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Author: Subject: How do I separate NaNO2 from NaNO3?
Wolfram
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[*] posted on 13-10-2003 at 12:25
How do I separate NaNO2 from NaNO3?


Any ideas how to separate NaNO2 from NaNO3?
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Mumbles
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[*] posted on 13-10-2003 at 14:45


Well do you want both, or just one?

The first thing that comes to mind is fractional recrystalisation. I'd probably go with absolute ethanol for the recrystalisation.

NaNO<sub>3</sub>: 1g per 125 mL EtOH
NaNO<sub>2</sub>: 3g per 100 mL EtOH

As you can see, the nitrite is more than 3 times as soluble as the nitrate. I'd probably go with 2 recrystalisations to get which ever product you want. In water solutions there are both quite soluble, so I don't think that would work as well, and you'd lose quite a bit or product.
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chemoleo
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[*] posted on 13-10-2003 at 15:41


alternatively, you could reduce all the present nitrate to nitrite, or, conversely, oxidise all nitrite to nitrate. If you are not happy with this, just half the batch of nitrite/nitrate, and do an oxidation and reduction on each, respectively. Probably the most economic version :)

[Edited on 13-10-2003 by chemoleo]
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Marvin
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[*] posted on 14-10-2003 at 03:44


Fractional crystalisation from a neutral solution in water.

Its probable the mixture is allready resulting from an attempt to reduce nitrate, so the reduction method is probably not useful.

[Edited on 14-10-2003 by Marvin]
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[*] posted on 14-10-2003 at 04:13


Quote:

alternatively, you could reduce all the present nitrate to nitrite


And how exactly? - The choice of the reductant is not that easy.
Fe(II) for example would reduce the nitrate to ammonia.

But the idea of recrystallizing NaNO2 from absolute EtOH is a good one, i think.

One could make use of the Na2CO3/N2O3-method or just decompose NaNO3(yields NO2-/NO3- -mix) then.




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