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

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

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

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

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.

Answer 1

Pair chosen: Sodium chloride vs sodium chlorite

1) Sodium chloride (NaCl) is the salt responsible for salinity of sea-water. NaCl is most commonly used as table salt as a condiment. NaCl is also used in the preservation of food. NaCl is also used in chlor-alkali industry in the industrial preparation of chlorine (Cl₂) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

Sodium chlorite (NaClO₂) is commonly used as a bleaching agent. NaClO₂ is also used as an oxidizing agent to oxidize organic aldehydes to carboxylic acids.

2) Sodium chloride (NaCl) is slightly hazardous to skin and causes eye irritation. NaCl is non-flammable and hence, there are no fire hazards associated with NaCl.

Sodium chlorite (NaClO₂) is hazardous to skin and causes severe eye irritation. Prolonged exposure to NaClO₂ can cause skin burns and ulcers on skin. Inhalation of NaClO₂ can cause respiratory troubles. There are however, no fire hazards associated with NaClO₂.

3) The properties of these two chemicals are quite different. NaCl, for instance, is used as a condiment in food while NaClO₂ is used in bleaching. If NaClO₂ is accidently used in food, then it can cause severe health issues including breathing difficulties. Similarly, NaCl will find no use in a bleaching industry and clothes cannot be bleached by NaCl.