Nomenclature in Medicine Chemical nomenclature is an important skill that you wi

Question

Nomenclature in Medicine

Chemical nomenclature is an important skill that you will use outside of this class. In many ways, it is a primary skill needed in pharmacology and medicine. For example, a common imaging agent used for x-rays of the gastro-intestinal tract is barium sulfate. Despite the high toxicity of barium, barium sulfate (BaSO4) can be safely ingested because it does not dissolve well in water and passes through the intestines with little effect on the patient. In contrast, barium sulfite (BaSO3) dissolves in water much more easily and is highly toxic. Despite very similar names, barium sulfate versus barium sulfite, these chemicals give very different results.

Chemical Pairs:

sodium chloride versus sodium chlorite

barium sulfate versus barium sulfide

sodium nitrate versus sodium nitrite

sodium hypochlorite versus sodium perchlorate

Questions: Choose one chemical pair

1.) What are some of the common uses for each of the chemicals in your pair?

2.) What are some of the safety concerns for each of these chemicals? (It might help to look up the SDS for each chemical)

3.) How are the properties and safety concerns of these two chemicals different? Are they similar?

4.) What do you think could happen if you used the opposite chemical in one of the common uses you researched above? What are some of the consequences that could occur? Be sure to include an example for both chemicals you looked up.

5.) Add an additional example or consequence to number 4 with a different chemical pair than the one you choose.

Explanation / Answer

Hi.

A possible answer is as follows:

Chosen Pair: Sodium Nitrate – Sodium nitrite

1. What are some of the common uses for each of the chemicals in your pair?

First of all, both are salts that are often added to cured meats, acting mainly as food preservatives.

2. What are some of the safety concerns for each of these chemicals? (It might help to look up the SDS for each chemical)

From the Material Data Sheet of Sodium Nitrate:

From the Material Data Sheet of Sodium Nitrite:

3. How are the properties and safety concerns of these two chemicals different? Are they similar?

According to the MSDS of both chemicals, sodium nitrite is more hazardous than sodium nitrate regarding the ingestion, the inhalation, and the eye contact.

Both can cause respiratory irritation when inhaled. However, severe over-exposure to sodium nitrite can cause death.

Finalley, regarding the potential chronic effects of both chemicals, it is clear that for sodium nitrite are more effects than for sodium nitrate, especially for the mutagenic effects and the developmental toxicity

4. What do you think could happen if you used the opposite chemical in one of the common uses you researched above? What are some of the consequences that could occur? Be sure to include an example of both chemicals you looked up.

Even when both chemicals are used as food preservatives, and according to cardiologist Dr. Martha Grogan, sodium nitrate can increase the risk of developing heart disease by damaging the blood vessels and raise the diabetes risk. On the other hand, the use of sodium nitrite could be considered positive regarding blow flow, since in oxygen-poor tissues, nitrite can convert into nitric oxide (NO).

This is explained considering nitric oxide is a chemical that dilates the blood vessels to enhance blood flow. The protective effect of sodium nitrite might, therefore, result from its conversion into nitric oxide. Nitrate, on the other hand, cannot convert into nitric oxide in the blood. Although sodium nitrate can theoretically convert into sodium nitrite, it seems that only low concentrations of nitrite protect the body against tissue injury.

Summing up, even when the safety concerns are more considerable for sodium nitrite, it has a relative benefit compared to sodium nitrate when used as food preservative, enhancing the blow flow and preventing botulism. Hence, it is necessary to follow the recommended dosis of sodium nitrite as food conservative in order to take advantage of it, instead of facing its side effects.

5. Add an additional example or consequence to number 4 with a different chemical pair than the one you choose.

According to Sciencing (2018), sodium chloride (table salt) most common use is seasoning and preserving food. It works as a food preservative by removing water from meats and preventing bacterial growth. Additionally, it is used in many industrial applications, such as paper and textiles. On the other hand, sodium chlorite is used most commonly in industries such as paper and textile manufacturing to bleach out colors. It also emplyed in the food and health industries as a disinfectant.

As we can see, both chemicals have completely different uses and by confusing them, it may lead to severe health problems. Finally, it is important to consider that the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA), the agency that regulates medical claims and uses, has not evaluated or approved sodium chlorite for health purposes.

References:

Regards

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