Nessler's reagent
Reactivo de Neßler
- Date
- 1856 · confidence high
- Place
- Germany
- Credited to
- Julius Neßler
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
A colorimetric reagent based on alkalinized potassium tetraiodomercurate that detects small amounts of ammonia or ammonium by a color change, developed by German chemist Julius Neßler in his doctoral thesis.
What it led to
- a standard method for detecting ammonia in water and wastewater
- used in clinical and agricultural analysis
- a forerunner of colorimetric techniques in analytical chemistry