Preparation and Production
Lead(II) nitrate does not occur naturally. The compound can be obtained by dissolving metallic lead in aqueous nitric acid:
- 3 Pb (s) + 8 H+ (aq) + 2 NO−
3 (aq) → 3 Pb2+ (aq) + 2 NO−
3 (g) + 4 H2O (l)
More commonly, lead(II) nitrate is obtained by dissolving lead(II) oxide, which is readily available as an intermediate in the processing of galena, in aqueous nitric acid:
- PbO (s) + 2 H+ (aq) → Pb2+ (aq) + H2O (l)
In either case, since the solvent is concentrated nitric acid (in which lead(II) nitrate has very low solubility) and the resulting solution contains nitrate ions, anhydrous crystals of lead(II) nitrate spontaneously form as a result of the common ion effect:
- Pb2+ (aq) + 2 NO−
3 (aq) → Pb(NO3)2 (s)
Most commercially available lead(II) nitrate, as well as laboratory-scale material, is produced accordingly. Supply is in 25 kilogram bags up to 1000 kilogram big bags, and in laboratory containers, both by general producers of laboratory chemicals and by producers of lead and lead compounds. No large-scale production has been reported.
In nitric acid treatment of lead-containing wastes, e.g., in the processing of lead–bismuth wastes from lead refineries, impure solutions of lead(II) nitrate are formed as by-product. These solutions are reported to be used in the gold cyanidation process.
Read more about this topic: Lead(II) Nitrate
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