E942 NITROUS OXIDE

E942 Nitrous oxide is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a gas that is used in all corners of the globe as an effective food propellant, especially within the dairy industry.
E942 Nitrous oxide is commonly used as a propellant in whipped cream and other aerosols.

CAS Number: 10024-97-2
EC Number: 233-032-0
Chemical formula: N2O
Molar mass: 44.013 g/mol

SYNONYMS:
Nitrous Oxide, Dinitrogen Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Laughing Gas, Hyponitrous Oxide, Nitrogen Protoxide, Protoxide of Nitrogen, Mononitrogen Monoxide, E942, INS 942, Nitrogen(I) Oxide, Distickstoffmonoxid, IUPAC names: Nitrous oxide[1] (not recommended)[a], Dinitrogen oxide[2] (alternative name), Systematic IUPAC name: Oxidodinitrogen(N—N), Laughing gas, galaxy gas, sweet air, nitrous, nos, nang, protoxide of nitrogen, hyponitrous oxide, dinitrogen oxide, dinitrogen monoxide, nitro, nitrous oxide, Laughing gas, Dinitrogen oxide, Dinitrogen monoxide, Factitious air, Nitrogen oxide (N2O), 10024-97-2, Hyponitrous acid anhydride, Nitrogen hypoxide, Stickdioxyd, oxyde nitreux, Oxido nitroso, Gas, Laughing, protoxyde d'azote, Nitrous oxide, compressed, Oxide, Nitrous, Distickstoffmonoxid, FEMA No. 2779, Nitrogenum oxygenatum, Protoxide of nitrogen, Dinitrogenii oxidum, Nitrogen oxide (n(sub 2)o), INS NO.942, DTXSID8021066, INS-942, K50XQU1029, E-942, CHEBI:17045, diazooxidane, Nitroux Oxide, Nitrous Oxide Sedara, Nitrous Oxide, USP, RefChem:6663, DTXCID301066, 233-032-0, Nitrogen Protoxide, Nitrous oxide [JAN], Lachgas, gaz hilarant, Diazyne 1-oxide, Stickstoff(I)-oxid, Nitrous oxide, refrigerated liquid, nitrogenium oxydulatum, Nitrous-15N2 oxide, N2O, Nitrous oxide [Anaesthetics, volatile], oxidodinitrogen(N--N), E942, Stickdioxyd [German], Oxido nitroso [Spanish], Protoxyde d'azote [French], NNO, CCRIS 1225, HSDB 504, Nitrous oxide (TN), NITROUS-OXIDE, EINECS 233-032-0, UN1070, UN2201, Nitrous oxide [USP:JAN], Nitrous oxide (JP15/USP), Nitrious oxide, UNII-K50XQU1029, Nitrous oxide [UN1070] [Nonflammable gas], Diazyne 1-oxide #, Oxo-1lambda~5~-diazyne, EC 233-032-0, NITROUS OXIDE [MI], NITROUS OXIDE [FCC], Nitrous oxide, JAN, USAN, SCHEMBL23060, SCHEMBL23061, NITROUS OXIDE [FHFI], NITROUS OXIDE [HSDB], Nitrous oxide (JP18/USP), NITROUS OXIDE [VANDF], NITROUS OXIDE [MART.], N-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)-3-piperidinamine ethanedioate, NITROUS OXIDE [WHO-DD], CHEMBL1234579, FEMA 2779, DINITROGEN OXIDE [WHO-IP], NITROUS OXIDE [GREEN BOOK], NITROUS OXIDE [EP IMPURITY], NITROUS OXIDE [EP MONOGRAPH], R-744A, NITROUS OXIDE [USP MONOGRAPH], AKOS015903682, DB06690, UN 1070, UN 2201, 100240-04-8, DINITROGENII OXIDUM [WHO-IP LATIN], NS00013894, Nitrous oxide [UN1070] [Nonflammable gas], C00887, D00102, Q905750, Nitrous oxide, refrigerated liquid [UN2201] [Nonflammable gas], 97485-25-1, Dinitrogen oxide, Laughing gas, Dinitrogen monoxide, Factitious air, Nitrogen protoxide, Nitrogen oxide (n2o)

E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless, sweet-tasting gas.
E942 Nitrous oxide is also known as "laughing gas".

E942 Nitrous oxide is noncombustible but it will accelerate the burning of combustible material in a fire.
E942 Nitrous oxide is soluble in water.
E942 Nitrous oxide's vapors are heavier than air.

While both food-grade and medical-grade E942 Nitrous oxide are chemically identical, they differ greatly in application, purity, regulation, and safety requirements: Food-grade N₂O is primarily used in the culinary industry, such as for whipping cream, with a purity of 99.9% that meets food safety standards; medical-grade N₂O, used for clinical anesthesia, requires an even higher purity of 99.99%, must be sterile, and is regulated as a pharmaceutical product.

E942 Nitrous oxide, with the chemical formula N₂O, commonly known as laughing gas, is a colorless gas with a slightly sweet taste and mild anesthetic properties.
E942 Nitrous oxide remains stable at room temperature and pressure but decomposes into nitrogen and oxygen when exposed to high heat or electric sparks.

Chemical Properties of E942 Nitrous oxide: Oxidizing gas; non-flammable but supports combustion.
E942 Nitrous oxide, refrigerated liquid appears as a colorless liquid.
Density of E942 Nitrous oxide is 1.22 g / cm3 at its boiling point of -89 °C.

E942 Nitrous oxide boils to give a colorless gas that is sweet-smelling and moderately toxic.
E942 Nitrous oxide has narcotic effects when inhaled (laughing gas).
E942 Nitrous oxide is shipped under refrigeration.

Vapor pressure of E942 Nitrous oxide is at about 745 psig at 70 °F.
E942 Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous, among others, is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula N₂O.

At room temperature, E942 Nitrous oxide is a colourless non-flammable gas, and has a slightly sweet scent and taste.
At elevated temperatures, E942 Nitrous oxide is a powerful oxidiser similar to molecular oxygen.
E942 Nitrous oxide has significant medical uses, especially in surgery and dentistry, for its anaesthetic and pain-reducing effects, and it is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

E942 Nitrous oxide's colloquial name, "laughing gas", coined by Humphry Davy, describes the euphoric effects upon inhaling it, which cause it to be used as a recreational drug inducing a brief "high".
E942 Nitrous oxide is also an atmospheric pollutant, with a concentration of 333 parts per billion (ppb) in 2020, increasing at 1 ppb annually.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a major scavenger of stratospheric ozone, with an impact comparable to that of CFCs.

About 40% of human-caused emissions are from agriculture, as nitrogen fertilisers are digested into E942 Nitrous oxide by soil micro-organisms.
As the third most important greenhouse gas, E942 Nitrous oxide substantially contributes to global warming.
Reduction of emissions is an important goal in the politics of climate change.

E942 Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is a chemical compound with the chemical formula N2O.
At room temperature, E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor and taste.
E942 Nitrous oxide is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic effects.

E942 Nitrous oxide is known as "laughing gas" due to the euphoric effects of inhaling it, a property that has led to its recreational use as an inhalant drug.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a metabolite found in or produced by Escherichia coli (strain K12, MG1655).

E942 Nitrous oxide is a naturally occurring gas that is colorless and non flammable.
E942 Nitrous oxide can be manufactured and used for a variety of things such as a pharmacologic agent to produce anesthesia, a food additive as a propellant, and an additive to fuels to increase available oxygen in combustion.

E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless, sweet-smelling, non-flammable, chemically stable and non-toxic gas.
Discovered in 1772, E942 Nitrous oxide is still used today in medicine to practice general anaesthesia, especially in combination with other drugs.

The concentration compared to air, necessary to cause narcosis, is very high, of the order of 60/70 percent compared to oxygen.
Among other things, E942 Nitrous oxide was the first anesthetic in the history of medicine.
E942 Nitrous oxide (N₂O), also known as laughing gas, has long been used for a wide range of purposes — from medical anesthesia to food-grade whipping agents.

In recent years, global interest in food-grade E942 Nitrous oxide, particularly labeled as E942, has surged, thanks to the booming culinary, beverage, and hospitality sectors.
With this growth, China has emerged as a leading force in the global E942 Nitrous oxide supply chain, playing a crucial role in the manufacturing and export of E942 Nitrous oxide cylinders, including emerging innovations such as flavored E942 Nitrous oxide.

E942 Nitrous oxide is a colorless, non-flammable gas with a slightly sweet odor and taste.
It is chemically known as E942 Nitrous oxide and consists of two nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
In the food industry, E942 Nitrous oxide is primarily used as a propellant gas and packaging gas, especially in whipped cream aerosols and foamed food products.

Beyond food applications, E942 Nitrous oxide has important uses in medicine, dentistry, industry, electronics, and automotive systems.
E942 Nitrous oxide is widely recognized for its anesthetic and analgesic properties and has historically been called “laughing gas” because inhalation may produce feelings of euphoria and relaxation.
E942 Nitrous oxide is relatively stable under normal conditions but can support combustion because it releases oxygen at elevated temperatures.

USES and APPLICATIONS of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
E942 Nitrous oxide is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.
Food grade E942 Nitrous oxide is used within the food industry due to the fact that it is a tasteless, non-flammable, and colorless gas that does stop the growth of bacteria, meaning it is ideal for use throughout the catering industry.

E942 Nitrous oxide is a gas that is used in all corners of the globe as an effective food propellant, especially within the dairy industry.
E942 Nitrous oxide is commonly used as a propellant in whipped cream and other aerosols
In modern industry and daily life, E942 Nitrous oxide (N₂O) plays a significant role.

E942 Nitrous oxide is widely used in food processing and also serves as an auxiliary anesthetic in the medical field.
Although both are essentially the same gas, “food-grade” and “medical-grade” E942 Nitrous oxide differ significantly in terms of purity, standards, application, and regulation.

E942 Nitrous oxide is widely used in the medical, food, and industrial sectors.
Medical uses of E942 Nitrous oxide: Inhalation anesthetic gas
Food: E942 Nitrous oxide is used for whipping cream, making milk foam for coffee, etc.

Industrial uses of E942 Nitrous oxide: Rocket propulsion and automotive acceleration systems
Food-grade E942 Nitrous oxide is primarily used in baking, culinary, and beverage applications.
E942 Nitrous oxide's most common usage is in whipping cream dispensers, where high-pressure N₂O causes the cream to rapidly expand, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.

Applications of E942 Nitrous oxide: Whipped cream, Milk foam for coffee, Molecular gastronomy, DIY home baking.
Medical-grade E942 Nitrous oxide is mainly used as an inhalation anesthetic, commonly combined with oxygen during surgery, dental procedures, labor, and other clinical situations.

E942 Nitrous oxide works by depressing the central nervous system to induce sedation and anesthesia.
Applications of E942 Nitrous oxide: Surgical anesthesia, Pain-free childbirth, Emergency pain relief, Pediatric dental anesthesia.
Food additive with propellant gas role, E942 Nitrous oxide is used in the food industry for professional oil sprays for pan greasing.
E942 Nitrous oxide has no effect on food.

E942 Nitrous oxide is used as an anesthetic, in pressure packaging, and to manufacture other chemicals.
E942 Nitrous oxide is used to freeze foods and to manufacture other chemicals.
E942 Nitrous oxide is also used as an oxidiser in rocket propellants and motor racing fuels, and as a frothing gas for whipped cream.

E942 Nitrous oxide is also used as an oxidizer in rocket engines.
Compared to other oxidizing agents E942 Nitrous oxide has the advantage of being non-toxic, stable at room temperature and relatively easy to store and transport in flight.
E942 Nitrous oxide is the oxidizer of choice in several models of hybrid rocket engines - hybrids because the fuel is solid, while the oxidizer is liquid or gaseous.

E942 Nitrous oxide has often been used in combination with a polybutadiene with hydroxyl end groups.
E942 Nitrous oxide is used for various types of industrial applications such as in motor racing as an oxidizer, as a laboratory gas, in CVD (chemical vapor deposition) processes in industry of semiconductors and as a gas for flame processes (AAS, FID).

E942 Nitrous oxide, a food additive, is used as a propellant in spray whipped cream packages.
E942 Nitrous oxide is slightly soluble in water but very soluble in fats, so it binds well to the lipid fraction of the cream.
When the pressurized container is opened, E942 Nitrous oxide tends to escape, regasifying and creating tiny bubbles made up of emulsified fats.
These bubbles create the characteristic swelling effect of whipped cream.

E942 Nitrous oxide is also used in the food sector as an additive (E-942), for the packaging of cream and other milk derivatives in a controlled atmosphere.
E942 Nitrous oxide's quality and use are governed by various regulations, including Regulations (EC) 852/2004 and 1333/2008 and Directive 89/107/EEC concerning additives authorized in food products intended for human consumption.

Also called laughing gas due to its euphoric and dissociative effects, E942 Nitrous oxide finds medical use as an analgesic and anaesthetic.
E942 Nitrous oxide is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.
E942 Nitrous oxide is primarily used as a propellant gas in whipped cream dispensers.

E942 Nitrous oxide aerates cream instantly, creating the rich, fluffy texture found in cafés, dessert bars, and bakeries around the world.
In addition to its functional role, E942 Nitrous oxide is also valued for its inertness and mild sweetness, which can subtly enhance certain food and drink profiles.

-Food Industry Uses of E942 Nitrous oxide: 
In the food industry, E942 Nitrous oxide is mainly used as a propellant gas in aerosol food products.
E942 Nitrous oxide is especially common in whipped cream dispensers because it dissolves efficiently into cream under pressure and creates a stable, light foam when released.

E942 Nitrous oxide also helps preserve freshness by limiting oxygen exposure inside containers.
E942 Nitrous oxide is used in: Whipped cream aerosols, Dessert foams, Culinary espuma preparations, Beverage foaming systems, Packaging gas applications, Aerated confectionery products.
Its neutral flavor and non-reactive behavior with many food ingredients make E942 Nitrous oxide highly suitable for food processing applications.

-Medical and Dental Applications of E942 Nitrous oxide:
E942 Nitrous oxide is widely used in medicine and dentistry as an inhalation anesthetic and analgesic.
E942 Nitrous oxide is frequently administered together with oxygen to reduce pain, anxiety, and discomfort during medical procedures.

E942 Nitrous oxide produces calming and sedative effects within minutes and allows rapid recovery once inhalation stops.
Medical uses include: Dental sedation, Minor surgical anesthesia, Pain management, Emergency medicine, Obstetric analgesia during childbirth, Veterinary anesthesia.
Because of its rapid onset and short duration, E942 Nitrous oxide remains one of the most commonly used inhalation anesthetics worldwide.

-Industrial Applications of E942 Nitrous oxide:
In industrial sectors, E942 Nitrous oxide serves as an oxidizing agent and process gas.
E942 Nitrous oxide is used in electronics manufacturing, semiconductor production, and specialty chemical synthesis.
Industrial uses include: Semiconductor manufacturing, Oxidizing gas systems, Rocket propulsion oxidizer, Automotive performance systems, Laboratory analytical gas, Chemical synthesis.
In automotive racing systems, E942 Nitrous oxide increases engine power by supplying additional oxygen during combustion.

ROCKET MOTORS USE OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
E942 Nitrous oxide may be used as an oxidiser in a rocket motor.
Compared to other oxidisers, E942 Nitrous oxide is much less toxic and more stable at room temperature, making it easier to store and safer to carry on a flight.
Its high density and low storage pressure (when maintained at low temperatures) make E942 Nitrous oxide highly competitive with stored high-pressure gas systems.

In a 1914 patent, American rocket pioneer Robert Goddard suggested E942 Nitrous oxide and gasoline as possible propellants for a liquid-fuelled rocket.
E942 Nitrous oxide has been the oxidiser of choice in several hybrid rocket designs (using solid fuel with a liquid or gaseous oxidiser).
The combination of E942 Nitrous oxide with hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene fuel has been used by SpaceShipOne and others.

It also is notably used in amateur and high power rocketry with various plastics as the fuel.
E942 Nitrous oxide may also be used as a monopropellant.
In the presence of a heated catalyst at a temperature of 577 °C (1,071 °F), E942 Nitrous oxide decomposes exothermically into nitrogen and oxygen.
Because of the large heat release, the catalytic action rapidly becomes secondary, as thermal autodecomposition becomes dominant.

In a vacuum thruster, this may provide a monopropellant specific impulse (Isp) up to 180 s.
While noticeably less than the Isp available from hydrazine thrusters (monopropellant, or bipropellant with dinitrogen tetroxide), the decreased toxicity makes E942 Nitrous oxide a worthwhile option.

The ignition of E942 Nitrous oxide depends critically on pressure.
It deflagrates at approximately 600 °C (1,112 °F) at a pressure of 309 psi (21 atmospheres).
At 600 psi, the required ignition energy is only 6 joules, whereas at 130 psi a 2,500-joule ignition energy input is insufficient

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE USES OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
In vehicle racing, E942 Nitrous oxide (often called "nitrous" in this context) increases engine power by providing more oxygen during combustion, thus allowing the engine to burn more fuel.
E942 Nitrous oxide is an oxidising agent roughly equivalent to hydrogen peroxide, and much stronger than molecular oxygen.
E942 Nitrous oxide is not flammable at low pressure/temperature, but at about 300 °C (572 °F), its breakdown delivers more oxygen than atmospheric air.

E942 Nitrous oxide is often mixed with another fuel that is easier to deflagrate.
E942 Nitrous oxide is stored as a compressed liquid.
In an engine intake manifold, the evaporation and expansion of the liquid causes a large drop in intake charge temperature, resulting in a denser charge and allowing more air/fuel mixture to enter the cylinder.

Sometimes E942 Nitrous oxide is injected into (or prior to) the intake manifold, whereas other systems directly inject it just before the cylinder (direct port injection).
The technique was used during World War II by Luftwaffe aircraft with the GM-1 system to boost the power output of aircraft engines.

Originally meant to provide the Luftwaffe standard aircraft with superior high-altitude performance, technological considerations limited its use to extremely high altitudes.
Accordingly, it was only used by specialised planes such as high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, high-speed bombers and high-altitude interceptor aircraft.

It sometimes could be found on Luftwaffe aircraft also fitted with another engine-boost system, MW 50, a form of water injection for aviation engines that used methanol for its boost capabilities.
One of the major problems of E942 Nitrous oxide oxidant in a reciprocating engine is excessive power: if the mechanical structure of the engine is not properly reinforced, it may be severely damaged or destroyed.

It is important with E942 Nitrous oxide augmentation of petrol engines to maintain proper and evenly spread operating temperatures and fuel levels to prevent pre-ignition (also called detonation or spark knock).
However, most problems associated with E942 Nitrous oxide come not from excessive power but from excessive pressure, since the gas builds up a much denser charge in the cylinder.

The increased pressure and temperature can melt, crack, or warp the piston, valve, and cylinder head.
Automotive-grade liquid E942 Nitrous oxide differs slightly from medical-grade.
A small amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2) is added to prevent substance abuse.

AEROSOL PROPELLANT FOR FOOD USES OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
E942 Nitrous oxide is approved for use as a food additive (E number: E942), specifically as an aerosol spray propellant.
E942 Nitrous oxide is commonly used in aerosol whipped cream canisters and cooking sprays.
E942 Nitrous oxide is extremely soluble in fatty compounds.

In pressurised aerosol whipped cream, it is dissolved in the fatty cream until E942 Nitrous oxide leaves the can, when it becomes gaseous and thus creates foam.
This produces whipped cream four times the volume of the liquid, whereas whipping air into cream only produces twice the volume.

Unlike air, E942 Nitrous oxide inhibits rancidification of the butterfat.
Carbon dioxide cannot be used for whipped cream because E942 Nitrous oxide is acidic in water, which would curdle the cream and give it a seltzer-like "sparkle".

Extra-frothed whipped cream produced with E942 Nitrous oxide is unstable, and will return to liquid within half an hour to one hour.
Thus, it is not suitable for decorating food that will not be served immediately.
Also, cooking spray, made from various oils with lecithin emulsifier, may use E942 Nitrous oxide propellant, or alternatively food-grade alcohol or propane.

MEDICAL USES OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
E942 Nitrous oxide has been used in dentistry and surgery, as an anaesthetic and analgesic, since 1844.
In the early days, E942 Nitrous oxide was administered through simple inhalers consisting of a breathing bag made of rubber cloth.
Today, the gas is administered in hospitals by means of an automated relative analgesia machine, with an anaesthetic vaporiser and a medical ventilator, that delivers a precisely dosed and breath-actuated flow of E942 Nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen in a 2:1 ratio.

E942 Nitrous oxide is a weak general anaesthetic, and so is generally not used alone in general anaesthesia, but used as a carrier gas (mixed with oxygen) for more powerful general anaesthetic drugs such as sevoflurane or desflurane.
E942 Nitrous oxide has a minimum alveolar concentration of 105% and a blood/gas partition coefficient of 0.46.

The use of E942 Nitrous oxide in anaesthesia can increase the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Dentists use a simpler machine which only delivers an N₂O/O₂ mixture for the patient to inhale while conscious but must still be a recognised purpose designed dedicated relative analgesic flowmeter with a minimum 30% of oxygen at all times and a maximum upper limit of 70% E942 Nitrous oxide.

The patient is kept conscious throughout the procedure, and retains adequate mental faculties to respond to questions and instructions from the dentist.
Inhalation of E942 Nitrous oxide is used frequently to relieve pain associated with childbirth, trauma, oral surgery and acute coronary syndrome (including heart attacks).

E942 Nitrous oxide's use during labour has been shown to be a safe and effective aid for birthing women.
E942 Nitrous oxide's use for acute coronary syndrome is of unknown benefit.
In Canada and the UK, Entonox and Nitronox are used commonly by ambulance crews (including unregistered practitioners) as rapid and highly effective analgesic gas.

Fifty percent E942 Nitrous oxide can be considered for use by trained non-professional first aid responders in prehospital settings, given the relative ease and safety of administering 50% E942 Nitrous oxide as an analgesic.
The rapid reversibility of its effect would also prevent it from precluding diagnosis.

RECREATIONAL USES OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
Recreational inhalation of E942 Nitrous oxide, to induce euphoria and slight hallucinations, began with the British upper class in 1799 in gatherings known as "laughing gas parties".
From the 19th century, the widespread availability of the gas for medical and culinary purposes allowed for recreational use to greatly expand globally.
In the UK as of 2014, E942 Nitrous oxide was estimated to be used by almost half a million young people at nightspots, festivals and parties.

Widespread recreational use of the drug throughout the UK was featured in the 2017 Vice documentary Inside The Laughing Gas Black Market, in which journalist Matt Shea met with dealers of the drug who stole it from hospitals.
A significant issue cited in London's press is the effect of E942 Nitrous oxide canister littering, which is highly visible and causes significant complaints from communities.

Prior to 8 November 2023 in the UK, E942 Nitrous oxide was subject to the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, making it illegal to produce, supply, import or export E942 Nitrous oxide for recreational use.
The updated law prohibited possession of E942 Nitrous oxide, classifying it as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

While E942 Nitrous oxide is understood by most recreational users to give a "safe high", many are unaware that excessive consumption may cause neurological harm which, if left untreated, can cause permanent neurological damage.
In Australia, recreational use became a public health concern following a rise in reports of neurotoxicity and emergency room admissions.

In the state of South Australia, legislation was passed in 2020 to restrict canister sales.
In 2024, under the street name "Galaxy Gas", E942 Nitrous oxide has exploded in popularity among young people for recreational use, partially driven by TikTok trends.

KEY FEATURES OF FOOD-GRADE E942 NITROUS OXIDE
Purity Requirement: ≥99.9%, must be odorless and free of impurities
Safety Standards: 
Must comply with international food safety regulations such as E942 (EU food additive standard) and FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Packaging Requirements: 
Food-grade steel cylinders with anti-corrosion interior and verified airtightness

CHARACTERISTICS OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
E942 Nitrous oxide is characterized by its mild sweet smell, chemical stability, and anesthetic effects.
E942 Nitrous oxide is a non-flammable gas, but because it releases oxygen during decomposition, it can intensify combustion of other materials.
The gas is easily compressed into liquid form, making it practical for aerosol systems and industrial storage.
One of E942 Nitrous oxide's most notable characteristics is its ability to dissolve readily in fats and liquids under pressure.

When pressure is released, E942 Nitrous oxide rapidly expands and creates foam, which is why it is commonly used in whipped cream dispensers and aerated food products.
E942 Nitrous oxide also possesses analgesic and sedative properties, which make it valuable in medical and dental anesthesia.
E942 Nitrous oxide acts rapidly in the body and is eliminated quickly through respiration, allowing relatively fast recovery after exposure.

BENEFITS OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
E942 Nitrous oxide provides several important benefits across food, medical, and industrial industries.
In food applications, E942 Nitrous oxide creates stable foams and smooth textures while maintaining product freshness and consistency.
E942 Nitrous oxide's mild taste does not significantly alter food flavor, and its efficient solubility improves whipping performance.
In medicine, one of the major advantages of E942 Nitrous oxide is its rapid action and fast recovery time.

Patients generally regain normal awareness quickly after administration, making E942 Nitrous oxide practical for outpatient procedures and dental treatments.
E942 Nitrous oxide also helps reduce fear, anxiety, and pain perception.
Industrial benefits include reliable oxidation performance, easy compression and storage, and versatile application potential.
E942 Nitrous oxide can be stored efficiently as a liquefied compressed gas and transported conveniently in cylinders.

KEY FEATURES OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
Purity Requirement: 
≥99.99%, all impurities such as oil, heavy metals, and bacteria must be removed
Regulatory Control: 
Classified as a prescription drug in most countries, requiring medical certification and licensing for distribution
Filling & Transportation: 
Must be handled in sterile environments and transported through licensed medical logistics providers

DISCOVERY AND EARLY USE OF E942 NITROUS OXIDE
E942 Nitrous oxide was first synthesised in 1772 by English natural philosopher and chemist Joseph Priestley who called it dephlogisticated nitrous air (see phlogiston theory) or inflammable nitrous air.
Priestley published his discovery in the book Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air (1775), where he described how to produce the preparation of "nitrous air diminished", by heating iron filings dampened with nitric acid

The first important use of E942 Nitrous oxide was made possible by Thomas Beddoes and James Watt, who worked together to publish the book Considerations on the Medical Use and on the Production of Factitious Airs (1794).
This book was important for two reasons.

First, James Watt had invented a novel machine to produce "factitious airs" (including E942 Nitrous oxide) and a novel "breathing apparatus" to inhale the gas.
Second, the book also presented the new medical theories by Thomas Beddoes, that tuberculosis and other lung diseases could be treated by inhalation of "Factitious Airs

The machine to produce "Factitious Airs" had three parts: a furnace to burn the needed material, a vessel with water where the produced gas passed through in a spiral pipe (for impurities to be "washed off"), and finally the gas cylinder with a gasometer where the gas produced, "air", could be tapped into portable air bags (made of airtight oily silk).

The breathing apparatus consisted of one of the portable air bags connected with a tube to a mouthpiece.
With this new equipment being engineered and produced by 1794, the way was paved for clinical trials, which began in 1798 when Thomas Beddoes established the "Pneumatic Institution for Relieving Diseases by Medical Airs" in Hotwells (Bristol).
In the basement of the building, a large-scale machine was producing the gases under the supervision of a young Humphry Davy, who was encouraged to experiment with new gases for patients to inhale.

The first important work of Davy was examination of the E942 Nitrous oxide, and the publication of his results in the book: Researches, Chemical and Philosophical (1800).
In that publication, Davy notes the analgesic effect of E942 Nitrous oxide at page 465 and its potential to be used for surgical operations at page 556.
Davy coined the name "laughing gas" for E942 Nitrous oxide.

Despite Davy's discovery that inhalation of E942 Nitrous oxide could relieve a conscious person from pain, another 44 years elapsed before doctors attempted to use it for anaesthesia.
The use of E942 Nitrous oxide as a recreational drug at "laughing gas parties", primarily arranged for the British upper class, became an immediate success beginning in 1799.

While the effects of E942 Nitrous oxide generally make the user appear stuporous, dreamy and sedated, some people also "get the giggles" in a state of euphoria, and frequently erupt in laughter.
One of the earliest commercial producers in the U.S. was George Poe, cousin of the poet Edgar Allan Poe, who also was the first to liquefy E942 Nitrous oxide.

The first time E942 Nitrous oxide was used as an anaesthetic drug in the treatment of a patient was when dentist Horace Wells, with assistance by Gardner Quincy Colton and John Mankey Riggs, demonstrated insensitivity to pain from a dental extraction on 11 December 1844.
In the following weeks, Wells treated the first 12 to 15 patients with E942 Nitrous oxide in Hartford, Connecticut, and, according to his own record, only failed in two cases.

In spite of these convincing results having been reported by Wells to the medical society in Boston in December 1844, this new method was not immediately adopted by other dentists.
The reason for this was most likely that Wells, in January 1845 at his first public demonstration to the medical faculty in Boston, had been partly unsuccessful, leaving his colleagues doubtful regarding its efficacy and safety.

The method did not come into general use until 1863, when Gardner Quincy Colton successfully started to use it in all his "Colton Dental Association" clinics, that he had just established in New Haven and New York City.
Over the following three years, Colton and his associates successfully administered E942 Nitrous oxide to more than 25,000 patients.
Today, E942 Nitrous oxide is used in dentistry as an anxiolytic, as an adjunct to local anaesthetic.

E942 Nitrous oxide was not found to be a strong enough anaesthetic for use in major surgery in hospital settings.
Instead, diethyl ether, being a stronger and more potent anaesthetic, was demonstrated and accepted for use in October 1846, along with chloroform in 1847.

When Joseph Thomas Clover invented the "gas-ether inhaler" in 1876, it became a common practice at hospitals to initiate all anaesthetic treatments with a mild flow of E942 Nitrous oxide, and then gradually increase the anaesthesia with the stronger ether or chloroform.
Clover's gas-ether inhaler was designed to supply the patient with E942 Nitrous oxide and ether at the same time, with the exact mixture being controlled by the operator of the device.

E942 Nitrous oxide remained in use by many hospitals until the 1930s.
Although hospitals today use a more advanced anaesthetic machine, these machines still use the same principle launched with Clover's gas-ether inhaler, to initiate the anaesthesia with E942 Nitrous oxide, before the administration of a more powerful anaesthetic.

Colton's popularisation of E942 Nitrous oxide led to its adoption by a number of less than reputable quacksalvers, who touted it as a cure for consumption, scrofula, catarrh and other diseases of the blood, throat and lungs.
E942 Nitrous oxide treatment was administered and licensed as a patent medicine by the likes of C. L. Blood and Jerome Harris in Boston and Charles E. Barney of Chicago.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND REACTIONS of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
E942 Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas with a faint, sweet odour.
E942 Nitrous oxide supports combustion by releasing the dipolar bonded oxygen radical, and can thus relight a glowing splint.
E942 Nitrous oxide is inert at room temperature and has few reactions.

At elevated temperatures, its reactivity increases.
For example, E942 Nitrous oxide reacts with NaNH2 at 187 °C (369 °F) to give NaN3:
2 NaNH2 + N2O → NaN3 + NaOH + NH3
This reaction is the route adopted by the commercial chemical industry to produce azide salts, which are used as detonators.

MECHANISM OF ACTION of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
The pharmacological mechanism of action of inhaled E942 Nitrous oxide is not fully known.
However, E942 Nitrous oxide has been shown to directly modulate a broad range of ligand-gated ion channels, which likely plays a major role.

E942 Nitrous oxide moderately blocks NMDAR and β2-subunit-containing nACh channels, weakly inhibits AMPA, kainate, GABAC and 5-HT3 receptors, and slightly potentiates GABAA and glycine receptors.
It also has been shown to activate two-pore-domain K+ channels.

While E942 Nitrous oxide affects several ion channels, its anaesthetic, hallucinogenic and euphoriant effects are likely caused mainly via inhibition of NMDA receptor-mediated currents.
In addition to its effects on ion channels, E942 Nitrous oxide may act similarly to nitric oxide (NO) in the central nervous system.
E942 Nitrous oxide is 30 to 40 times more soluble than nitrogen.

The effects of inhaling sub-anaesthetic doses of E942 Nitrous oxide may vary unpredictably with settings and individual differences; however, Jay (2008) suggests that it reliably induces the following states and sensations:
*Intoxication
*Euphoria/dysphoria
*Spatial disorientation
*Temporal disorientation
*Reduced pain sensitivity
*A minority of users also experience uncontrolled vocalisations and muscular spasms.
These effects generally disappear minutes after removal of the E942 Nitrous oxide source.

***Anxiolytic effect
In behavioural tests of anxiety, a low dose of E942 Nitrous oxide is an effective anxiolytic.
This anti-anxiety effect is associated with enhanced activity of GABAA receptors, as it is partially reversed by benzodiazepine receptor antagonists.
Mirroring this, animals that have developed tolerance to the anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines are partially tolerant to E942 Nitrous oxide.
Indeed, in humans given 30% E942 Nitrous oxide, benzodiazepine receptor antagonists reduced the subjective reports of feeling "high", but did not alter psychomotor performance.

***Analgesic effect
The analgesic effects of E942 Nitrous oxide are linked to the interaction between the endogenous opioid system and the descending noradrenergic system.
When animals are given morphine chronically, they develop tolerance to its pain-killing effects, and this also renders the animals tolerant to the analgesic effects of E942 Nitrous oxide.

Administration of antibodies that bind and block the activity of some endogenous opioids (not β-endorphin) also block the antinociceptive effects of E942 Nitrous oxide.
Drugs that inhibit the breakdown of endogenous opioids also potentiate the antinociceptive effects of E942 Nitrous oxide.

Several experiments have shown that opioid receptor antagonists applied directly to the brain block the antinociceptive effects of E942 Nitrous oxide, but these drugs have no effect when injected into the spinal cord.
Apart from an indirect action, E942 Nitrous oxide, like morphine also interacts directly with the endogenous opioid system by binding at opioid receptor binding sites.

Conversely, α2-adrenoceptor antagonists block the pain-reducing effects of E942 Nitrous oxide when given directly to the spinal cord, but not when applied directly to the brain.
Indeed, α2B-adrenoceptor knockout mice or animals depleted in norepinephrine are nearly completely resistant to the antinociceptive effects of E942 Nitrous oxide.

Apparently E942 Nitrous oxide-induced release of endogenous opioids causes disinhibition of brainstem noradrenergic neurons, which release norepinephrine into the spinal cord and inhibit pain signalling.
Exactly how E942 Nitrous oxide causes the release of endogenous opioid peptides remains uncertain.

PRODUCTION of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
Various methods of producing E942 Nitrous oxide are used.

***Industrial methods
E942 Nitrous oxide is prepared on an industrial scale by carefully heating ammonium nitrate at about 250 °C, which decomposes into E942 Nitrous oxide and water vapour.
NH4NO3 → 2 H2O + N2O
The addition of various phosphate salts favours formation of a purer gas at slightly lower temperatures.
This reaction may be difficult to control, resulting in detonation.

***Laboratory methods
The decomposition of ammonium nitrate is also a common laboratory method for preparing the gas.
Equivalently, it can be obtained by heating a mixture of sodium nitrate and ammonium sulfate:
2 NaNO3 + (NH4)2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2 N2O + 4 H2O
Another method involves the reaction of urea, nitric acid and sulfuric acid:

2 (NH2)2CO + 2 HNO3 + H2SO4 → 2 N2O + 2 CO2 + (NH4)2SO4 + 2 H2O
Direct oxidation of ammonia with a manganese dioxide-bismuth oxide catalyst has been reported: cf. Ostwald process.
2 NH3 + 2 O2 → N2O + 3 H2O

Hydroxylammonium chloride reacts with sodium nitrite to give E942 Nitrous oxide.
If the nitrite is added to the hydroxylamine solution, the only remaining by-product is salt water.
If the hydroxylamine solution is added to the nitrite solution (nitrite is in excess), however, then toxic higher oxides of nitrogen also are formed:

NH3OHCl + NaNO2 → N2O + NaCl + 2 H2O
Treating HNO3 with SnCl2 and HCl also has been demonstrated:
2 HNO3 + 8 HCl + 4 SnCl2 → 5 H2O + 4 SnCl4 + N2O
Hyponitrous acid decomposes to N2O and water with a half-life of 16 days at 25 °C at pH 1–3.
H2N2O2 → H2O + N2O

Atmospheric occurrence
E942 Nitrous oxide is a minor component of Earth's atmosphere and is an active part of the planetary nitrogen cycle.
Based on analysis of air samples gathered from sites around the world, its concentration surpassed 330 ppb in 2017 and 339 ppb in 2025.
The growth rate of about 1 ppb per year has also accelerated during recent decades.
E942 Nitrous oxide's atmospheric abundance has grown more than 20% from a base level of about 270 ppb in 1750

In 2022 the IPCC reported that: "The human perturbation of the natural nitrogen cycle through the use of synthetic fertilizers and manure, as well as nitrogen deposition resulting from land-based agriculture and fossil fuel burning has been the largest driver of the increase in atmospheric E942 Nitrous oxide of 31.0 ± 0.5 ppb (10%) between 1980 and 2019."

Emissions by source
17.0 (12.2 to 23.5) million tonnes total annual average nitrogen in E942 Nitrous oxide was emitted in 2007–2016.
N2O is the third most important greenhouse gas for global warming and one of the most used ozone-depleting substance in the last century.
About 40% of E942 Nitrous oxide emissions are from humans and the rest are part of the natural nitrogen cycle.
The E942 Nitrous oxide emitted each year by humans has a greenhouse effect equivalent to about 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide: for comparison humans emitted 37 billion tonnes of actual carbon dioxide in 2019, and methane equivalent to 9 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Most of the E942 Nitrous oxide emitted into the atmosphere, from natural and anthropogenic sources, is produced by microorganisms such as denitrifying bacteria and fungi in soils and oceans.
Soils under natural vegetation are an important source of E942 Nitrous oxide, accounting for 60% of all naturally produced emissions.

Other natural sources include the oceans (35%) and atmospheric chemical reactions (5%).
Wetlands can also be emitters of E942 Nitrous oxide.
Emissions from thawing permafrost may be significant, but as of 2022 this is not certain.

The main components of anthropogenic emissions are fertilised agricultural soils and livestock manure (42%), runoff and leaching of fertilisers (25%), biomass burning (10%), fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes (10%), biological degradation of other nitrogen-containing atmospheric emissions (9%) and human sewage (5%).
Agriculture enhances E942 Nitrous oxide production through soil cultivation, the use of nitrogen fertilisers and animal waste handling.

These activities stimulate naturally occurring bacteria to produce more E942 Nitrous oxide.
E942 Nitrous oxide emissions from soil can be challenging to measure as they vary markedly over time and space, and the majority of a year's emissions may occur when conditions are favorable during "hot moments" and/or at favorable locations known as "hotspots".

Among industrial emissions, the production of nitric acid and adipic acid are the largest sources of E942 Nitrous oxide emissions.
The adipic acid emissions specifically arise from the degradation of the nitrolic acid intermediate derived from the nitration of cyclohexanone

BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
Microbial processes that generate E942 Nitrous oxide may be classified as nitrification and denitrification.
Specifically, they include:
aerobic autotrophic nitrification, the stepwise oxidation of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO−2) and to nitrate (NO−3)
anaerobic heterotrophic denitrification, the stepwise reduction of NO−3 to NO−2, nitric oxide (NO), E942 Nitrous oxide and ultimately N2, where facultative anaerobe bacteria use NO−3 as an electron acceptor in the respiration of organic material in the condition of insufficient oxygen (O2)
nitrifier denitrification, which is carried out by autotrophic NH3-oxidising bacteria and the pathway whereby ammonia (NH3) is oxidised to nitrite (NO−2), followed by the reduction of NO−2 to nitric oxide (NO), E942 Nitrous oxide and molecular nitrogen (N2)
heterotrophic nitrification
aerobic denitrification by the same heterotrophic nitrifiers
fungal denitrification
non-biological chemodenitrification

These processes are affected by soil chemical and physical properties such as the availability of mineral nitrogen and organic matter, acidity and soil type, as well as climate-related factors such as soil temperature and water content.
The emission of the gas to the atmosphere is limited greatly by its consumption inside the cells, by a process catalysed by the enzyme E942 Nitrous oxide reductase.

FEATURES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
Nozzle included to fully release the gas for disposal
Filled with 640g 99.95% purity gas
Completely disposable/recyclable steel canister
High-quality coating to prevent rust
Free of chemical taste or industrial aftertaste
E942 Nitrous oxide is easy to use with an optional Rotass pressure regulator

PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
Product Name: E942 Nitrous Oxide
Common Name: Nitrous Oxide
E Number: E942
EC Number: 233-032-0
CAS Number: 10024-97-2
Molecular Formula: N₂O
Molecular Weight: 44.013 g/mol
Chemical Type: Inorganic gas

Appearance: Colorless gas
Odor: Slightly sweet odor
Taste: Slightly sweet
Physical State: Compressed liquefied gas
Physical State: Gas
Appearance: Colorless
Odor: Slightly sweet odor
Taste: Slightly sweet taste
Molecular Formula: N₂O
Molecular Weight: 44.013 g/mol

Density: Approximately 1.977 kg/m³ at 0 °C
Boiling Point: −88.5 °C
Melting Point: −90.8 °C
Water Solubility: Slightly soluble
Solubility in Ethanol: Soluble
Vapor Pressure: High
Relative Vapor Density: Heavier than air
Flammability: Non-flammable
Oxidizing Properties: Strong oxidizer

Autoignition: Does not autoignite
Stability: Stable under normal conditions
Decomposition Temperature: Decomposes at elevated temperatures
Decomposition Products: Nitrogen and oxygen
pH: Neutral
Compressibility: Easily liquefied under pressure
Oxidation Potential: Supports combustion indirectly
Reactivity: Reacts with strong reducing agents

Hygroscopicity: Non-hygroscopic
Explosion Risk: Cylinders may rupture under extreme heat
Thermal Stability: Moderate
Diffusion Rate: Rapid gas dispersion
Color in Liquid Form: Colorless liquid under pressure
Chemical formula: N2O
Molar mass: 44.013 g/mol
Appearance: colourless gas

Density: 1.977 g/L (gas)
Melting point: −90.86 °C (−131.55 °F; 182.29 K)
Boiling point: −88.48 °C (−127.26 °F; 184.67 K)
Solubility in water: 1.5 g/L (15 °C)
Solubility: soluble in alcohol, ether, sulfuric acid
log P: 0.35
Vapor pressure: 5150 kPa (20 °C)
Magnetic susceptibility (χ): −18.9·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD): 1.000516 (0 °C, 101.325 kPa)
Viscosity: 14.90 μPa·s

Molecular shape: linear, C∞v
Dipole moment: 0.166 D
Thermochemistry
Std molar entropy (S⦵298): 219.96 J/(K·mol)
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH⦵298): +82.05 kJ/mol
Molecular Weight: 44.013 g/mol
XLogP3-AA: 0.5
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 0
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 2
Rotatable Bond Count: 0

Exact Mass: 44.001062628 Da
Monoisotopic Mass: 44.001062628 Da
Topological Polar Surface Area: 19.1 Ų
Heavy Atom Count: 3
Formal Charge: 0
Complexity: 25.8
Isotope Atom Count: 0
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count: 1
Compound Is Canonicalized: Yes

FIRST AID MEASURES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Description of first-aid measures
*General advice:
Show this material safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
*If inhaled:
After inhalation: 
Fresh air.
*In case of skin contact: 
Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. 
Rinse skin with
water/ shower.
*In case of eye contact:
After eye contact: 
Rinse out with plenty of water. 
Call in ophthalmologist. 
Remove contact lenses.
*If swallowed:
After swallowing: 
Immediately make victim drink water (two glasses at most). 
Consult a physician.
-Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed.
No data available

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Environmental precautions:
Do not let product enter drains.
-Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Cover drains. 
Collect, bind, and pump off spills. 
Observe possible material restrictions. 
Take up dry. 
Dispose of properly. 
Clean up affected area.

FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Extinguishing media:
*Suitable extinguishing media:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 
Foam 
Dry powder
*Unsuitable extinguishing media:
For this substance/mixture no limitations of extinguishing agents are given.
-Further information:
Prevent fire extinguishing water from contaminating surface water or the ground water system.

EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Control parameters:
--Ingredients with workplace control parameters:
-Exposure controls:
--Personal protective equipment:
*Eye/face protection:
Use equipment for eye protection. 
Safety glasses
*Body Protection:
protective clothing
*Respiratory protection:
Recommended Filter type: Filter A 
-Control of environmental exposure:
Do not let product enter drains.

HANDLING and STORAGE of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
*Storage conditions:
Tightly closed. 
Dry.

STABILITY and REACTIVITY of E942 NITROUS OXIDE:
-Chemical stability:
The product is chemically stable under standard ambient conditions (room temperature).
-Possibility of hazardous reactions:
No data available