Silver Nitrate

The Lovely Silver Nitrate--a chemical compound that you all benefit from.

Lets start with more technical things shall we? First off, it looks like this. How is it made you ask? Well silver nitrate is made when metallic silver is dissolved in a weak nitric acid thus creating silver nitrate. This is a polyatomic compound. Then the solution is evaporated to recover the crystalized silver nitrate which then it is heated to remove any impurities. Finally it is then dissolve in water then it is re-purified.

The chemical equation looks like this for your curiosity.

2Ag + 2HNO3 → 2AgNO3 + H2

The Many Uses
Anyways, Silver Nitrate has several uses. Mainly, silver nitrate is used in the production photographic film. The silver nitrate produces two diffrent silvers, silver bromide and silver idodide. The silver in the film decomposes when the light passes through. While silver bromide and silver iodide are nearly colorless, the free silver atoms formed in this reaction are black. Thus, portions of a photographic film that have been exposed to light turn black where free silver has formed.

Other uses for silver nitrate include the lining of mirrors, the silver plating of plastics and metals and as a flower preservative. Until the development and widespread adoption of antibiotics, AgNO₃ used to be dropped into newborn babies' eyes at birth to prevent contraction of gonorrhea from the mother. Eye infections and blindness of newborns was reduced by this method; incorrect dosage, however, could cause blindness in extreme cases. This protection was first used by Crede in 1881. Fused silver nitrate, shaped into sticks, was traditionally called "lunar caustic".. Dentists sometimes use silver nitrate infused swabs to heal oral ulcers. Silver nitrate is also used by some podiatrists to kill cells located in the nail bed. In addition to its use in treating the eyes of newborn babies, silver nitrate has a number of other medical applications. It is used as a germicidal wall spray in medical facilities, as a topical (on the skin) anti-infective agent, for the cauterization of wounds, and as a general antiseptic.

How Toxic?

An interesting fact is Silver nitrate is not toxic to humans or other mammals. But it is toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. For this reason, it should not be discarded in lakes and rivers.It can also cause and start fires or explode when mixed with a solution of magnesium metal.

Visit This Site!
http://www.webelements.com/silver/

It shows a cool explosion when an aqueous mix of silver nitrate comes into contact with magnesium metal..don't try this at home.


Not really at all!

But, it can be toxic to humans IF you somehow intake large amounts which causes severe damage to the respitory tract and lungs. It could also cause blindness and maybe death. Some solutions of silver nitrate could stain the skin a dark purple or black.

Keep the Earth Happy!

Overall, Silver Nitrate is useful and doesn't pollute the Earth or the environment so please, keep silver nitrate and the production of it around for many years to come.