LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Nitric Acid: Nitrates
built 629 days ago
Chemical burn injuries, including nitric acid injuries, are rarely encountered in routine daily practice. They usually occur as occupational and accidental injuries. Nitric acid is a chemical that is important in industry. It is a very strong acid and a powerful oxidizing agent with the ability to nitrate organic materials... making it essential in the production of numerous chemicals. Skin contact with nitric acid leads to severe burns, and its vapours can cause severe acid burns to the eyes, respiratory tract, and lungs. Delayed pulmonary oedema can be expected after vapour inhalation.
Source:
Nitric acid is considered to be a strong acid and oxidant. As can be seen in the picture shown above, nitric acid is particularly aggressive to most metals, and even more so with copper. While the green soluble copper nitrate spreads away fro the reacting site, the deep red-brown nitrogen dioxide gas that is freed according to the following equation:
Source:
Being a typical acid, nitric acid reacts with alkalis, basic oxides, and carbonates to form salts, such as ammonium nitrate. Due to its oxidizing nature, nitric acid generally does not liberate hydrogen on reaction with metals and the resulting salts are usually in the higher oxidized states. For this reason, heavy corrosion can be expected and should be guarded against by the appropriate use of corrosion resistant metals or alloys.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Nitrates