Chloramine
Systematic name	Chloroazane
Other names	Monochloramine Chloramide
Molecular formula	NH2Cl
Molar mass	51.48 g/mol
CAS number	[10599-90-3]
Appearance	colorless
Density	? g/cm3
Solubility (water)	Soluble
Melting point	−66 °C
Boiling point	? °C
Related compounds	Dichloramine Nitrogen trichloride
Disclaimer and references

Chloramine (monochloramine) is chemical compound with the formula NH₂Cl. It is usually used as very dilute solutions where it is used as a disinfectant. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1100x714, 22 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chloramine ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1100x959, 206 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chloramine ... IUPAC nomenclature is a systematic way of naming organic chemical compounds. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a chemical element or chemical compound. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences and alloys. ... Density, or volumic mass (ISO 31), is a measure of mass per volume. ... It has been suggested that Solid solubility be merged into this article or section. ... This article describes water from a scientific and technical perspective. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it can change its state from a liquid to a gas throughout the bulk of the liquid at a given pressure. ... Dichloramine structure Dichloramine is a reactive inorganic compound. ... Nitrogen trichloride, also known as trichloramine, is the chemical compound with the formula NCl3. ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ... Disinfection The destruction of pathogenic and other kinds of microorganisms by physical or chemical means Disinfectants are chemical substances used to kill viruses and microbes (germs), such as bacteria and fungi. ...

Synthesis and chemical reactions

NH₂Cl is a highly unstable compound in concentrated form, much less as a pure liquid. Pure NH₂Cl decomposes violently above −40 °C.^[1] NH₂Cl is, however, quite stable in dilute solution, and this considerable stability is the basis of its applications.

NH₂Cl is prepared by the chemical reaction between ammonia and hypochlorous acid^[2] under mildly alkaline conditions: A chemical reaction occurs when vapours of hydrogen chloride and ammonia meet to form a cloud of a new substance, ammonium chloride Chemical reactions is a process that results in the interconversion of chemical substances [1]. The substance or substances initially involved in a chemical reaction are called reactants. ... Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. ... Hypochlorous acid is a weak, unstable acid with chemical formula HOCl. ...

NH₃ + HOCl → NH₂Cl + H₂O

The synthesis is conducted in dilute solution. In this reaction HOCl undergoes attack by the nucleophile NH₃. At lower pH's, further chlorination occurs. In chemistry, a nucleophile (literally nucleus lover) is a reagent which is attracted to centres of positive charge. ...

The above syntheses are useful but do not deliver NH₂Cl in pure form. The pure compound can be prepared by contacting fluoroamine with calcium chloride:

NH₂F + CaCl₂ → NH₂Cl + CaClF

NH₂Cl is a key intermediate in the traditional synthesis of hydrazine. Hydrazine is the chemical compound with formula N2H4. ...

Monochloramine oxidizes sulfhydrals and disulfides in the same manner as HClO,^[3] but only possesses 0.4% of the biocidal effect of HClO.^[4]

Uses in water treatment

NH₂Cl is commonly used in low concentrations as a disinfectant in municipal water systems as an alternative to chlorination. This application is increasing. Chlorine (sometimes referred to as Free Chlorine) is being displaced by chloramine, which is much more stable and does not dissipate from the water before it reaches consumers. NH₂Cl also exhibits less tendency to convert organic materials into chlorocarbons such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. Such compounds have been identified as carcinogens and in 1979 the U.S. EPA began regulating their levels in U.S. drinking water. Furthermore, water treated with chloramine lacks the distinct chlorine odour of the gaseous treatment and so has improved taste. In chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance. ... Disinfection The destruction of pathogenic and other kinds of microorganisms by physical or chemical means Disinfectants are chemical substances used to kill viruses and microbes (germs), such as bacteria and fungi. ... A municipal water system is a large system of reservoirs and large-scale piping which supplies fresh water, suitable for human consumption, to houses and other residences. ... Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water as a method of water purification to make it fit for human consumption as drinking water. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ... Water is a chemical substance that is essential to all known forms of life. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Chlorinated_hydrocarbon. ... Chloroform, also known as trichloromethane and methyl trichloride, is a chemical compound with formula CHCl3. ... R-phrases , , , , S-phrases , , , , , Flash point non flammable RTECS number FG4900000 Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... The term carcinogen refers to any form of substance, radionuclide or radiation which is an agent in the promotion or direct involvement in the facilitation of cancer or genomic instability due to the disruption or damage of cellular metabolic changes. ... EPA redirects here. ...

Chloramine in tap water gives a greenish cast to the water in bulk, versus the normally bluish cast to pure water or water containing only free chlorine disinfectant. This greenish color may be observed by filling a white polyethylene bucket with chloraminated tap water and comparing it to chloramine-free water such as distilled water or a sample from a swimming pool.

New swimming pool initially filled with chloramine-treated tap water, showing greenish color of chloramine in bulk water. The color is less apparent in smaller volumes, but is noticeable in a white 5-gallon bucket, or even faintly detectable in a glass tumbler on careful inspection.

Chloramine can be removed from tap water by treatment with superchlorination (10 ppm or more of free chlorine, such as from a dose of sodium hypochlorite bleach or pool sanitizer) while maintaining a pH of about 7 (such as from a dose of muriatic acid). Hypochlorous acid from the free chlorine strips the ammonia from the chloramine, and the ammonia outgasses from the surface of the bulk water. This process takes about 24 hours for normal tap water concentrations of a few ppm of chloramine. Residual free chlorine can then be removed by exposure to bright sunlight for about 4 hours. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 31 KB) Swimming pool filled with chloramine-treated tap water, showing greenish color of chloramine. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 31 KB) Swimming pool filled with chloramine-treated tap water, showing greenish color of chloramine. ...

Situations where NH₂Cl should be removed

Aquarium owners must remove the chloramine from their tap water because it is toxic to fish. Aging the water for a few days removes chlorine but not the more stable chloramine, which can be neutralised using products available at pet stores. For other uses, see Aquarium (disambiguation). ... A water tap In most developed nations drinking water is piped to homes and is available on tap. ... Toxic redirects here, but this is also the name of a song by Britney Spears; see Toxic (song) Look up toxic and toxicity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Water is a chemical substance that is essential to all known forms of life. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ...

Many animals are sensitive to chloramine and it must be removed from water given to many animals in zoos.

Chloramine must also be removed from the water prior to use in kidney dialysis machines, as it would come in contact with the bloodstream across a permeable membrane. However, since chloramine is neutralized by the digestive process, kidney dialysis patients can still safely drink chloramine-treated water. This article is about clinical dialysis; for the laboratory technique, see Dialysis (biochemistry) In medicine, dialysis is a method for removing waste such as urea from the blood when the kidneys are incapable of this, i. ...

Home brewers use reducing agents such as sodium metabisulfite to remove chloramine from brewing liquor as it, unlike chlorine, cannot be removed by boiling. Charlie Papazians classic book about homebrewing For other meanings, see Homebrew Homebrewing typically refers to the brewing of beer on a very small scale as a hobby for personal consumption, free distribution at social gatherings, amateur brewing competitions or other assorted generally non-commercial reasons. ... Sodium metabisulfite or sodium pyrosulfiteis a sterilizer and antioxidant/preservative. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ...

Other chloramines

Dichloramine (NHCl₂) and nitrogen trichloride (NCl₃) can be produced by lowering the pH and adjusting the molar ratios of the reactants to favor their formation. Dichloramine structure Dichloramine is a reactive inorganic compound. ... Nitrogen trichloride, also known as trichloramine, is the chemical compound with the formula NCl3. ... The correct title of this article is . ...

Safety

NH₂Cl is toxic.

References

1. ^ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
2. ^ Fair, G. M., J. C. Morris, S. L. Chang, I. Weil, and R. P. Burden. 1948. The behavior of chlorine as a water disinfectant. J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 40:1051-1061.
3. ^ Jacangelo, J. G., V. P. Olivieri, and K. Kawata. 1987. Oxidation of sulfhydryl groups by monochloramine. Water Res. 21:1339-1344.
4. ^ Morris, J. C. 1966. Future of chlorination. J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 58:1475-1482.

External links

• Chlorine and chloramines in the freshwater aquarium
• Chloramine FAQ from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
• "Chlorinated drinking water", IARC Monograph (1991)
• EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels

• Links to external chemical sources.