Description
Sodium chlorate (chemical formula: NAClO3) is an inorganic compound, appearing as white crystalline powder. It has an annual yield of several hundred million tons around the world. It has many applications. Its major commercial application is for the manufacture of chlorine dioxide which is used in bleaching of pulp. Sodium chlorate can also be used for the industrial manufacture of perchlorate compounds through electrolysis. It can also be used as a non-selective herbicide to control many kinds of plants such as morning glory, Canada thistle, Johnson grass and bamboo. In addition, it can also be used as a defoliant and desiccant. It is also used for the generation of chemical oxygen which is important for emergency oxygen generation in commercial aircraft. In industry, sodium chlorate is manufactured by the electrolysis of a hot sodium chloride solution. It is also useful for making inks, cosmetics, paper and leather.
References
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/sodium_chlorate#section=Top
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_chlorate
Chemical Properties
Sodium chlorate, NaCI03, is colorless,odorless crystals with a cooling, saline taste, is soluble in water and alcohol,but must not be triturated with any combustible substance. Derived by heating and electrolyzing a concentrated acid solution of sodium chloride so that the chlorate is crystallized out. Sodium chlorate is a nonselective soil sterilant used on noncrop land or in combination with triazines, ureas, or other organic herbicides for soil sterilization. It leaches,has foliar contact activity, and in the past, was used widely along railroads. It is flammable when dried on foliage, and many railroad fires occurred when sparks from coal-fired engines landed on sprayed plants. Sodium chloride (table salt) is an example of an herbicide that desiccates and disrupts a plant's osmotic balance. It has been used for nonselective weed control for centuries.
Uses
Sodium chlorate is used to prepare chlorine dioxide in the pulp and paper industry. It is utilized for bleaching the wood pulp in order to make environmentally friendly and quality white paper products. It is also used to produce other perchlorate compounds in the industry.
Definition
ChEBI: Sodium chlorate is an inorganic sodium salt that has chlorate as the counter-ion. An oxidising agent, it is used for bleaching paper and as a herbicide. It is also used in the manufacture of dyes, explosives and matches. It has a role as a herbicide. It is an inorganic sodium salt and a chlorate salt.
General Description
Sodium chlorate in a water solution is a clear colorless liquid. Sodium chlorate is noncombustible but Sodium chlorate can accelerate the burning of surrounding combustible materials. This can easily occur if the material should dry out. Contact with strong sulfuric acid may cause fires or explosions.
Air & Water Reactions
Soluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
SODIUM CHLORATE decomposes upon heating forming O2; reacts with strong acids forming toxic and explosive ClO2; reacts with many substances [Handling Chemicals Safely 1980 p. 833]; metal chlorates are oxidants in the presence of strong acid; liberates explosive chlorine dioxide gas; heating a moist metal chlorate and a dibasic organic acid liberates chlorine dioxide and carbon dioxide; mixtures of perchlorates with sulfur or phosphorus are explosives [Bretherick 1979 p. 100]; mixtures of the chlorate with ammonium salts(ammonium thiosulfate), powdered metals, silicon, sulfur, or sulfides are readily ignited and potentially explosive [Bretherick 1979 p. 806]. A combination of finely divided aluminum with finely divided bromates(also chlorates and iodates) of barium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium or zinc can explode by heat, percussion, and friction [Mellor 2:310 1946-47]. Sodium chlorate and arsenic trioxide form a spontaneously flammable mixture [Ellern 1968 p. 51]. Mixtures of organic material and more than 10% sodium chlorate are sufficiently combustible to be hazardous at low relative humidity. Mixtures of organic material such as charcoal, sugar, flour, or shellac and sodium chlorate may be ignited by friction or shock [Chem. Safety Data Sheet SD-42 1951].
Hazard
Dangerous fire risk, strong oxidant, contact
with organic materials may cause fire.
Health Hazard
Contact causes irritation of eyes and skin. INGESTION: May cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal or gastric pain, dyspnea and other symptoms. The major cause of death from a lethal dose is acute renal failure.
Flammability and Explosibility
Not classified
Trade name
ASEX®; ATLACIDE[C]; ATRATOL B-HERBATOX®[C]; BAREGROUND®; BEST MAGCHLOR DEFOLIANT®; CHAPMAN WEED FREE®; CHLORAX®; D-LEAF COTTON DEFOLIANT®; DE-FOL-ATE®; DESOLET®; DREXEL DEFOL®; DROP LEAF®; EVAU-SUPERFALL®; FALL®; GRAIN SORGHUM HARVEST AID®; GRANEX OK®; HARVEST-AID®; KLOREX®; KM SODIUM CHLORATE®; KUSA-TOHRUKUSATOL®; LOREX®; ORTHO C-1 DEFOLIANT & WEED KILLER®; OXYCIL®; RASIKAL®; SHED-A-LEAF®; TRAVEX®; TUMBLEAF®; 20 MULE TEAM HIBOR®[C]; UNITED CHEMICAL DEFOLIANT NO.1®; VAL-DROP®
Safety Profile
Human poison by unspecified routes. Moderately toxic experimentally by ingestion and intraperitoneal routes. Human systemic effects by ingestion: blood hemolysis with or without anemia, methemoglobinemiacarboxyhemoglobinemia and pulmonary changes. Mutation data reported. A skin, mucous membrane, and eye irritant. Damages the red blood cells of humans when ingested. A powerful oxidizer. It can explode on contact with flame or sparks (static discharge) and has caused many industrial explosions. May react explosively with agricultural materials (e.g., peat, powdered sulfur, sawdust, urotropine, thiuram), alkenes + potassium osmate, aluminum + rubber, ammonium salts, grease, leather, powdered metals, nonmetals, sulfides, cyanides, cyanoborane oligomer, nitrobenzene, organic matter, paint + polyethylene, phosphorus, sodium phosphinate. Violent reaction or ignition with aluminum, ammonium sulfate, Sb2S3, arsenic, arsenic trioxide, 1,3bis(trichloromethy1benzene) + heat, carbon, charcoal, MnOr, phosphorus, potassium cyanide, osmium + heat, paper, sulfuric acid, thiocyanates, triethylene glycol + wood, wood, zinc. Can also react violently with nitrobenzene, paper, metal sulfides, dibasic organic acids, organic matter. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cland Na2O. See also CHLORATES.
Potential Exposure
Sodium chlorate is used to manufacture dyes, explosives, in paper pulp processing and as a weed killer; used as a constituent of atratol and pramitol.
Shipping
UN1495 Sodium chlorate, Hazard Class: 5.1; Labels: 5.1-Oxidizer. UN2428 Sodium chlorate, aqueous solution, Hazard Class: 5.1; Labels: 5.1-Oxidizer.
Purification Methods
It is crystallised from hot water (0.5mL/g). It is a strong oxidising agent, and should be kept clear from organic matter.
Incompatibilities
A strong oxidizer. Potentially explosive. Reacts violently with combustibles, sulfuric acid; and reducing materials. Reacts with strong acids giving off carbon dioxide. Explosions may be caused by contact with ammonia salts; ammonium thiosulfate; antimony sulfide; arsenic, carbon, charcoal, organic matter; organic acids; thiocyanates, chemically active metals; oils, metal sulfides; nitrobenzene, powdered metals; sugar. Reacts with some organic contaminants forming shock-sensitive mixtures. Decomposes on heating above 300C or on burning, producing oxygen and toxic chlorine fumes. Attacks zinc, magnesium, and steel.
Waste Disposal
In accordance with 40CFR 165 recommendations for the disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers. Must be disposed properly by following package label directions or by contacting your local or federal environmental control agency, or by contacting your regional EPA office.
