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Magnesium Stearate PDR NF
What exactly is magnesium stearate? It’s a chelated mineral, a metal ion joined with a chelating agent that forms several bonds with that metal, generally sold as a white powder that solidifies at room temperature. It occurs naturally as a fatty acid absorbed via normal dietary means and is readily manufactured by the body from other dietary fats. Most often, magnesium stearate is used by the pharmaceutical industry in a number of respects. Chemical supplier in Florida, Bell Chem, has created a list of the most common uses of magnesium stearate.
As an anti-adherent, magnesium stearate allows the ingredients in tablets and capsules to pour smoothly without clumping. Many ingredients cause other additives to adhere to each other, which can cause too much or too little of an active ingredient to be included in each tablet or capsule; magnesium stearate prevents this process from occurring.
The lubricating property of magnesium stearate keeps the active ingredients of medications and vitamins flowing smoothly through machinery before it reaches tablet form. Without magnesium stearate, these important ingredients would adhere to and possibly endanger machinery, forming clumps and, once more, causing inaccurate amounts of active ingredients from reaching the interior of each tablet.
In the dry-coating process of forming tablets, magnesium stearate acts as a time-release element to deliver a set amount of medication over an extended period of time.
So-called health foods that tout tablets not containing magnesium stearate may lack the specific amounts of active ingredients printed on the label. Read more about Bell Chem’s, a chemical supplier in Florida, products by reading our blogs, or contact the knowledgeable professionals at (407) 339-BELL (2355).
Understanding Microcrystalline Cellulose
When most consumers see the term “cellulose”, they think plants, and rightly so. Microcrystalline cellulose is not as easily recognized, but is certainly utilized in many formations. The term “microcrystalline” refers to the minute crystals within the material that can only be viewed via microscopy. This alteration to standard cellulose allows microcrystalline cellulose, derived from high quality wood pulp, to meet the United States Pharmacopeia standards for distribution in medicines. As a white, free-flowing powder, it is easily added to most substances. How can your industry utilize Tampa chemical supplier Bell Chem’s microcrystalline cellulose? Read below for more information.
Most tablets and capsules contain a small amount of medicine within a medium of microcrystalline cellulose that allows the dosage to be degraded over time.
Many granulated or powdered substances have a tendency to clump together, making it difficult to pour or measure them. Microcrystalline cellulose acts as an anti-caking agent to prevent this action.
Microcrystalline cellulose can be used to replace fat in many foods since its texture and cellular structure are similar, thereby reducing the caloric intake in food.
As an emulsifier, microcrystalline cellulose combines two liquids that would normally separate over time, such as oil and water.
Because microcrystalline cellulose is inactive, it does not alter any foods or medicines upon its inclusion. Therefore, many companies use it as an excipient to add bulk to products.
With so many uses within the food and pharmacy industries, microcrystalline cellulose is certain to fulfill many needs. Call Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, at (407) 339-2355 (BELL) to speak with a knowledgeable representative concerning microcrystalline cellulose or any of their other dietary and pharmaceutical products. Please browse the Bell Chem website for a list of chemicals in Bell Chem’s inventory and information on their uses.
Grade A Whey
Whey has long been tossed away as a by-product of cheese and yogurt crafting. Recently, however, whey’s dietary importance has become renowned for its significant amount of perfect proteins and is used worldwide by bodybuilders and other health-conscious individuals. Once the watery medium of whey is removed, a white or cream powder remains. This powder is bland or flavorless. Therefore, it is easy to add to liquids or solids as a powerful protein supplement. Jacksonville chemical supplier, Bell Chem, supplies Grade A whey, a moniker indicating that the whey is a derivative of Grade A milk coming from a Grade A dairy. What can whey do for you and your customers? Below is a list of a few of Grade A whey’s uses.
Whey boosts the immune system because it raises glutathione (GSH) levels in the body. GSH has been pinpointed as one of the most prevalent water-soluble antioxidants within the body. Heightened GSH levels increase serotonin levels in the brain, improve liver function, reduce blood pressure, improve muscular performance, and reduce stress-producing cortisol levels.
In some countries, whey is marketed as a beverage, either carbonated or uncarbonated.
Whey can replace water in many recipes, giving foods an acidic zing as well as the bonus of added minerals and vitamins.
Whey can be sprayed across fields as a fertilizer, fed to pets, diluted for plant food, or added in lieu of water, milk, or broth in the kitchen.
With its myriad health benefits for animals and plants, whey is a perfect protein in more than one sense. Find out more benefits of Grade A whey by contacting Jacksonville chemical supplier, Bell Chem. Call (407) 339-2355 (BELL) or browse the Bell Chem website for a list of all their products, the latest chemical news, and information pertaining to their chemical inventory.
Phosphoric Acid Guide
The term “phosphoric acid” may mean any number of chemicals within this acid category. However, all phosphoric acids share several characteristics: they are derived from naturally occurring phosphate minerals, are water-soluble, and appear as a white solid or a clear, viscous liquid. Otherwise, the variety of phosphoric acids and phosphates are as different as the methods in which they are used in industry. The following information will break down the different members of the phosphoric acid family and give a few functions of each. Contact Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, to find which member of the phosphoric acid family is perfect for your industry.
Monophosphoric (orthophosphoric) acid is the simplest inorganic phosphoric acid with the chemical formula of H3PO4. Monophosphoric acid is often used as a detergent and in potable water systems where it forms a protective barrier inside pipes.
Polyphosphoric acid is an inorganic chain of two or more monophosphoric acids. This larger molecule is utilized in the organic synthesis of acylations and cyclizations (commonly in adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, as well as adenosine diphosphate, or ADP). Polyphosphoric acid is often found in detergents, acts as a corrosion inhibitor in potable water systems, as a compound to aid in the processing of fish and meat, in carbonated colas, and in baking powder. Its most recognized function, though, is its use in fertilizers.
Pyrophosphoric acid (H4P2O7) is used in detergents to control corrosion in potable water systems, and as a compound to form adenosine diphosphate, which is essential for energy use in biological organisms.
Metaphosphoric acids are phosphate rings or strings and often appear as salts or esters. With a loss of hydrogen, the metaphosphate that forms is a food additive and sequestrant.
Organic phosphates, phosphates compounded with carbon, are frequently used in biogeochemistry (ecology), as well as in biochemistry.
With its multiple uses in dentistry, orthodontics, pharmaceuticals, the medical industry, computer hardware production, and as an industrial cleaner and sanitizer, phosphoric acid belongs in every business’s inventory. Contact Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, at (407) 339-2355 (BELL) to speak to a knowledgeable representative concerning phosphoric acid or any of their other chemicals. You can also browse the rest of the website for a list of chemicals in Bell Chem’s inventory and information on their uses.
Industrial Uses for Guar Gum
Guar gum is renowned for its role as a thickener, emulsifier, and stabilizer in the food industry. These uses and many others also carry over to the industry as seen in the examples below.
Pet food and veterinary supplements use guar gum as a thickener and gel to retain water and suspend ingredients.
The pharmaceutical industry utilizes guar gum in powder form as a disintegrating aid in capsulized drugs. Before it is digested, guar gum acts as a binder in capsules as well. Its disintegration speed controls the amount and timing of drugs delivered into the body.
In cosmetics, guar gum is added to toothpaste and other substances in similar containers for constant tube extrusion. Guar gum’s thickening ability gives creams and lotions their texture.
The paper industry has found guar gum gives paper a denser surface for easier printing. Its bonding strength makes the paper easier to erase and write on, and it is the substance that helps paper fold. Sheet formation is enhanced with the addition of guar gum.
In textiles, guar gum is used in forms as a thickener for sizing, finishing, and printing. Guar gum’s flexibility factor reduces warping and snapping, its emulsifying activity reduces dust, and production is more efficient when guar gum is added.
The oil industry is the main consumer of guar gum. Well fracturing, shale oil extraction and fracturing, oil well stimulation, and mud drilling are enhanced with guar gum, where it is used as a suspending agent, stabilizer, surfactant, synthetic polymer, and thickener. Guar gum minimizes power requirements by reducing friction while drilling, and maintains drilling mud viscosities to aid in removing drill waste from deep holes. Geological, water, and oil well drilling also find guar gum advantageous.
In mining, guar gum acts as a flocculant to separate liquids and solids.
With its myriad industrial uses, guar gum has an application for almost any corporation. Find more information by browsing the Bell Chem website, or by calling a Tampa chemical supplier agent at (407) 339-BELL (2355).
Medicinal Uses for Malic Acid
The sour taste so prevalent in “extreme” candy and gum is a product of malic acid, an organic compound known chemically as C4H6O5. Isolated in 1785 from apple juice, it was given the Latin name acide malique (acid apple). However, the tartness of malic acid, produced naturally by all organisms, is used for far more than a food additive. It has a starring role for a variety of applications in many medicines.
In both plants and animals, malic acid steps up the metabolic rate by its use in the Krebs cycle, which converts carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into useable energy and water. Without adequate malic acid, the Krebs cycle activity ceases and the body feels the effects as fatigue. Many patients suffering from fibromyalgia, a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue, experience short-term relief with supplemental malic acid. Pain management may begin in two days or less following a regimen containing malic acid.
The stimulation of the metabolic rate affects many individuals needing an energy boost. Athletes note improved sports performance when malic acid supplements are part of their regimen.
As an astringent, malic acid applied to the skin’s surface sloughs away dead skin cells that normally block pores and cause acne. It is also antibacterial in nature to stave off skin infections.
The body produces less collagen as it ages. Collagen builds and repairs skin cells, and its waning significantly increases the appearance of wrinkles in the skin. Malic acid penetrates the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis, to the collagen-producing dermis, where it stimulates collagen production. More collagen equates to fewer wrinkles.
Malic acid is a mouthwash and toothpaste additive since it enhances the production of saliva. Saliva washes away oral bacteria, and the acidic environment created when malic acid enters the mouth acts as an antiseptic to help kill remaining bacteria.
Learn more about malic acid and other important chemicals that aid your body by contacting the knowledgeable representatives at Jacksonville chemical supplier, Bell Chem, at (407) 339-BELL (2355), or browse the website for information on their entire chemical lineup.
Caffeine: Its Positive and Negative Effects on Your Health
Caffeine is a stimulant used in a variety of foods, beverages, and medicines. While you may be familiar with the caffeine content in many of the products you use, such as coffee and chocolate, caffeine also lurks in pain relief medication and as a treatment for apnea. To understand how caffeine affects you, either positively or negatively, Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, invites you to read below.
Caffeine reduces drowsiness; as such it is an active ingredient in medication to keep you awake and alert.
Thoughts are faster and clearer when the body ingests caffeine because it is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant: caffeine is soluble in both water and lipids and, as such, diffuses over the blood-brain barrier. Caffeine is structurally similar to adenosine, a chemical that produces a cellular response that acts as a depressant. The similarity in structure causes cells to accept caffeine as a substitute for adenosine in adenosine receptors in the CNS. The change from a depressant to a stimulant increases focus and coordination.
Athletes use caffeine to enhance sports performance in sprints, endurance activities, and a number of team sports. By decreasing neuronal activation thresholds, caffeine seemingly reduces an athlete’s perception of effort, thereby stimulating additional muscle recruitment. While thousands of athletes stand behind caffeine’s effects on stamina, scientists report the results are unsubstantial.
Premature infants are treated with caffeine for bronchopulmonary dysplasia because it relaxes the muscles within the bronchioles to increase oxygen uptake. Its use also increases weight gain in infants since it is a metabolic stimulant and reduces language and cognitive delays when used over a short period of time.
Overconsumption of caffeine may produce caffeine dependency, a condition highlighted by nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and headaches.
Caffeine’s metabolic stimulation increases respiration, which rushes more oxygen to hungry cells. While the heart rate is reduced, force of contraction within the heart, along with constriction of blood vessels, increases blood pressure.
Caffeine is reported to increase fat utilization by stimulating epinephrine in the bloodstream. The fat oxidized in the blood spares the glycogen stored in cells, which boosts athletic performance and acts as an aid in diabetes maintenance.
In small to average doses, caffeine keeps the body in an increased state of readiness. This state is acceptable at certain times, but an onslaught of caffeine may prove detrimental to the body’s homeostasis. Learn more about caffeine and other chemicals by browsing the rest of the website, or calling the Tampa chemical supplier experts at (407) 339-BELL (2355).
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a highly caustic white solid known colloquially as lye or caustic soda. Many industries utilize sodium hydroxide to increase the alkalinity of a chemical mixture or to neutralize acids. It is best used in water, ethanol and methanol, where it is completely soluble. These simple chemical properties give it unique qualities for use in the following industries. Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, explains this versatile chemical below.
Pulp and paper use sodium hydroxide as a strong chemical base and to separate lignin from cellulose fibers.
Sodium hydroxide is also used in soap, detergent, and drain cleaners.
Solid sodium hydroxide in water is extremely exothermic; it generates a large proportion of heat. This reaction is helpful to catalyze many reactions.
Drilling in the petroleum industry utilizes sodium hydroxide as an additive; it increases alkalinity in bentonite mud systems to increase mud viscosity and neutralize acid gases.
Crude oil treated with sodium hydroxide removes sulfur impurities.
For centuries, sodium hydroxide has been used in home soap making, known as cold process soap.
Anhydrous sodium hydroxide catalyzes the transesterification of methanol and triglycerides in the manufacturing of biodiesel. An experimental technology to create a synthetic gasoline also uses sodium hydroxide.
Many foods contain sodium hydroxide: olives are softened in NaOH before canning, chocolate and soft drink utilize it in their processing, it adds color to caramel, washing and chemical peeling of fruits and vegetables occurs with NaOH, it acts as a thickening agent in ice cream, and as a glaze on German pretzels to create the crispy, light crust.
Many cleansers add sodium hydroxide to clean storage tanks and process equipment since it dissolves grease, oil, fat, and protein deposits.
In the home, sodium hydroxide is an excellent drain cleaner since it dissolves grease and oil as well as the proteins in hair often responsible in clogging drains. The heat produced by the combination of sodium hydroxide and water catalyzes the cleansing action.
The commercial uses for sodium hydroxide are varied and important; ensure your business has sodium hydroxide on hand to clean, catalyze, treat, and exothermically react chemicals and manufacturing equipment. For more information concerning sodium hydroxide or any of our other products, call Tampa chemical supplier Bell Chem at 407-339-BELL (2355) or contact us online.
Sodium Chloride – It’s Not Just for Food
You may know sodium chloride by its common name: table salt. Derived from the evaporation of saltwater, more than 270 million tons of sodium chloride becomes the basis of thousands of industrial uses. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is most recognized for its use in the food industry as a condiment and preservative. A plethora of other manufacturing areas utilize salt as well. Jacksonville chemical supplier, Bell Chem, explains.
Sodium chloride is used in de-icing roadways during winter storms; it interferes with the snow and ice bonding with the road surface.
NaCl is used as a major feedstock for chemical synthesis of sodium and chlorine compounds.
In these first two uses – de-icing and chemical synthesis –250 megatons of sodium chloride are usurped annually.
Processing sodium chloride creates sodium carbonate and calcium chloride. Sodium carbonate is the component in manufacturing glass, dyes, and sodium bicarbonate.
The exploration of gas and oil relies on sodium chloride as a drilling fluid component as well as a flocculant.
Sodium chloride increases concrete curing in cemented casings.
Many highways are constructed on a foundation of sodium chloride and soil since NaCl secures the soil and provides firmness to the foundation.
Sodium chloride standardizes dyes by blending with concentrated dyes and is also used as a brine rinse to separate organic contaminants.
Chlorine dioxide, which is chemically derived from sodium chlorate and sulfuric acid, is a chlorine alternative for bleaching that is gaining popularity because it is more environmentally friendly.
Sodium chloride bleaches wood pulp.
Many metals, including aluminum, beryllium, copper, steel, and vanadium, use NaCl in processing.
NaCl inhibits microbial activity while treating and tanning leather and pulls moisture into the animal hide.
Sodium chloride acts as a coagulant in the manufacture of rubber.
In water softening, sodium chloride inhibits saponification by acting as an ion exchange resin to remove calcium and magnesium ions.
Foods can be preserved with sodium chloride because microorganisms cannot live in its extreme saline environment.
Sodium chloride has uses well beyond the food industry. Find out more about NaCl and other chemicals by browsing our website or call 407-339-BELL (2355) to speak with one of our knowledgeable Jacksonville chemical supplier professionals.
Medical Uses of Potassium Citrate
When potassium bicarbonate and a solution of citric acid are combined, an effervescent action occurs due to an acid/base reaction. The resulting salt that forms when the acid and base are evaporated is potassium citrate. This salt has proven quite valuable to the medical industry; doctors have been treating patients with kidney stones for years with a supplement of potassium citrate. Tampa chemical supplier, Bell Chem, explains why potassium citrate is the prescription of choice for patients with kidney stones and other urinary tract disorders.
Patients who suffer from kidney stones often take thiazide to manage kidney stones. The thiazide depletes the body of potassium; potassium citrate replaces this lost mineral.
Patients whose urine is highly acidic experience intense pain when urinating. Potassium citrate neutralizes the acid content in urine, thereby relieving much of the discomfort while reducing the frequency of urination.
Uric acid and cysteine are prevalent in the human body.Too much of either can lead to kidney stones (urinary calculi), uric acid, cysteine, or calcium stones. A regimen containing potassium citrate regulates acidity and keeps the body in homeostasis. In a recent study, the use of potassium citrate reduced the amount of kidney stones by 75%; this supplement attaches to calcium and keeps individual crystals from adhering to each other and forming painfully large mineral crystals.
Calcium stones are formed when too little citrate is in the urine. Potassium citrate prevents this occurrence.
In patients who are chronically hypokalemic, potassium citrate is administered to treat and manage gout and heart arrhythmias.
Cystitis (urinary tract infection) may be treated with potassium citrate, at which time it acts as an alkalizing agent.
For the prevention of kidney stones and other urinary tract related disorders, the administration of potassium citrate may relieve or prevent all these disorders. For questions about potassium citrate, or any of our other products, call Tampa chemical supplier Bell Chem at 407-339-BELL (2355) or you can contact us online.