Sodium iodate ( Na I O₃) is the

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

of iodic acid. Sodium iodate is an

oxidizing agent An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ). In other words, an oxi ...

. It has few uses.

Preparation

It can be prepared by the reacting a sodium-containing base such as sodium hydroxide with iodic acid, for example: : HIO₃ +

NaOH Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali ...

→ NaIO₃ + H₂O It can also be prepared by adding iodine to a hot, concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate: :3 I₂ + 6

→ NaIO₃ + 5 NaI + 3 H₂O

Reactions

Sodium iodate can be oxidized to

sodium periodate Sodium periodate is an inorganic salt, composed of a sodium cation and the periodate anion. It may also be regarded as the sodium salt of periodic acid. Like many periodates, it can exist in two different forms: sodium ''meta''periodate (formula‍ ...

in water solutions by hypochlorites or other strong oxidizing agents: :

Uses

The main use of sodium iodate in everyday life is in

iodised salt Iodised salt ( also spelled iodized salt) is table salt mixed with a minute amount of various salts of the element iodine. The ingestion of iodine prevents iodine deficiency. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects about two billion people and is t ...

. The other compounds which are used in iodised table salt are

potassium iodate Potassium iodate ( K I O3) is an ionic chemical compound consisting of K+ ions and IO3− ions in a 1:1 ratio. Preparation and properties Potassium iodate is an oxidizing agent and as such it can cause fires if in contact with combustible materi ...

potassium iodide Potassium iodide is a chemical compound, medication, and dietary supplement. It is a medication used for treating hyperthyroidism, in radiation emergencies, and for protecting the thyroid gland when certain types of radiopharmaceuticals are u ...

, and

sodium iodide Sodium iodide (chemical formula NaI) is an ionic compound formed from the chemical reaction of sodium metal and iodine. Under standard conditions, it is a white, water-soluble solid comprising a 1:1 mix of sodium cations (Na+) and iodide anions ...

. Sodium iodate comprises 15 to 50 mg per kilogram of applicable salt. Sodium iodate is also used as a

dough conditioner A dough conditioner, flour treatment agent, improving agent or bread improver is any ingredient or chemical added to bread dough to strengthen its texture or otherwise improve it in some way. Dough conditioners may include enzymes, yeast nutrients ...

to strengthen the

dough Dough is a thick, malleable, sometimes elastic paste made from grains or from leguminous or chestnut crops. Dough is typically made by mixing flour with a small amount of water or other liquid and sometimes includes yeast or other leavenin ...

Safety

Iodates combined with organic compounds form an explosive mixture.

References

{{Sodium compounds Iodates Sodium compounds Oxidizing agents