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Silver nitrate is a chemical compound with chemical formula AgNO₃. This nitrate of silver is a light-sensitive ingredient in photographic film and is a poisonous, corrosive compound. Silver nitrate crystals can be produced by dissolving silver in nitric acid and evaporating the solution. The compound notably stains skin a greyish or black color that is made visible after exposure to sunlight.

When making photographic film, silver nitrate is reacted with halide salts of sodium or potassium to form insoluble silver halide in situ in photographic gelatin, which is then applied to strips of tri-acetate or polyester. Photons from sunlight, X-rays or other sources, initiate a purported chemical chain reaction: when photons strike silver nitrate molecules, they free electrons from the silver ions. These free electrons roam through the crystal and settle in structural imperfections called sensitivity specks. These specks apparently attract positive silver ions, which are then neutralized to form groups of stable silver atoms, creating a latent image that is chemically developed to reveal a photographic image.

Silver nitrate has been used as an antiseptic, dropped into newborn babies' eyes at birth. This is to prevent contraction of gonorrhoea or chlamydia from their mother. A very weak solution is used for this, (about 1%) and there are very few side effects.

Fused silver nitrate, shaped into sticks, was traditionally called lunar caustic and used as a cauterizing agent.

In histology, silver nitrate is used for silver staining, for demonstrating proteins and nucleic acids. For this reason it is also used to demonstrate proteins in PAGE gels. It is also used as a stain in scanning electron microscopy.

Silver nitrate is used to prepare some silver-based explosives, such as the fulminate, azide, or acetylide, through a precipitation reaction.

Hazards

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Silver nitrate is harmful to the environment and is especially toxic to aquatic species.

Decomposition of silver nitrate produces silver oxides and nitrogen oxides.

Silver nitrate has explosive properties at concentrations greater than 2mol/dm³.

See also

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• Film developing

External links

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• International Chemical Safety Card 1116
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
• Film Making

Antiseptics | Electron microscopy stains | Nitrates | Photographic chemicals | Silver compounds | Staining dyes

Sølvnitrat | Silbernitrat | Nitrato de plata | Nitrate d'argent | Nitrato d'argento | Zilvernitraat | 硝酸銀 | Sølvnitrat | Azotan srebra | Srebrov nitrat | Hopeanitraatti | 硝酸银