Industrial Uses of Sodium Acetate
Sodium acetate, CH3COONa, is a sodium salt of acetic acid. Often called acetic acid, sodium acetate anhydrous, or sodium salt, this odorless, white granular powder has plenty of far-ranging uses throughout industries. For this reason, industrial chemical supplier Bell Chem keeps plenty on hand to satisfy customer demand.
Cleaning
Impurities such as stains, rust, or scale on metal surfaces quickly vanish when with cleaning sodium acetate.
Concrete
Hygroscopic sodium acetate seeps into the crevices on the surface of concrete, sealing it against the elements. Water damage is the scourge of the construction industry’s concrete usage, and the ability to seal concrete against water saves time and money.
Food and Beverage
Sodium acetate has long been the seasoning that gives potato chips that pungent salt and vinegar flavor. Because it is an acid, the addition of sodium acetate during food production can lower or stabilize a product’s pH. Another positive trait of its acidity is the negative reaction of bacterial growth in the presence of sodium acetate. It is, therefore, a great preservative. The beneficial preservation properties of sodium acetate are also dominant in pickling foods. Similar to general food use, pickling uses sodium acetate to enhance flavors and preserve foods, but in much larger quantities.
Laboratory
The growth of bacteria often requires a source of carbon. Sodium acetate fills that role while also catalyzing ethanol precipitation yield when isolating DNA. Sodium acetate is commonly used as a reagent in molecular biology as well as biochemistry.
Medical
An intravenous transfusion of sodium acetate is recommended for electrolyte replenishment. This occurs frequently with patients undergoing dialysis. Hyponatremic patients are often given sodium acetate to stabilize falling sodium levels. Reusable heating pads and hand warmers rely on a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate and water surrounding a metal disc.
Textile
Aniline dyes, derived from coal tar extracts, are often paired with sodium acetate during the textile dyeing process. Sodium acetate also acts as a photoresist, or light-sensitive material, that stimulates patterned coating in photoengraving and photolithography.
Bell Chem is an industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products such as sodium acetate stocked in its 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.