Help How to differentiate Sodium nitrite and Sodium NitrAte?

[zenirsar]

I got my 99% purity SN ~2 weeks ago and haven't opened it yet. I plan to use it in December, and I am worried it may degenerate to Sodium Nitrate.
Is there any way to differentiate them? I heard Sodium Nitrate turns blood to dark brown too, so the blood test seems obsolete.

 

[rozeske]

It degrades to nitrate when left in open air in a slow process overtime. You can refer to the sticky thread above about it's stability. Only way to be sure of it's exact purity is to have it lab tested. Next best things are to make sure you bought it from a reputable source that sales it as NaNO2 and can also provide a data sheet with it's properties. You can also do aquarium strip tests though they don't indicate the exact percentage but better than the blood test.

 

[zenirsar]

I bought mine from a local lab. It's still in a sealed plastic container. I know it won't most likely degenerate but still, I am very anxious about it.

 

[opheliaoveragain]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't the panel tests we've seen used here be able to differentiate the two?

I could be totally off base here but I would also recommend checking the stability sticky thread.

 

[Intoxicated]

Is there any way to differentiate them?

A nitrite can react with ammonium chloride in a water solution, producing bubbles of nitrogen
NaNO2 + NH4Cl → NaCl + NH4NO2
NH4NO2 → 2 H2O + N2↑

A nitrate won't produce any gases when reacting with ammonium chloride.
NaNO3 + NH4Cl ⇌ NaCl + NH4NO3
(unlike NH4NO2, NH4NO3 is stable and doesn't decompose in water solutions)

 

[zenirsar]

Thank you, I will buy it and test it in December.