General Description
A colorless liquid consisting of sodium chlorite dissolved in water. Corrosive to skin and/or metals.
Reactivity Profile
SODIUM CHLORITE SOLUTION is an oxidizing agent. Can react with acids to form spontaneously explosive chlorine dioxide gas (ClO2). Reacts with ammonia to produce ammonium chlorite, which is shock-sensitive. Finely divided metallic or organic substances in dry mixture with chlorites are highly flammable and may be ignited on friction (Lab. Gov. Chemist 1965). A mixture of organic matter and solid sodium chlorite can be extremely sensitive to heat, impact, or friction (Diox Process 1949). Sodium chlorite reacts very violently with organic materials containing divalent sulfur or with free sulfur (may ignite).
Air & Water Reactions
Soluble in water.
Hazard
Flammable, strong oxidizing agent, dan-
gerous fire and moderate explosion risk. (Solution)
Strong irritant to skin and tissue.
Health Hazard
TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with material may cause severe injury or death. Contact with molten substance may cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Avoid any skin contact. Effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution.
Fire Hazard
Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Some are oxidizers and may ignite combustibles (wood, paper, oil, clothing, etc.). Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated.
Chemical Properties
white flakes
Definition
A chlorate(III)
salt; i.e. a salt of chloric(III) acid (chlorous
acid).
Definition
ChEBI: An inorganic sodium salt in which chlorite is the counterion.
Flammability and Explosibility
Notclassified
Agricultural Uses
Chlorite is a group of greenish clay minerals of variable composition (similar to mica in structure), which crystallizes in the monoclinic system. The term chlorite is derived from 'chloros', the Greek word for green.
Chlorites are composed of complex silicates of aluminum, magnesium and iron in combination with water.
These are often called 2:2 type clays because they are similar to the unit lattice of vermiculite. But strictly speaking, they are 2:1:1 type clays. A layer of chlorite has 2 silicate tetrahedral units, one alumina octahedral unit and one magnesium octahedral sheet. It has a low cation exchange capacity. Chlorites are most commonly found in low-grade metamorphic rocks. They also occur as secondary minerals in igneous rocks as alteration products of pyroxenes, amphiboles and micas.
Chlorites are infrequent in soils and when present, make up a small fraction of clay minerals. Chlorites are primary minerals and form vermiculites and smectites. Chlorites do not swell on wetting.
Purification Methods
Crystallise the chlorite from hot water and store it in a cool place. It has also been crystallised from MeOH by counter-current extraction with liquid ammonia [Curti & Locchi Anal Chem 29 534 1957]. A major impurity is chloride ion which can be removed by recrystallisation from 0.001M NaOH. [Schmeisser in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 312 1963.]
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