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[font color="#000080"]I don't know whether anyone else has ever thought of that idea. Making a DIY NO3 test kit. I know you can make a DIY pH test kit by boiling purple cabage and use the water as a indicator, but what about NO3? Has anyone ever tried?

i despise titrations. i had to do 75 in a row for my chemistry coursework which i did on water chemistry. although i did have to devise a method of testing for NO3, the chemicals used were even less friendly than previously listed.

It is still not worth I just looked at some of the warning in my no3 tester kit stuff! warning if swalledowed~!! if comes in contact with eyes or skin wash with water for 15 minutes and seek medical attention emidiatly! that is some stuff you dont want to be messing with!

[font color="#000080"]i could get it at my lfs, but it's holiday right now and i want something that i can fiddle with. it does sound a bit dangerous, but i do things like that all the time at school. mixing acids, observe reaction between acids and metals, etc. hard to get those ingradients though, might as well wait till school starts and make that a class prac

or even easier, buy one at the lfs (destroys the fun though)

It would be easy to make a method for testing if nitrate ions were present in water, using a few precipitation reactions. But to test for the concentration of nitrate ions in a sample of water, i don't want to even think about how to do it.

-- Gomer

I still think it would be 2 complicated and probably a waste a 7 hours instead of 7 bucks!

there are some things that arent even allowed to be demonstrated in schools, for example the reaction between water and caesium. I remember we had to watch a video about that one. I doubt you'd be allowed to do a practical on it at school.
The method i was talking about above involved using a chemical known as brucine, a muscle contractant that can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. even in mild concentrations, it doesnt do nice things to your body.
If youre really bothered about the nitrate level in the first place, buy a test kit.

My teacher showed us a water/sodium reaction, so i think it would be possible Caled.

-- Gomer

Actually there are strict regulations in schools regarding chemistry, as far as which chemicals can and cannot be used in the classroom, either by students or for demonstration purposes. It really depends on the local regulations and the level of chemistry study.

If you're talking about high school, I don't think it would be a good plan to mess around with cadmium, brucine, or any of the other chemicals necessary in making such a test in the classroom. By all means, if you want to try it out go for it. I just think there are a lot of experiments out there that would make a much better and safer practical.

Water/Sodium, though it looks violent, doesn't really run the risk of site contamination or affecting the health of your fellow students. It's a neat little trick you can pull in a petrie dish.

jw sodium is salt rite so i added salt to my water and geuss what nothing did i do something wrong?

Actually, fish1:

Table Salt = Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

The "sodium" referred to in the previous posts is the pure elemental Sodium (Na). It's an alkali metal and reacts violently with water, to form hydrogen gas and sodium hydroxide. :88)

The reaction is actually pretty cool, it burns and fizzes and throws off sparks. Pretty neat little trick, but don't try it at home, kiddies.

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Where has all the fun gone? Geez... when i did chemistry, we use to spend the weekends making touch powder and Hydrogen just to watch it all explode at the end of the day! Guess the rules have changed... i know they keep a data base at the suppliers i use to buy those 'ingredients' off, now. Something about trying to stop people making their own P4 and amphetamines. Ahh... guess it's back to breading bacteria for amusement!

there are indeed very strict regulations regarding chemistry experiments in schools, and whilst you are allowed to demonstrate the sodium/water reaction, many schools arent even allowed to keep caesium on site.
As for the fun in chemistry, its still there you just have to be a little more imaginative. Like making water explode, or the thermit experiment. always good fun. <g]

my teacher said, what i asked him will be in our year 12 course
so, when i get to year 12, i can carry out that experiment at school
meanwhile, i will just drive down to the lfs and get one