Sodium Nitrate FAQ

Q1: Is sodium nitrate a hazardous chemical? 

A: Yes. Sodium nitrate is a Class 5.1 oxidizing substance, UN number UN1498, Packing Group III. When contacting with combustibles or reducing agents poses fire and explosion hazards. 

Q2: Why does sodium nitrate deliquesce easily?  

A: Sodium nitrate itself is readily soluble in water and deliquescent. When it contains a very small amount of sodium chloride impurity, its deliquescence increases significantly.

Q3: Can sodium nitrate be used as fertilizer? What are the restrictions?

A: Yes, but it should not be applied to paddy fields or saline-alkali land. In paddy fields, nitrate is easily leached into deeper soil layers, where denitrification causes nitrogen loss. In saline-alkali land, its high sodium content can worsen soil alkalization. 

Q4: What is the main technical bottleneck for high-purity sodium nitrate? 

A: The core bottleneck is the deep removal of nitrite, organic matter, and metal ions. Nitrite is difficult to remove and may introduce new impurities. Organic matter has extremely small particle sizes and is hard to filter. Metal ions require chelating agents for complexation, which may increase costs and introduce new impurities.