ammonium chloride

A white or colourless cubic solid, NH₄Cl; r.d. 1.53; sublimes at 340°C. It is very soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol but insoluble in ether. It may be prepared by fractional crystallization from a solution containing ammonium sulphate and sodium chloride or ammonium carbonate and calcium chloride. Pure samples may be made directly by the gas-phase reaction of ammonia and hydrogen chloride. Because of its ease of preparation it can be manufactured industrially alongside any plant that uses or produces ammonia. The compound is used in dry cells, metal finishing, and in the preparation of cotton for dyeing and printing.

The chlorine salt of the ammonium ion. Ammonium chloride is a popular deliquescent agent (that is, it attracts and absorbs water from the atmosphere).

Chemical formula:

Drug Forms:
• Ammonium Chloride enteric-coated tablets (below)
• Ammonium Chloride injection

Español:
• Tabletas con recubrimiento entérico de cloruro de amonio
• Inyección de cloruro de amonio

Ammonium Chloride enteric-coated tablets

What are ammonium chloride enteric-coated tablets?

AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (Ammonium Chloride Enseals®) is an acid-forming salt that can help correct situations in which the blood contains too little chloride or is too alkaline (basic). This can occur following vomiting, suctioning (removal) of stomach contents, use of diuretics (water or fluid pills), or with certain stomach disorders. Ammonium chloride also causes mild diuresis (removal of excess salts and water through increased urination) and makes the urine more acidic. Ammonium chloride also has been used to reduce the swelling, bloating, or weight gain that occurs before menstrual periods; and as an aid to treating urinary tract infections. Generic ammonium chloride tablets are available.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• fluid on the lungs
• high levels of chloride in the blood
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• metabolic acidosis
• an unusual or allergic reaction to ammonium chloride, other medicines , foods, dyes, or preservatives

How should I take this medicine?

Take ammonium chloride tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water; do not crush or chew. Do not take ammonium chloride with antacids or milk. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

What if I miss a dose?

What drug(s) may interact with ammonium chloride?

• acetazolamide
• potassium salts
• sodium salts

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What should I watch for while taking ammonium chloride?

If you are taking nonprescription dosage forms, do not take for more than one week without consulting your prescriber or health care professional. Ammonium chloride can cause serious side effects and is not recommended for long-term use.

What side effects may I notice from taking ammonium chloride?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
• confusion
• drowsiness
• frequent passing of urine
• headache
• increased thirst
• muscle stiffness or twitching
• muscle weakness
• rapid, irregular, or shallow breathing
• slow heartbeat
• sweating
• unusual tiredness

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• loss of appetite
• nausea, vomiting
• stomach upset

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Last updated: 7/1/2002

Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.

Ammonium chloride
IUPAC name	Ammonium chloride
Other names	Sal ammoniac
Identifiers
CAS number	12125-02-9 Y
EC number	235-186-4
RTECS number	BP4550000
SMILES	[Cl-].[NH4+]
InChI	1/ClH.H3N/h1H;1H3
InChI key	NLXLAEXVIDQMFP-UHFFFAOYAI
ChemSpider ID	23807
Properties
Molecular formula	NH4Cl
Molar mass	53.49 g/mol
Appearance	White solid hygroscopic
Odor	odorless
Density	1.5274 g/cm3
Melting point	338 °C (decomposes)
Solubility in water	29.7 g/100 mL (0 °C) 37.2 g/100 mL (20 °C) 77.3 g/100 mL (100 °C)
Solubility in alcohol	0.6 g/100 mL (19 °C)
Acidity (pKa)	9.245
Refractive index (nD)	1.642
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation ΔfHo298	−314.55 kJ/mol[1]
Standard molar entropy So298	94.85 J K−1 mol−1 [1]
Hazards
MSDS	ICSC 1051
EU Index	017-014-00-8
EU classification	Harmful (Xn) Irritant (Xi)
R-phrases	R22, R36
S-phrases	(S2), S22
NFPA 704	0 1 0
Flash point	Non-flammable
LD50	1650 mg/kg, oral (rat)
Related compounds
Other anions	Ammonium fluoride Ammonium bromide Ammonium iodide
Other cations	Sodium chloride Potassium chloride Hydroxylamonium chloride
Y (what is this?)  (verify) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) (also Sal Ammoniac, salmiac, nushadir salt, sal armagnac, sal armoniac, salt armoniack) is, in its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt of ammonia. The aqueous ammonium chloride solution is mildly acidic. Sal ammoniac is a name of natural, mineralogical form of ammonium chloride. The mineral is especially common on burning coal dumps (formed by condensation of coal-derived gases), but also on some volcanoes.

Contents 1 Sources 2 Reactions 3 Applications 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Sources

The substance occurs naturally in volcanic regions, forming on volcanic rocks near fume-releasing vents. The crystals deposit directly from the gaseous state, and tend to be short-lived, as they dissolve easily in water. It is a by-product of the Solvay process used to produce sodium carbonate.^[2]

Ammonium chloride is prepared commercially by reacting ammonia (NH₃) with hydrogen chloride (HCl). As these chemicals are corrosive, this process has to be performed in vessels lined with nonreactive materials (e.g. glass, enamel, lead, or PVC).^[2]

NH₃ + HCl → NH₄Cl

This reaction can occur if poorly sealed bottles of household ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) and hydrochloric acid are stored in close proximity, leading to crystals forming around the opening of one of the bottles (whichever is leaking more slowly).^{[citation needed]}

Reactions

Ammonium chloride sublimes readily but this process involves dissociation into ammonia and hydrochloric acid followed by reforming of the compound.^[2]

NH₄Cl → NH₃ + HCl

Applications

Ammonium chloride is sold in blocks at hardware stores for use in cleaning the tip of a soldering iron and can also be included in solder as flux.

Other uses include a feed supplement for cattle, in hair shampoo, in textile printing, in the glue that bonds plywood, as an ingredient in nutritive media for yeast, in cleaning products, and as cough medicine. Its expectorant action is caused by irritative action on the bronchial mucosa. This causes the production of excess respiratory tract fluid which presumably is easier to cough up. It is also used in an oral acid loading test to diagnose distal renal tubular acidosis.

In several countries sal ammoniac is used to spice up liquorice-type dark candies (Finland's salmiakki, Sweden's lakrisal, the Netherlands' zoute drop and the Danish Dracula Piller are popular examples), and as a flavoring for vodkas.

Ammonium chloride is also used for contact explosives, diuretic and systemic acidifying agent. It is used in the treatment of severe metabolic alkalosis, to maintain the urine at an acid pH in the treatment of some urinary-tract disorders or in forced acid diuresis.

Ammonium salts are an irritant to the gastric mucosa and may induce nausea and vomiting.

Biological applications include using it as an energy source for microbiological growth of organisms.

The zero point of Fahrenheit is determined by placing the thermometer in a mixture of ice, water, and ammonium chloride.

Also used: to luster cotton, as a flux in tin coating and galvanizing, in fertilizers, in safety explosions and in dying and tanning. Used in a ~5% aqueous solution to work on oil wells with clay swelling problems.

See also

• Salty liquorice
• Salmiakki Koskenkorva

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Solid state data from Ammonium chloride in Linstrom, P.J.; Mallard, W.G. (eds.) NIST Chemistry WebBook, NIST Standard Reference Database Number 69. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD. http://webbook.nist.gov (retrieved 2008-10-22)
2. ^ ^{a b c} Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001) Inorganic Chemistry, Elsevier ISBN 0123526515

External links

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