ALUMINUM NITRATE: FORMULAS, PROPERTIES, USES AND RISKS - CHEMISTRY - 2025

The aluminum nitrate is the aluminum salt of nitric acid. Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, at room temperature, appears as a colorless solid with the odor of nitric acid.

They are not combustible, but they can accelerate the combustion of combustible materials. If large amounts of aluminum nitrate are involved, or if combustible material is finely divided, an explosion may occur.

Prolonged exposure to fire or heat can lead to an explosion. When in contact with fire, they produce nitrogen oxides. Its uses include the refining of petroleum, and the dyeing and tanning of leather.

It is a white, water-soluble salt that most commonly occurs in its crystalline nonahydrate form (aluminum nitrate nonahydrate).

Chemical structure of aluminum nitrate (anhydrous)

Formulas

• Aluminum nitrate: Al (NO ₃) ₃
• Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate: Al (NO ₃) ₃ · 9H ₂ O
• CAS: 13473-90-0 Aluminum Nitrate (Anhydrous)
• CAS: 14797-65-0 Aluminum nitrate (nonahydrate)

Structure

In 2D

Aluminum nitrate

Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate

In 3d

Aluminum nitrate / Molecular model of spheres

Aluminum nitrate / Molecular model balls and rods

Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate / Molecular model of spheres

Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate / Molecular model balls and rods

Physical and chemical properties

• Aluminum nitrate belongs to the reactive group of inorganic nitrate and nitrite compounds.
• The nitrate ion is a polyatomic ion with the molecular formula NO3 - and is the conjugate base of nitric acid.
• Almost all inorganic nitrate salts are soluble in water at standard temperature and pressure.
• Nitrate compounds have a wide range of uses based on their activity as oxidizing agents, the presence of freely available nitrogen, or their high solubility.

Reactivity alerts

Aluminum nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent.

Reactions with air and water

Aluminum nitrate is deliquescent (it has the property of absorbing moisture from the air to form an aqueous solution). It is soluble in water. Its aqueous solutions are acidic.

Inflammability

Nitrates and nitrites are explosive compounds. Some of these substances can decompose explosively when heated or involved in a fire. They can explode from heat or contamination. Containers may explode when heated.

Special hazards from combustion products: Toxic nitrogen oxides can be formed in a fire involving aluminum nitrate.

Reactivity

Nitrates and nitrites can act as extremely powerful oxidizing agents and mixtures with reducing agents or reduced materials such as organic substances can be explosive. They react with acids to form toxic nitrogen dioxide.

In general, nitrate and nitrite salts with redox active cations (transition metals and the metals of group 3a, 4a and 5a of the periodic table, as well as the ammonium + cation) are more reactive with organic materials and reducing agents under conditions environmental.

Aluminum nitrate is an oxidizing agent. Mixtures with alkyl esters can explode. Mixtures with phosphorus, tin (II) chloride or other reducing agents can react explosively.

Toxicity

Humans are subject to nitrate and nitrite toxicity, and children are especially vulnerable to methemoglobinemia.

Ingestion of large doses of aluminum nitrate causes gastric irritation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Contact with dust irritates the eyes and skin.

Applications

Nitrates and nitrites are widely used (and in very large amounts) as fertilizers in agriculture due to their willingness to break down and release nitrogen for plant growth and due to their solubility, which allows nitrate ions to be absorbed by the roots of the plant.

Nitrate compounds are also widely used as an industrial raw material when an oxidizing agent or nitrate ion source is required.

Aluminum nitrate is used in the manufacture of laboratory, cosmetic, and personal hygiene chemicals. In industry, it is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of other substances.

It is used in leather tanning, in antiperspirants, corrosion inhibitors, in uranium extraction, petroleum refining, and as a nitrating agent.

Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate and other hydrated aluminum nitrates have many applications. These salts are used to produce alumina for the preparation of insulating papers, in heating elements of cathode ray tubes and in the core laminates of transformers. Hydrated salts are also used for the extraction of actinidic elements.

Clinical effects

Aluminum is ubiquitous, it is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust. The majority of human exposure comes from food. It is present in some pharmaceutical products. In industry it is widely used.

Aluminum inhibits bone remodeling, causing osteomalacia. It is believed to inhibit erythropoiesis, causing anemia.

Acute poisoning is rare. Soluble forms of aluminum have a higher potential for toxicity than insoluble forms, due to their greater absorption.

Patients with renal failure are prone to aluminum toxicity, either from aluminum in the dialysate or other exogenous sources, especially phosphate binders and aluminum-containing antacids.

Chronic exposure to aluminum dust can cause dyspnea, cough, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumothorax, pneumoconiosis, encephalopathy, weakness, incoordination, and epileptiform seizures.

Aluminum salts can cause irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes, conjunctivitis, dermatosis and eczema.

Although aluminum and its compounds have shown little evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, exposure to other substances involved in aluminum production has been associated with carcinogenicity.

Safety and risks

Hazard statements of the Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemical products (GHS).

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed system, created by the United Nations and designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria globally.

The hazard classes (and their corresponding chapter of the GHS), the classification and labeling standards, and the recommendations for aluminum nitrate and for aluminum nitrate nonahydrate are as follows (European Chemicals Agency, 2017; United Nations, 2015; PubChem, 2017):

GHS Hazard Classes

H272: May intensify fire; Oxidizer (PubChem, 2017).

H301: Toxic if swallowed (PubChem, 2017).

H315: Causes skin irritation (PubChem, 2017).

H318: Causes serious eye damage (PubChem, 2017).

H319: Causes serious eye irritation (PubChem, 2017).

Precautionary statement codes

P210, P220, P221, P264, P270, P280, P301 + P310, P302 + P352, P305 + P351 + P338, P310, P321, P330, P332 + P313, P337 + P313, P362, P370 + P378, P405 and P501 (PubChem, 2017).

(United Nations, 2015, p. 360).

(United Nations, 2015, p. 370).

(United Nations, 2015, p.382).

(United Nations, 2015, p.384).

(United Nations, 2015, p.385).

References

1. ChemIDplus (2017) 3D structure of 13473-90-0 - Aluminum nitrate Recovered from: chem.nlm.nih.gov.
2. ChemIDplus (2017) 3D structure of 7784-27-2 - Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate Retrieved from: chem.nlm.nih.gov.
3. Daisa, J. (2017) Shell Oil Refinery at Dusk Recovered from: flickr.com.
4. Edgar181 (2008) Aluminum nitrate. Recovered from: wikipedia.org.
5. European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). (2016). Aluminum nitrate. Brief Profile. Retrieved on February 8, 2017, from echa.europa.eu.
6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). TOXNET. (2017). Aluminum nitrate. Bethesda, MD, EU: National Library of Medicine. Recovered from: chem.nlm.nih.gov.
7. JSmol (2017) Nitrate Recovered from: chemapps.stolaf.edu.
8. Wikipedia. (2017). Aluminum nitrate. Retrieved February 8, 2017, from: wikipedia.org.
9. Wikipedia. (2017). Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate. Retrieved February 8, 2017, from: wikipedia.org.