Total Nitrogen: Overview
Description
Not applicable for total nitrogen as it is not a product as such. Nevertheless, the major use for nitrate is inorganic fertiliser. It is also used as an oxidising agent in the production of explosives, while purified potassium nitrate is used for glass making. Sodium nitrite is used as a food preservative especially in cured meats. Sodium nitrate is often also added with such food preservatives to provide a reservoir for nitrite.
Substance details
Substance name: Total nitrogen
CASR number: Not applicable
Molecular formula: The formula for the nitrate ion is NO3-. The formula for the nitrite ion is NO2-.
Synonyms: Total nitrogen is defined for the NPI as compounds that give rise to nitrate and nitrite ions. This is a very broad group including many natural and man made substances, either containing nitrates or nitrites or decomposing into either or both of them.
Physical properties
Salts:
Nitrate: Nearly all nitrate salts are soluble in water.
Nitrite: Nearly all nitrite salts are soluble in water.
Chemical properties
Salts:
Nitrate: Nearly all nitrate salts are dissociated at neutral pH.
Nitrite: Forms salts with lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, strontium, barium, silver.
Reactivity:
Nitrate: Generally chemically unreactive, although it can be reduced by microbial action.
Nitrite: Relatively reactive. Chemical and biological processes can reduce nitrite to various compounds or oxidise it back to nitrate. Oxidises antioxidants, haemoglobin (to methaemoglobin), primary amines, nitrosates such as secondary and tertiary amines and amides.
Further information
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) holds data for all sources of Total Nitrogen in Australia.
Key
Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window
