NITROUS OXIDE
Prepared at the 74th JECFA (2011) and published in FAO Monographs 11(2011), superseding the tentative specifications prepared at the 71st JECFA (2009), published in FAO JECFA Monographs 7 (2009). An ADI "Acceptable” was established at the 29th JECFA (1985). SYNONYMS Dinitrogen oxide; Dinitrogen monoxide; INS No. 942
DEFINITION Nitrous oxide, a colourless and non-flammable gas, commonly known as laughing gas, is manufactured by the controlled heating of
ammonium nitrate, at temperatures 170-240o, either using superheated steam or other thermal decomposition processes. The hot, corrosive mixture of gases are cooled to condense the steam and filtered to remove higher oxides of nitrogen. The gas is further purified in a train of three gas washes with base, acid and base again. Nitric oxide impurity, if present, is chelated out with ferrous sulfate, or reduced with iron metal, or oxidised and absorbed in a base as a higher oxide.
Chemical names Nitrous oxide
C.A.S. number 10024-97-2
Chemical formula N2O
Formula weight 44.01
Assay Not less than 99 % (v/v)
DESCRIPTION Colourless, odourless gas
FUNCTIONAL USES Propellant, antioxidant, packaging gas, foaming agent
