Uses of Sodium Chloride

• Preparation of Solutions: One of the most frequent uses of sodium chloride in laboratories is for preparing solutions with specific ionic strengths or controlled physiological conditions. These solutions play a vital role in various biological experiments. For instance:
  • Physiological saline solutions: These solutions mimic the salt concentration of fluids within the body (around 0.9% NaCl) and are used to maintain the integrity of cells and tissues during biological experiments.
  • Balanced salt solutions (BSS): These are more complex formulations containing additional components besides sodium chloride to closely resemble the electrolyte balance of specific bodily fluids or tissues. They are used in cell culture experiments and physiological studies.
• Precipitation Reactions: Sodium chloride’s ability to precipitate certain other salts from solution makes it a useful tool in qualitative analysis. By adding sodium chloride solution to another solution containing a specific metal ion, a visible precipitate (solid formed from a solution) might form, indicating the presence of that particular metal. This helps in identifying the components present in an unknown solution.
• Conductivity Measurements: Sodium chloride solutions with known concentrations are used to calibrate conductivity meters. These instruments measure the ability of a solution to conduct electricity, which is related to the concentration of ions present. By measuring the conductivity of a solution with a calibrated meter, researchers can estimate the concentration of ions in unknown solutions.