Amyl nitrite (C₅H₁₁NO₂) is made by leading nitrous fumes into iso-amyl alcohol and distilling amyl alcohol with potassium nitrite and sulphuric acid. It is a yellowish fluid, the fumes of which when inhaled produce throbbing of the bloodvessels in the head and rapid pulse.
For other nitric acid compounds see the following section on Explosives and the section on Manufacture of Tar Products (Nitro-benzene, &c.).
Explosives
Numerous explosives are made with aid of nitric acid or a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids. Injury to health and poisoning—especially through development of nitrous fumes—can be caused. Further, some explosives are themselves industrial poisons, especially those giving off volatile fumes or dust.
The most important are:
Fulminate of mercury (HgC₂N₂O₂) is probably to be regarded as the mercury salt of fulminic acid, an isomer of cyanic acid. It is used to make caps for detonating gunpowder and explosives, and is made by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and adding alcohol. The heavy white crystals of mercury fulminate are filtered off and dried. Very injurious fumes are produced in the reaction, containing ethyl acetate, acetic acid, ethyl nitrate, nitrous acid, volatile hydrocyanic acid compounds, hydrocyanic acid, ethyl cyanide, cyanic acid; death consequently can immediately ensue on inhalation of large quantities. The fulminate is itself poisonous, and risk is present in filtering, pressing, drying, and granulating it. Further, in filling the caps in the huts numerous cases of poisoning occur. Heinzerling thinks here that mercury fumes are developed by tiny explosions in the pressing and filling. In a factory in Nuremburg 40 per cent. of the women employed are said to have suffered from mercurial poisoning. Several cases in a factory at Marseilles are recorded by Neisser.[9] In addition to the risk from the salt there is even more from nitrous fumes, which are produced in large quantity in the fulminate department.
Nitro-glycerin (C₃H₅(O—NO₂)₃, dynamite, explosive gelatine).—Nitro-glycerin is made by action of a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids on anhydrous glycerin. The method of manufacture is as follows ([see fig. 10]): glycerin is allowed to flow into the acid mixture in leaden vessels; it is agitated by compressed air and care taken that the temperature remains at about 22° C., as above 25° there may be risk. The liquid is then run off and separates into two layers, the lighter nitro-glycerin floating on the top of the acid. The process is watched through glass windows. The nitro-glycerin thus separated is run off, washed by agitation with compressed air, then neutralised (with soda solution) and again washed and lastly filtered. The acid mixture which was run off is carefully separated by standing, as any explosive oil contained in it will rise up. The waste acid freed from nitro-glycerin is recovered in special apparatus, being denitrified by hot air and steam blown through it. The nitrous fumes are condensed to nitric acid. The sulphuric acid is evaporated.
Dynamite is made by mixing nitro-glycerin with infusorial earth previously heated to redness and purified.