Sodium nitrate

**History and Occurrence of Sodium Nitrate:**
– First shipment of saltpeter to Europe arrived in England from Peru in the early 19th century
– Mining of South American saltpeter became profitable in 1859
– Chile fought the War of the Pacific (1879–1884) for saltpeter deposits
– Crystal structure of sodium nitrate determined in 1919
– Largest accumulations found in Chile and Peru within caliche ore
– World supply mined from Atacama desert until Haber process developed
– Chile has the largest caliche reserves with active mines
– Former Chilean saltpeter mining communities declared UNESCO World Heritage sites

**Synthesis and Applications of Sodium Nitrate:**
– Industrially synthesized by neutralizing nitric acid with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate
– Main uses in fertilizers and explosives
– Suitable for thermally annealing metals and storing thermal energy
– High thermal stability in molten sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate solutions
– Investigated as a phase-change material for thermal energy recovery
– Used in solar thermal power technologies, steel coating process, and diverse industrial applications

**Food Use and Health Concerns of Sodium Nitrate:**
– Used as a preservative and color fixative in cured meats and poultry
– Approved for use in the EU, Australia, and New Zealand
– Should not be confused with sodium nitrite
– Extends shelf life and prevents bacterial growth in food products
– Studies link increased nitrates to diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, stomach cancer, and Parkinson’s
– Linked to higher risk of colorectal cancer and carcinogenic compound formation with protein-rich foods

**Studies and Research on Sodium Nitrate:**
– Characterization as a phase-change material and production of magnetite thin film
– Epidemiological trends on diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer
– Investigations on nitrosamine intake, meat consumption, and cancer risks
– Potential cardiovascular benefits and association with colorectal cancer risk
– Dietary nitrite and nitrate benefits and health effects

**Regulatory Information and Further Reading on Sodium Nitrate:**
– EU approved additives and their E Numbers
– US FDA listing of food additives status
– Australia New Zealand food standards code on labeling ingredients
– Guidelines and regulations for sodium nitrate use
– Detailed studies, thermodynamic properties, crystallization research, and various journal articles on sodium nitratehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_nitrate