Silver nitrate is a soluble compound used in scientific experiments, medicine, and industry. It is made by dissolving pure silver in liquid nitric acid and can identify and isolate other chemicals. It has antibacterial properties and is used in water purification, but ingestion can be fatal and it can cause severe burns. It is approved for external use only and should be heavily diluted and used as directed.
Silver nitrate is a soluble compound with the chemical symbol AgNO3 that is used as a reagent in scientific experiments, a topical treatment for things like warts and bacterial infections, and a general antibacterial for use in medicine and industry. It is popular as a pharmaceutical product, but is generally only approved for external use and even then usually only in very diluted preparations. The compound is quite effective, but it is also very dangerous if ingested and can burn the skin terribly if prepared improperly.
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Chemists make silver nitrate by dissolving pure silver in liquid nitric acid. When metal hits acid it crystallizes quite quickly and forms salts. This reaction is fast but tends to emit a lot of fumes, and as a result is usually performed only in laboratories or other facilities with good ventilation. Salts are usually dried and then stored alone or diluted, as is often the case with medical and pharmaceutical preparations.
Identification of other compounds
One of the compound’s most important jobs in chemistry is as a “reagent,” which means it can help identify and isolate other chemicals and elements based on how it interacts with them. The materials are usually treated with a special solution to separate or deactivate other ions present, then drops of liquid AgNO3 are added. If a specific compound is present, the material will change color: white indicates the presence of chloride, for example, cream indicates bromide, and yellow typically indicates iodine.
Medical uses
In medicine, the compound is commonly used as a highly diluted liquid or as a soft stick, sometimes called a “pencil.” As a liquid or spray it can help remove bacteria from the eyes or other mucous membranes. Hospitals sometimes use it as eye drops for newborns to prevent a mother from blindness or a gonorrhea infection, although in many places this practice has been phased out in favor of other drugs and drops with fewer side effects. Nitrate dramatically reduced the incidence of blindness due to its antibacterial properties, but incorrect dosage sometimes led to severe burns which in many cases even resulted in blindness or other vision problems.
Caustic pencils are often used to heal oral ulcers or as a way to cauterize or remove dead tissue from stomata and surgical openings. Podiatrists may also occasionally use it to kill bacteria and other harmful cells within the nail bed of the toes, and it can be used to kill warts on contact as well.
Silver nitrate is also used in some places as an alternative to antibiotics. This practice is somewhat controversial, however, and is not approved by many government regulatory bodies, including the US Food and Drug Administration. Most often this is due to the risks when the compound is not mixed or dosed correctly. It is generally not dangerous when heavily diluted and used sparingly, although it can be extremely dangerous when consumed or used at very high levels.
Antibacterial properties
One of the most beneficial things about the compound is its ability to kill germs. These antibacterial properties make it popular in water purification and decontamination, particularly in places where clean water is not readily available such as in wilderness areas, on space shuttles or in developing countries. It has also been used to disinfect and clean fruits and vegetables, and can be used to sterilize and scrub animal pens and sheds. Some household cleaning products such as laundry detergent also include it as an ingredient. When used for these purposes, it is important that the substance is heavily diluted and used only as directed.
Risks and dangers
Ingestion of silver nitrate can be fatal to both humans and animals and in most cases should only touch the skin in very low concentrations for limited periods of time. Most poison control authorities consider it a toxin. It is also highly corrosive, meaning it can eat many materials, including metal. People who touch it in crude or high concentrations can also suffer severe burns or skin tears. Traces of it can be useful, but in the wrong proportions it can cause serious problems.
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