perossiacetilnitrato

peroxyacetyl nitrate

noun peh-ros-see-ah-cheh-teel-nee-TRAH-toh Rare

Usage Note

Perossiacetilnitrato (abbreviated PAN) is a chemical compound found in photochemical smog, formed by the reaction of nitrogen oxides with volatile organic compounds in sunlight. It is a strong eye irritant and a secondary pollutant. The term is exclusively scientific and is typically abbreviated as PAN even in Italian texts.

Examples

"Il perossiacetilnitrato si forma nello smog fotochimico."

Natural Translation

Peroxyacetyl nitrate forms in photochemical smog.

Literal Translation

The peroxyacetyl-nitrate itself forms in-the smog photochemical.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Present Tense: -are, -ere, -ire Verbs

Conjugate Italian present-tense verbs fast: one color-coded chart for -are, -ere, and -ire endings, plus the sneaky -isc- group most guides bury.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Restaurant Etiquette: Mistakes to Avoid

Skip the cappuccino after dinner, never put parmesan on fish, and learn the exact Italian phrases to order gracefully and avoid looking like a tourist.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Essere vs Avere: Italian Past Tense Made Simple

In the passato prossimo, use avere for most verbs and essere for movement, change, and reflexives — plus the agreement trap English speakers always miss.

June 5, 2026 5 min read