A Novel Method for the Detection of Nitrates T h e preliminary test of nitrates is done by the addition of concentrated sulfuric acid when brown fumes of nitrogen peroxide are evolved. The brown color deepens a n addition of copper turnings1. A lot of copper turnings are wasted for such a preliminary test throughout the world, particularly in schaals and intermediate colleges. The authors succeeded in modifying this test by replacing copper turnings with rounded halls of filter paper cuttings" hut the role of filter paper in this test remains obscure. T h e possible constituent of filter paper after treatment with sulfuric acid is esrbon, but this possibility was neglected hecause of the failure of the test when carbon (charcoal powder) was used in place of filter paperlcopper turnings. T h e role of cellulose (main constituent of filter paper) in the reduction of nitrate was confirmed by adding cellulose instead of filter paper/copper turnings. I t was interesting to observe that not only cellulose hut also other mono- and disaccharides may be used successfully in this test. If this method is adopted, t h e c i t is possible to savea huge quantity of copper turnings and it may be replaced by filter paper cuttings, which largely remains as a waste material in most of the chemical laboratories.
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Vogel, A. I.. "A Text-Book of Macro and Semimicro Qualitative Inorganic Analysis". Orient 1,ongmans Ltd., London, Indian Reprint. 1971. p. 438 Gupta, H. L., Pande, P. N., and Amets, Suresh C., Indian J.Chern. Education (In Press)
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Vikrarn University Ujjain (M. P.), India
H. L. Gupta P. N. P a n d e Suresh A. Ameta
Volume 57. Number 4, April 1980 / 319
