substance

Nitric acid

Formula: HNO3
CAS: 7697-37-2
InChIKey: GRYLNZFGIOXLOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N
ChEBI: CHEBI:48107

Show in the process graph →

Made by

Weak nitric acid by dual-pressure ammonia oxidation (1000 t/d HNO3 as 60 wt% acid)Main productConcept · not reviewed

Used by

Sodium nitrite from ammonia oxidation and soda absorption (with sodium nitrate by inversion)FeedstockConcept · not reviewed

Takes part in

4NO+3O₂+2H₂Ogives4HNO₃Product · 2 processes
4NO₂+O₂+2H₂Ogives4HNO₃Product · one process
3NaNO₂+2HNO₃gives3NaNO₃+2NO+H₂OReactant · Inversion of sodium nitrite to sodium nitrate with nitric acid · one process
Na₂CO₃+2HNO₃gives2NaNO₃+CO₂+H₂OReactant · Neutralisation of the residual carbonate with nitric acid · one process

Routes compared

One route in the Atlas makes Nitric acid: nothing to compare yet. A comparison appears when a second route is added.

Per 1 kg of Nitric acid: inventory from each route's LCI dataset, unallocated; footprints per the functional unit of their own LCA.

Route	Tier, design maturity, review status	Geography, year	Energy	Feedstocks	Key emissions	Footprint	Comparability
Weak nitric acid by dual-pressure ammonia oxidation (1000 t/d HNO3 as 60 wt% acid)dual-pressure ammonia oxidation (0.5 / 1.1 MPa(a)) over Pt/Rh, heat recovery to HP steam, absorption to 60 wt% HNO3, tertiary N2O decomposition and SCR, tail-gas expander; 1000 t/d HNO3	flowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewed	GLO, 2026	Electric power: 0.0603 kWh LP steam 450 kPa(a): 0.00024 kWh	Liquid ammonia from storage: 0.171 kg Ambient air: 3.07 kg (free) Process water (demineralised): 0.202 kg Pt/Rh gauze metal lost to the process gas: 0.00000009 kg	HNO3 to the environment: 0 kg N2O to the environment: 0.0015 kg NH3 to the environment: 0 kg NO to the environment: 0.00013 kg NO2 to the environment: 0 kg	not published	–

ISO 14044 requires a critical review (by a panel of interested parties, ISO/TS 14071) of a comparative assertion intended to be disclosed to the public. These routes are listed side by side for screening; a statement that one is better than another needs that review. None of these routes has had such a review.