Sciencemadness Discussion Board

European looking for some HNO3

ChristopherNewcastle - 20-8-2015 at 11:18

Hi!

Does anyone have a clue about where I might get a hold of some 69% nitric acid?
I am a Norwegian myself, so I would of course need for it to be shipped here.

If anyone can suggest a site, or if anybody would have any excess acid they would be willing to sell, I would be happy to know.

Thanks!

hissingnoise - 20-8-2015 at 12:45

I believe Mr Birkeland and Mr Eyde met that problem head on.

And there's always the NaNO3/H2SO4 route!

Bert - 20-8-2015 at 13:08

http://www.dsb.no/Global/Publikasjoner/2012/Rapport/proposal...

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=32375

Anders Breivik, anyone?

[Edited on 21-8-2015 by Bert]

Corrosive Joeseph - 20-8-2015 at 17:51

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13090

NedsHead - 20-8-2015 at 20:17

Bert, your first link automatically downloaded when accessing from my phone, heads up to others

Bert - 20-8-2015 at 20:56

Yes, that's a bit odd-

DJF90 - 20-8-2015 at 23:16

You're probably going to have to make it yourself since the new EU laws on poisons and explosive precursors means purchase is not possible without a license, and even possession will soon become an offence.

aga - 21-8-2015 at 08:59

Today i went to the agricultural products shop and bought some 56% HNO3 and some 72% H3PO4.

Thing is, they only came in 30kg jugs ! (dunno why it isn't sold in litres)

More of a surprise was the price : €9 and €22 respectively.

The nitric was actually €11 which was due to a €2 deposit on the container.

The HNO3 is brown and contains Iron, so needs distilling (i guess) to clean that up.

No idea what to do with the greenish oily Phosphoric acid.

nezza - 21-8-2015 at 23:11

If you're in the UK don't bother. The Stasi don't allow possession of nitric or sulphuric acid of any useful concentration any more.

Sulaiman - 22-8-2015 at 01:32

not true.
since Sept 2014 can't buy but may own
after Sept 2016 can't own
applies to all of EU I believe.

nezza - 22-8-2015 at 23:48

Ok . I was being a bit facetious. We've got till Sept 2016 to carry on practising chemistry.

ChristopherNewcastle - 23-8-2015 at 03:48

Thanks you for all your answers, guess I'll have to make it myself then.
Too bad about all these regulations.
It sure ain't easy for the amateur chemist anymore...

veganalchemist - 23-8-2015 at 10:56

You only have until the 3rd March 2016 to get a license to have certain chemicals like nitric acid.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/licensing-for-hom...


aga - 23-8-2015 at 11:46

Silly Law IMHO.

Clamp down on the Locals in case they get any ideas ...

I think there's a law against Theft isn't there ?

Theft still happens daily.

Tabun - 23-8-2015 at 13:17

Can somebody tell me what's the lowest concetration(I want to avoid fumes) of HNO3 I can use for the reaction with BaCO3?I only have ideas for organic things,never learned too much about inorganic nitrates...I was thinking about making concentrated HNO3 and then dilute it before getting it out of the distilation apparatus.No fume hood and no money for a gas mask.I hope it's fine to do it outside.

Oscilllator - 23-8-2015 at 17:38

Quote: Originally posted by Tabun  
Can somebody tell me what's the lowest concetration(I want to avoid fumes) of HNO3 I can use for the reaction with BaCO3?I only have ideas for organic things,never learned too much about inorganic nitrates...I was thinking about making concentrated HNO3 and then dilute it before getting it out of the distilation apparatus.No fume hood and no money for a gas mask.I hope it's fine to do it outside.

The reaction between barium carbonate and nitric acid can be done at just about any concentration, although using a moderately dilute solution (<50%) would be a good idea.
And conducting the distillation outside is totally OK, provided your apparatus is reasonably sealed. If you are worried about NOx fumes you may want to use a scrubber of some kind, but I find a nice breeze works just as well.
I personally wouldn't recommend diluting the nitric acid until you need to - diluting it is much harder than re-concentrating it.