Aqua Regia [Nitrohydrochloric acid] [] Aqua Regia is a corrosive, fuming yellow-orange-red liquid comprised of one volume of concentrated nitric acid and three volumes of concentrated hydrochloric acid. It can dissolve metals such as gold, platinum, and silver. Its fumes and color are caused by reaction of nitric
Platinum being dissloved in hot aqua regia. (Photo Credit : Alexander C. Wimmer / Wikimedia Commons) The term 'aqua regia' is Latin for 'royal water'; it has been given this name by alchemists of the Middle Ages because it's a 'special' liquid that could even dissolve noble metals, such as gold, platinum and palladium, i.e., the metals that don't ordinarily react with …