Aqua regia
Aqua regia is a highly corrosive, fuming yellow or red solution, also known as royal water. It is a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, optimally in a molar ratio of 1:3 respectively. Aqua regia is primarily used to dissolve noble metals such as gold, platinum, and palladium.
History[edit | edit source]
The term "aqua regia" was coined by alchemists during the Middle Ages. The name "royal water" was given due to its ability to dissolve the so-called "royal" or noble metals, which are resistant to most acids.
Composition and reactions[edit | edit source]
Aqua regia is formed by mixing one part of nitric acid and three parts of hydrochloric acid. The reaction between nitric acid and hydrochloric acid results in the formation of a mixture of nitrosyl chloride, chlorine, and water.
Uses[edit | edit source]
Aqua regia is primarily used in the recovery and purification of precious metals. It can dissolve gold, and is used in the extraction and purification of this metal from ores or recycled materials. The gold is typically precipitated out of the solution with a reducing agent.
Safety[edit | edit source]
Due to its highly corrosive nature, aqua regia must be handled with care. It can cause burns and is harmful if inhaled. It is also capable of reacting violently with certain chemicals and metals.
See also[edit | edit source]
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD