Sodium nitrite

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Sodium nitrite
Image:Sodium nitrite.jpg
General
Other names	Sodium nitrate(III)
Molecular formula	NaNO2
Molar mass	69.00 g/mol
Appearance	White solid.
CAS number	[7632-00-0]
Properties
Density and phase	2.2 g/cm3, solid
Solubility in water	82 g/100 ml (20 °C)
Melting point	320°C decomp.
Structure
Coordination geometry	?
Crystal structure	?
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
EU classification	Oxidant (O) ,Toxic (T), Dangerous for the environment (N)
NFPA 704
R-phrases	Template:R8, Template:R25, Template:R36, Template:R37, Template:R38, Template:R50
S-phrases	Template:S26, Template:S36, Template:S45, Template:S61
Flash point	Non-flammable.
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Other anions	Sodium nitrate
Other cations	Potassium nitrite Ammonium nitrite
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Sodium nitrite, with chemical formula NaNO₂, also called nitrous acid, sodium salt, is used as a color fixative and preservative in meats and fish.

When pure, it's a white to slight yellowish crystalline powder. It's very soluble in water and hygroscopic. It's also slowly oxidized by oxygen in the air to sodium nitrate, NaNO₃.

It is also used in manufacturing diazo dyes, nitroso compounds, and other organic compounds; in dyeing and printing textile fabrics and bleaching fibers; in photography; as a laboratory reagent and a corrosion inhibitor; in metal coatings for phosphatizing and detinning; and in the manufacture of rubber chemicals. Sodium nitrite also has been used in human and veterinary medicine as a vasodilator, a bronchodilator, an intestinal relaxant or a laxative, and an antidote for cyanide poisoning.

Contents 1 Use as a food additive 2 Use as a disease cure 3 See also 4 External links

Use as a food additive

As a food additive, it serves a dual purpose in the food industry since it both alters the color of preserved fish and meats and also prevents growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria which causes botulism. It has the E number E250 and is used as a preservative. Potassium nitrite (E249) is used in the same way.

While this chemical may prevent the growth of bacteria, it is rumoured to be toxic for humans. Various dangers of using this chemical as a food additive have been suggested and researched by scientists, although no conclusive evidence has been put forth. A principal concern is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by reaction with sodium nitrite; other ingredients are often added to prevent nitrosamine-generating reactions.

A safer alternative to the bacteria issue would be to store meats and fish in freezers. CSPI's Food Safety.

Use as a disease cure

Recently, sodium nitrite has been found to be an effective means to increase blood flow by dilating blood vessels, acting as a vasodilator. Research is ongoing to investigate its applicability towards treatments for sickle cell anemia, heart attacks, brain aneurysms, and pulmonary hypertension in infants [1], [2].

See also

• Nitrosamine
• Sodium nitrate

External links

• International Chemical Safety Card 1120.
• European Chemicals Bureau.
• National Center for Home Food Preservation Nitrates and Nitrites.
• TR-495: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Sodium Nitrite (CAS NO. 7632-00-0) Drinking Water Studies in F344/N Rats and B6C3F₁ Mice.
• External MSDS Data Sheet.

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