Sodium Chloride is a metal halide composed of sodium and chloride with sodium and chloride replacement capabilities. When depleted in the body, sodium must be replaced in order to maintain intracellular osmolarity, nerve conduction, muscle contraction and normal renal function.Sodium chloride appears as a white crystalline solid. Commercial grade usually contains some chlorides of calcium and magnesium which absorb moisture and cause caking. (NTP, 1992)Sodium chloride is an inorganic chloride salt having sodium(1+) as the counterion. It has a role as an emetic and a flame retardant. It is an inorganic chloride and an inorganic sodium salt.

Industrially, hydrogen, chlorine, caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and other chemical products are generally produced by electrolysis of saturated sodium chloride solution (this process is commonly known as the chlor-alkali industry). It can also be used in ore smelting (electrolysis of molten sodium chloride crystals to produce the reactive metal sodium). In medicine, it is used to prepare normal saline, and daily life as a condiment.