Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Nitrites

morsagh - 7-12-2015 at 10:18

Anybody know some easy method how to produce sodium nitrite from sodium nitrate? I have read about heating lead and sodium nitrate, but i don´t have enough lead. I tried to use zinc but didn´t react.

Amos - 7-12-2015 at 12:43

Do some more searching; it should decompose with heat alone at the right temperature.

karlos³ - 7-12-2015 at 13:12

Reduce NaNO3 it in molten Pb/lead, that works fine, is an easy work-up and gives product in a reasonable purity. But do it outside. With a good heat source, that will be no problem and also fast.

annaandherdad - 7-12-2015 at 21:29

NaNO2 is a food additive and so is very cheap on either Amazon or ebay. This is in the US, I don't know about other countries. But here it's cheaper and easier to get than NaNO3.

woelen - 8-12-2015 at 02:36

The same is true in the EU. Pure sodium nitrite is available on eBay from many different sellers for reasonable prices. Buy the white or pale yellow solid, do not buy pink salt. The latter is impure sodium nitrite, mixed up already.
I would say, keep your nitrate for other uses. Soon, nitrates will be nearly impossible to obtain, due to upcoming regulations related to fear of terrorism. Nitrites on the other hand have no serious potential in bombing and hence will remain available as food additive.