Working environment factors
How does Nitric Acid affect workers’ health?
Jan
Nitric acid (HNO3) at a concentration of over 80% is a hazardous chemical that can seriously affect the health of workers in manufacturing plants. Let’s explore the potential risks, prevention methods, and ways to protect health in a work environment containing this chemical!
1. What is Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater)?
Nitric acid (HNO3) at a concentration of 80% or higher is a strong and highly corrosive acid, widely used in many industries, especially in the production of fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Its chemical formula is HNO3, where H is hydrogen, N is nitrogen, and O is oxygen.
In its pure form, nitric acid is a colorless or pale yellow liquid with a pungent odor and is highly volatile. However, at high concentrations, nitric acid becomes a strong corrosive agent, capable of destroying cell tissues upon contact with the body. Nitric acid with a concentration of over 80% is often used in chemical processes requiring high purity, such as in the production of explosives, metal processing, and in scientific experiments.
Due to its corrosive nature and its readiness to react with many other substances, nitric acid requires special care when used. Even a small amount in contact with the skin or eyes can cause severe burns, and if its vapors are inhaled, workers can suffer serious respiratory damage. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the nature and characteristics of nitric acid is crucial for ensuring safety in a work environment where this chemical is used.
| No. | Chemical Name in Vietnamese | Chemical Name in English | HS Code | CAS Number | Chemical Formula |
| 1. | Axit nitric | Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) | 28080000 | 7697-37-2 | HNO3 |
See more about our chemical safety training service according to Decree 113/2017/ND-CP
REGISTER FOR CHEMICAL OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY TRAINING ACCORDING TO DECREE 113
2. Where does Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) originate from during the production process?
During production, nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) is primarily created through the reaction between ammonia (NH3) and oxygen (O2) in a reaction called the Ostwald process. This process begins with the oxidation of ammonia at high temperatures in the presence of a precious metal catalyst such as platinum. When ammonia comes into contact with oxygen under these conditions, it is converted into nitric oxide (NO), which then further reacts with oxygen to produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
This nitrogen dioxide is then mixed with water to form nitric acid. This process takes place in absorption towers, where NO2 gases dissolve in water to form nitric acid (HNO3). Production facilities often use closed systems to process and purify nitric acid to achieve high concentrations (80% or more) and to ensure its chemical properties remain stable.
In addition to the main production process, nitric acid can also be generated in manufacturing activities involving nitrogen compounds or in flue gas treatment processes, when these compounds are exposed to factors such as high temperatures or oxygen.
3. Industries that use Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) in production
Many industries use nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) due to its strong chemical properties. In the fertilizer manufacturing industry, nitric acid plays a crucial role in creating ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), a key component in chemical fertilizers. This product helps provide nutrients to crops, especially in NPK fertilizers.
In addition, nitric acid is also used in the explosives industry, particularly for producing dynamite and other explosives. In this production process, nitric acid combines with other compounds to create nitro compounds, which have powerful explosive properties, serving mining, construction, and military purposes.
In the chemical industry, nitric acid is used to synthesize many organic and inorganic compounds, such as nitrobenzene, dyes, and other nitro compounds. It also plays an important role in metal treatment processes, especially in cleaning metal surfaces, removing rust, and creating a protective oxide layer on metals like titanium and stainless steel.
The food processing and pharmaceutical industries may also use nitric acid in certain applications, however, with strict requirements for purity and high safety measures.
4. How does Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) affect workers?
When exposed to nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater), workers can experience many adverse health effects. Due to its strong corrosive nature, when it comes into contact with the skin, nitric acid can cause severe burns, damage skin tissue, and lead to ulcers if not treated promptly. In particular, with prolonged contact, burns can leave permanent scars.
Inhaling nitric acid vapor is a serious risk to respiratory health. These toxic gas particles can irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and lungs, leading to symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, pneumonia, and long-term respiratory problems if left untreated. In particular, people working in environments with high concentrations of nitric acid gas may face respiratory function problems, even severe respiratory failure.
Furthermore, contact with nitric acid can also affect the eyes, causing severe chemical burns, leading to vision loss or permanent damage if not treated immediately. Workers in environments where this chemical is used are also at risk of developing neurological and digestive diseases due to long-term exposure to vapors or liquid from nitric acid.
Therefore, using protective measures such as chemical vapor masks, gloves, and protective clothing is essential to minimize the dangerous impacts on workers in manufacturing plants that use high-concentration nitric acid.
5. Permissible safe concentration of Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) for human exposure
The permissible safe concentration of nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) for human exposure is very low, due to its strong corrosive nature and potential for serious harm to health. According to occupational hygiene and chemical safety standards, the maximum exposure level to nitric acid vapor should not exceed 2 parts per million (ppm) in the air over a working hour. This is the recommended limit to protect workers’ health from adverse effects on the respiratory tract and other parts of the body.
On a basic level, if working in an industrial environment, it is important to comply with safety standards and limit exposure to Nitric acid. Organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States provide guidelines and safety principles to protect workers from the negative effects of chemical substances.
6. Measures to minimize the health effects of Nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) on workers
To minimize the health effects of nitric acid (conc. 80% or greater) on workers, applying preventive and protective measures is extremely important. One of the primary measures is the use of full personal protective equipment, including chemical vapor respirators, gloves, corrosion-resistant protective clothing, and eye protection. This equipment helps protect workers from direct contact with the acid and the hazardous vapors generated during work.
The work environment must also be strictly controlled to ensure there is no excessive accumulation of acid vapors in the air. Equipping the facility with an effective ventilation system is necessary to maintain acid vapor levels within permissible safety limits. Factories and production areas should be designed so that toxic gases can be treated or vented to the outside, minimizing the presence of nitric acid in the air around workers.
In addition, safe work procedures and methods need to be implemented, including training workers on the risks and preventive measures when working with nitric acid. Measures such as occupational hygiene, using automated equipment in the production process, and regular health monitoring also play a crucial role in minimizing health risks for workers.
Finally, measures to control the concentration of nitric acid in the air, such as installing gas concentration monitoring and warning devices, also help ensure a safe working environment. When high concentration levels are detected, emergency measures like powerful ventilation or a temporary production halt can be implemented to protect workers.
Occupational safety training: Workers need to be trained and educated about the risks and safety measures when working with this type of chemical. This training should be provided periodically and regularly to ensure understanding and proper compliance with safety rules.
Periodically organize occupational environment monitoring in factories and enterprises, collecting and analyzing factors harmful to workers, thereby adjusting to reduce hazard levels to prevent occupational diseases for them.
7. National Occupational Environment Monitoring Center
Nam Viet’s Occupational Environment Monitoring Center is a professional unit for monitoring and measuring the quality of the working environment across all provinces in Vietnam. With a team of experienced monitoring specialists, the center uses modern measuring equipment, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
REGISTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MONITORING SERVICES
In addition to providing monitoring services, the center also supports clients in planning, handling, and tracking issues related to the occupational environment. With the motto “the customer is the center,” the center focuses on customer satisfaction, meeting all of the client’s needs, and committing to providing the best solutions for businesses.
With investment in techniques, technology, and human resources, Nam Viet’s monitoring center has become one of the reputable units in the field of occupational environment monitoring in Ho Chi Minh City with the following objectives:
- We always value our brand reputation and the quality of our products and services.
- We provide our customers with the best and most suitable solutions possible.
- With a team of experienced Masters and Engineers with a desire to protect the environment and benefit businesses.
- With the Nam Viet Environmental Monitoring team, your company will receive professional service from experts in the monitoring field. At the same time, you will get the best cost incentives.
8. Quotation for occupational environment monitoring
To help businesses carry out occupational environment monitoring professionally and effectively, Nam Viet offers our valued customers a price list for occupational environment monitoring services that is high-quality and reasonably priced.
- Our price list provides detailed information about the prices of the monitoring services we offer. This includes costs related to travel, measurement, analysis, and reporting of results. Customers can be completely assured of the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring result reports we provide.
- We are committed to always offering the most competitive and reasonable prices on the market, and we are also always ready to provide consultation and answer any questions about our monitoring services quickly and professionally.
- With Nam Viet’s price list, customers can easily choose service packages that suit their needs. We are committed to bringing our customers the highest satisfaction with professional quality service.
