nitrate
Sign in to saveNitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble (inorganic) nitrate is bismuth oxynitrate.
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Nitrate is a chemical compound made of nitrogen and oxygen atoms that dissolves easily in water and is commonly found in fertilizers and explosives. It matters because it's a widespread industrial chemical with important applications in agriculture and other industries, though its environmental impact—particularly when it contaminates water supplies—is a significant concern.
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Article
21 sectionsContents
- Chemical structure
- Chemical and biochemical properties
- Detection in chemical analysis
- Occurrence and production
- Uses
- Agriculture
- Firearms
- Industrial
- Medicinal and pharmaceutical use
- Toxicity and safety
- Methemoglobinemia
- Drinking water standards
- Aquatic toxicity
- Human impacts on ecosystems through nitrate deposition
- Dietary nitrate
- Cured meats
- Domestic animal feed
- Salts and covalent derivatives
- See also
- References
- External links
Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble (inorganic) nitrate is bismuth oxynitrate.
In nature, nitrates are produced by a number of species of nitrifying bacteria in the natural environment using ammonia or urea as a source of nitrogen and source of free energy. Nitrate compounds for gunpowder were historically produced, in the absence of mineral nitrate sources, by means of various fermentation processes using urine and dung. Modern nitrate production is mostly focused on creation for fertilizer and chemical manufacturing for various applications, such as medicine synthesis, ceramics and preservation of meat. Annually, about 195 million metric tons of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are used worldwide, with nitrates constituting a significant portion of this amount.