Bismuth nitrate

Description

White, heavy, slightly hygroscopic powder. Bismuth subnitrate, also known as bismuth white, is used as a white pigment in cosmetics, ceramic glazes, surface coatings, and enamels.

Synonyms and Related Terms

bismuth white (AAT); nitrato de bismuto (Esp., Port.); nitrate de bismuth (Fr.); nitrato di bismuto (It.); magistry of bismuth; pearl powder; pearl white; Spanish white; Bouvigal white; bismuth subnitrate; basic bismuth nitrate; bismuth oxynitrate; paint white

Risks

• Inhalation and contact may cause mild irritation.
• Ingestion may cause discomfort.
• Chronic ingestion may cause black spots on gums and bad breath.
• ThermoFisher: SDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

Soluble in acid. Insoluble in ethanol, water.

Composition	4BiNO3(OH)2 - BiO(OH)
CAS	1304-85-4
Melting Point	260 C (dec)
Density	4.928 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 1461.99

Resources and Citations

• R.D. Harley, Artists' Pigments c. 1600-1835, Butterworth Scientific, London, 1982

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Susan E. Schur, Conservation Terminology: A review of Past & Current Nomenclature of Materials, Technology and Conservation, Spring (p.34-39); Summer (p.35-38); Fall (p.25-36), 1985

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: Entry # 1311

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000