Agricultural Uses
Sodium molybdate (NazMoO4-2H2O), which is an
important molybdenum source, is applied along with
other fertilizers or as a foliar spray (with 39%
molybdenum). Sodium molybdate is the sodium salt of
molybdic acid. Fusing molybdenum oxide with sodium
carbonate or hydroxide makes sodium molybdate.
Molybdenum is an essential component of the enzyme
nitrate reductase which catalyzes the conversion of
nitrate (NO3-) to nitrite (NO2-). It is also a component of
the nitrogenase enzyme involved in nitrogen fixation by
root nodule bacteria of leguminous crops. Soaking seeds
in sodium molybdate solution (made with slurry or dust)
before sowing is an effective seed treatment. Sodium
molybdate, the most commonly used fertilizer supplying
molybdenum, is used as foliar spray, or in mixed
fertilizers. It is also used in seed treatment.
Biological Activity
sodium molybdate is an acid phosphatase inhibitor. the osteoclastic acid phosphatase isoenzyme, secreted by osteoclasts, is a member of a widely-distributed class of iron-containing proteins with acid phosphatase activity. elevated plasma isoenzyme levels are associated with increased bone turnover in metabolic disease. by inhibiting this class of acid phosphatases, sodium molybdate is capable of abolishing bone resorption. in addition, sodium molybdate has been shown to stabilize the nonactivated glucocorticoid-receptor complex.1. zaidi m, moonga b, moss dw, et al. inhibition of osteoclastic acid phosphatase abolishes bone resorption. biochemical and biophysical research communications, 1989, 159(1): 68-71.2. denis m, wikstr?m ac, gustafsson ja. the molybdate-stabilized nonactivated glucocorticoid receptor contains a dimer of mr 90,000 non-hormone-binding protein. journal of biological chemistry, 1987, 262(24): 11803-11806.
