Contact Us
Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
© 2025 Jeifer Pharmaceutical, All Right
Reserved.
Nitric Acid BP EP USP Pharma Grade delivers a powerful solution trusted across pharmaceutical manufacturing and laboratory applications. The product typically presents as a colorless to pale yellow liquid, releasing sharp, acrid fumes. This grade follows strict monograph standards set by British Pharmacopoeia (BP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP), making it suitable for compounding, synthesizing active ingredients, special chemical reactions, and purification steps critical for safe finished medicines.
The chemical identity of nitric acid is as straightforward as it gets: HNO3. Its molecular weight registers at 63.01 g/mol. The structure shows hydrogen joined to a union of nitrogen and three oxygens, connected by strong bonds that concentrate its reactivity. Each molecule comes packed with potential for oxidation, which is both its strength and the root of many hazards.
In its purest pharma grade, nitric acid appears as a clear, mobile liquid, rarely found solidified unless kept at temperatures below its freezing point of -42°C. Liquid form dominates usage, with density standing near 1.51 g/cm³ at 20°C. It has a distinctive, almost caustic smell and reacts vigorously with many organic and inorganic substances, reflecting its prominent place on chemical compatibility charts. Water combines with nitric acid in all proportions, although concentrated material typically runs between 68% to 70% by weight. You don't see nitric acid supplied as powder, flakes, pearls, or crystals in pharmaceutical quality; liquid dominates for ease of measurement, dilution, and process control.
Global trade tracks pharmaceutical nitric acid through the Harmonized System under HS Code 280800. This code recognizes nitric acid regardless of industry, though the pharma grade brings documentation trails that prove its limits on impurities and contaminant metals, including iron, mercury, and arsenic. This transparency supports confidence for anyone charged with handling medical substances or submitting paperwork to regulatory authorities.
Density and concentration define what you get with every purchase. At around 1.40–1.51 g/cm³ and with assay levels reaching up to 70%, this ensures precise dosing in pharmaceutical synthesis. Purity isn’t only a laboratory talking point—final medicines depend on reagent-grade quality with near-zero tolerance for contaminant ions or organic residues, reducing the risk of toxic by-products and failed quality-control batches. Dilution protocols require careful attention because the reaction with water can produce intense heat, raising the real risk of splashing or boiling and reinforcing the need for proper personal protective equipment.
Nitric acid earns its place among powerful oxidizing chemicals because it reacts rapidly with metals, organic material, reducing agents, and nearly any combustible substance. The fumes can irritate mucous membranes, damage lungs, and burn skin on contact. Direct handling without gloves, goggles, and face protection is a shortcut to injury. In incident reports and training sessions, even small spills call for neutralization with sodium bicarbonate and swift containment to block fume release. Storage rules keep containers tightly sealed in cool, acid-resistant enclosures, away from incompatible chemicals such as ammonium compounds, strong bases, and flammable solvents.
Nitric acid’s value in pharma comes from its place as both a raw material and a process chemical. Its oxidizing strength supports the synthesis of intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Processes requiring nitro group introduction or powerful oxidation often turn to it for consistency. Regulatory documentation linked to BP, EP, and USP assures hospitals, drug manufacturers, and compounding pharmacists that their starting materials align with pharmaceutical standards.
Although pharma grade gets strict controls, nitric acid serves industrial and laboratory markets as a cleaner, tester, and metal worker. Purity gaps between grades are not trivial—contaminated reagents can kill an experiment or ruin a drug batch with long-term health impacts for patients.
Only specific types of containers, usually HDPE or glass lined, resist decomposition risk from long exposure to concentrated nitric acid. Accidental releases challenge any hazardous response plan—nitrogen oxides vent quickly, requiring evacuation and, often, specialized clean-up teams. Transport regulations classify nitric acid as a hazardous material. Labels, real-time monitoring, and paperwork such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS) form the backbone of responsible stewardship.
Worry over chemical accidents and exposure drives investment in automated dilution lines, reinforced containment, and worker training. Real usage experience suggests nothing beats a combination of clear protocols, hands-on demonstrations, and regular checks for leaks or corrosion on valves and containers. Digital monitoring has grown in laboratories, flagging temperature spikes or acid fume build-up before damage escalates. Awareness campaigns led by regulatory bodies support decisions at every level, from procurement managers to maintenance engineers.
Nitric acid proves its importance every day, bridging chemistry and medicine in ways that touch millions, though often invisibly. Pursuing the highest purity for pharmaceutical work upholds patient safety and medicine quality. Mastery in handling and risk management makes the difference between efficient, safe work and preventable accidents. Respect for nitric acid’s power, balanced with smart protocols and ongoing education, brings out its benefits while minimizing harm. Investing in safer solutions and robust training shapes a future where every molecule supports well-being rather than risk.
Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
