Sodium Nitrate

With chemical formula NaNO3, Sodium Nitrate is most commonly utilized as a preservative & color fixative in food industry. Sometimes it is also used as an oxidizer in fireworks and in wastewater industry for respiration of facultative microorganisms. This compound has ability to increase nitrate levels in water that is required for promoting microbial growth in marine industry. Sodium Nitrate is the main component in aqua regia that is used for dissolving gold & other precious metals during refining process. It shows solubility in water, ammonia, & alcohol with insolubility in acetone. This compound decomposes at temperature of 380 degrees Celsius with melting point of 308 degrees centigrade.