[2] An explosive with a negative oxygen balance will lead to incomplete combustion, which commonly produces carbon monoxide, which is a toxic gas.
Examples of materials with positive oxygen balance are ammonium nitrate (+20%), ammonium perchlorate (+34%), potassium chlorate (+39.2%), sodium chlorate (+45%), potassium nitrate (+47.5%), tetranitromethane (+49%), lithium perchlorate (+60%), or nitroglycerine (+3.5%).
Ethylene glycol dinitrate has an oxygen balance of zero, as does the theoretical compound trinitrotriazine.
[citation needed][5] Because sensitivity, brisance, and strength are properties resulting from a complex explosive chemical reaction, a simple relationship such as oxygen balance cannot be depended upon to yield universally consistent results.
[citation needed] One area in which oxygen balance can be applied is in the processing of mixtures of explosives.