SODIUM NITRATE
Prepared at the 44th JECFA (1995), published in FNP 52 Add 3 (1995)
superseding specifications prepared at the 17th JECFA (1973), published in
FNP 4 (1978) and in FNP 52 (1992). Metals and arsenic specifications
revised at the 63rd JECFA (2004). An ADI of 0-3.7 mg/kg bw was
established at the 44th JECFA (1995). Nitrate should not be used for infants
below 3 months
SYNONYMS Chile saltpetre, cubic or soda nitre; INS No. 251
DEFINITION
Chemical names Sodium nitrate
C.A.S. number 7631-99-4
Chemical formula NaNO3
Formula weight 85.00
Assay Not less than 99.0% on the dried basis
DESCRIPTION Clear, colourless, odourless, transparent crystals, or white granules or
powder; deliquescent in moist air
FUNCTIONAL USES Antimicrobial preservative, colour fixative
CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFICATION
Solubility (Vol. 4) Freely soluble in water; slightly soluble in ethanol
Test for sodium (Vol. 4) Passes test
Test for nitrate (Vol. 4) Passes test
PURITY
Loss on drying (Vol. 4) Not more than 2% (105o, 4 h)
Nitrite Not more than 30 mg/kg
See description under TESTS
Lead (Vol. 4) Not more than 2 mg/kg
Determine using an atomic absorption technique appropriate to the
specified level. The selection of sample size and method of sample
preparation may be based on the principles of the method described in
Volume 4, “Instrumental Methods.
TESTS
PURITY TESTS
Nitrite Principle:
A spectrophotometric determination using a reaction between nitrite,
suphanilamide and N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dihydrochloride to
produce a pink coloured complex which is measured by its absorbance at
540 nm.
Reagents
- Sulfanilamide Solution: Dissolve 2 g of sulfanilamide in 1000 ml dilute
hydrochloric acid TS.
- Coupling reagent: Dissolve 0.2 g of N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylene- diamine
dihydrochloride in water and dilute to 100 ml. Keep the reagent in a brown
bottle in a refrigerator.
- Nitrite standard: Dissolve 0.750 g of sodium nitrite (previously dried for 4 h
over silica gel) in water and dilute to 1000 ml (500 µg nitrite/ml). Dilute 10 ml
of this stock solution to 100 ml with water (50 µg nitrite/ml). Finally dilute 10
ml of this preparation to 1000 ml with water (0.5 µg nitrite/ml).
Procedure
Standard curve:
Pipette into 100 ml volumetric flasks 0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 ml of nitrite
standard (corresponding to 0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 25 µg of nitrite) and dilute to
about 80 ml with water. Add to each of the flasks 10 ml of sulfanilamide
solution and mix. After 3 min add 1 ml of coupling reagent, dilute to mark
with water, mix and let stand for 15 min. Measure the absorbance of the
solutions against water at 540 nm using 10 mm cuvettes. Draw a standard
curve with the absorbance as a function of amount of nitrite (it shall be a
straight line).
Sample:
Accurately weigh about 1 g of the sample to the nearest 0.001 g. Dissolve in
water and dilute to 100 ml. Pipette 20 ml into a 100 ml volumetric flask and
dilute to about 80 ml with water. Add 10 ml of sulfanilamide solution and
mix. After 3 min add 1 ml of coupling reagent, dilute to mark with water, mix
and let stand for 15 min. Measure the absorbance of the solution against
water at 540 nm using 10 mm cuvettes. Read on the standard curve the
amount of nitrite corresponding to the actual absorbance.
Calculation
where
A = Amount of nitrite read from the standard curve (µg)
W = Weight of sample (g)
METHOD OF Weigh accurately about 0.4 g of the dried sample and dissolve in about 300
ASSAY ml of water in a 500 ml round flask. Add 3 g of a powder of Devarda's alloy
and 15 ml of sodium hydroxide solution (2 in 5), and connect with a spray-
preventing device and condenser to the flask. Allow to stand for 2 h.
Transfer 50 ml of 0.1N sulfuric acid to a receptacle and use this to collect
250 ml of the distillate, and titrate the excess sulfuric acid with 0.1N sodium
hydroxide, using 3 drops of methyl red/Methylene blue TS as the indicator.
Perform a blank test in the same manner as the sample to make any
necessary correction. Each ml of 0.1N sulfuric acid is equivalent to 8.5 mg
of NaNO3.