User Contributed Dictionary
Noun
- The AsO33- anion (or protonated derivatives)
- Any salt or ester of arsenious acid
Extensive Definition
An arsenite (compound) is a compound that
contains this ion.
The arsenite ion may be formed from arsenic
trioxide by adding base. Arsenite has a valency of 3 and is
also known as trivalent arsenic.
Its white odorless crystals are toxic and very
soluble in water. It occurs in nature as arsenolite and claudetite
and is also a by-product of metal smelting. Its main use is in
producing copper chrome arsenate to treat timber. It is also used
for arsenic pesticides, glass production, pharmaceuticals and
non-ferrous alloys.
Addendum
The definition above is incomplete. In fields that commonly deal with groundwater chemistry, arsenite commonly refers to As2O3 and sodium arsenite refers to NaAsO2. Sodium arsenite is used in the water gas shift reaction to remove carbon dioxide.arsenite in Arabic: زرنيخيت
arsenite in Russian: Арсениты
arsenite in Finnish:
Arseniitti