Zinc nitrate is a nitrate of zinc. It is used as a mordant in dyeing. Zinc is a metallic element with the atomic number 30. It is found in nature most often as the mineral sphalerite. Though excess zinc in harmful, in smaller amounts it is an essential element for life, as it is a cofactor for over 300 enzymes and is found in just as many transcription factors. Nitrite is a toxic compound known to cause methemoglobinemia. (L1137, L48, L49, L71) Zinc nitrate is a highly deliquescent substance which is usually prepared by dissolving zinc in nitric acid. It can be used as a mordant in dyeing. An example reaction gives a precipitate of zinc carbonate.

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