Products
Nitrogen is commercially available as a compressed gas in pressurized cylinders and as a liquid in cryogenic containers, among other products.
Structure and properties
Nitrogen (N, atomic mass: 14.0 u) is a colorless and odorless gas that is present in over 78% of air. It is a chemical element with atomic number 7 and belongs to the nonmetals. Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons with which it can form bonds. The boiling point is -196°C. Nitrogen is found, for example, in amines, in ammonia, in many heterocycles, in nitric acid, in nitrates (saltpeter) and in many important and essecial biomolecules (e.g. in nucleic acids, amino acids, proteins and neurotransmitters). In air, nitrogen is diatomic as a dinitrogen (N2) resp. N≡N with a triple bond. Word components in chemical structures such as “azo,” “az” and “azine” refer to nitrogen. They are derived from “azote” (nitrogen).
Applications
Nitrogen is present in numerous active pharmaceutical ingredients. One important reason for this is that nitrogen compounds can act as hydrogen bond acceptors and donors. This is of great importance for the interaction with drug targets. For pharmacokinetics, it also plays an important role that nitrogen can be protonated and deprotonated depending on the pH value. Other areas of application include (Auwahl):
- As a food additive, for example, as a protective gas (E 941).
- Liquid as a refrigerant, for example, for cryopreservation and cryotherapy.
- Nitrogen is contained in many fertilizers.
Adverse effects
Nitrogen is atoxic. However, it can cause asphyxiation at high concentrations due to displacement of oxygen. Liquid nitrogen causes frostbite due to its low temperature.
