is called “inorganic nitrogen.”
  • The discharge of animal excrement into the natural environment as a result of livestock farming, the spillage of water from defective septic tanks and the use of synthetic fertilizers. The nitrogen provided by these nitrates is called “organic nitrogen.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the maximum limit of nitrates in drinking water should be approximately 50 mg/l.

High levels of nitrates in water cause a host of problems that make the water unusable.

The excess of nitrates in surface waters produces an increase in the concentration of nitrogen which, together with phosphorus, constitutes essential nutrients for many aquatic organisms. When there is an excess of nutrients in the water, an overpopulation of algae and plants occurs, which consume a lot of oxygen and, when they die, produce an excess of organic material at the bottom of rivers, lakes and seas.

All this generates a marked decrease in oxygen dissolved in the water, which causes the death of aquatic organisms, increased turbidity and changes in the color, taste and smell of the water.

Excess nitrates in groundwater generate the same problems as excess nitrates in surface waters, but also, since groundwater is not very visible, it is not easy to access it to monitor concentrations of nitrates. In addition, nitrates from groundwater can lodge in the pores of rocks, also causing subsoil contamination.

Differences between nitrates and nitrites

The nitrate ion (NO3–) has three oxygen atoms bonded to one nitrogen atom, while the nitrite ion (NO2–) has two oxygen atoms bonded to the nitrogen atom. On the other hand, nitrates are less toxic than nitrites.

Follow with:

  • Organic and inorganic chemistry
  • Corrosive substances
  • Toxic substances

References

  • Sigler, A., & Bauder, J. (2012). Nitrate and nitrite. Well Educated.
  • De Miguel-Fernández, C., & Vázquez-Taset, Y. M. (2006). Origin of nitrates (NO3) and nitrites (NO2) and their influence on the drinkability of groundwater.Mining and Geology, 22(3), 9.
  • Moreno, B., Soto, K., & González, D. (2015). Nitrate consumption and its potential beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.Chilean nutrition magazine, 42(2), 199-205.
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