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Sodium Citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid. The sodium salts of citric acid are monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, and trisodium citrate. E number E 331 is the aggregate name for these three types of salts. Sodium citrate, on the other hand, generally refers to the third variety, trisodium citrate. It is commonly used as a food preservative, alkalizer for urine to avoid kidney stones, an anticoagulant for preserved blood, and as a buffer.
What is Sodium Citrate?
Sodium Citrate (Na3C6H5O7) is the sodium salt of citrate, which has an alkalizing effect. Trisodium Citrate, Citrosodine, and Natrocitral are all terms that are used alternatively for sodium citrate. It's widely used in the medical and food industry. After absorption, sodium citrate is dissociated into citrate anions and sodium cations.
Organic citrate ions are converted to bicarbonate ions, which buffer excess hydrogen ions, potentially reversing acidosis, elevating blood pH, and increasing plasma bicarbonate concentration.
It is a citric acid trisodium salt that dissolves in water. It has a pH range of 7.5 to 9.0.
Structure of Sodium Citrate
Also Read: Atomic Number and Mass number
Properties of Sodium Citrate
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Sodium Citrate Molecular Formula | Na3C6H5O7 |
| IUPAC Name | trisodium;2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate |
| Molecular weight of Na3C6H5O7 | 258.068 g/mol |
| No. of hydrogen bond acceptor | 7 |
| Monoisotopic mass of Sodium Citrate | 257.973 g/mol |
| Melting point of Sodium Citrate | >300 °C |
| No. of hydrogen bond donor | 1 |
Also Read: Properties of Solids
Applications of Sodium Citrate
There are numerous applications for sodium citrate in the food and beverage industry, medical care, and other industries as well. Here are some of the applications of Sodium Citrate:
Healthcare:
- Sodium citrate functions well as a blood anticoagulant. As a result, it is commonly used for blood collection and preservation.
- It can help to relieve the pain of urinary tract infections.
- It also works as a laxative and can help with acidosis.
- It is a key component of the World Health Organization's oral rehydration solution.
- It can also be used as an antacid, especially before surgery.
- Sodium citrate can be found in a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, colours, cosmetics, and deodorants.
- This ingredient is found in hair products, oral care products, skin care products, and bathing products.
Food and Beverage:
- In processed cheese products, sodium citrate is used as an emulsifying salt. It makes it easier for the cheese to melt without becoming greasy.
- It acts as a buffering agent when combined with citric acid, allowing for precise pH regulation in a variety of foods and beverages.
- It is used to keep milk from curdling.
- It is used to emulsify oils.
- Its primary function is to serve as a food additive, either to enhance flavour or to preserve food.
Industrial Applications:
- Citric acid is used for cleaning in some industries. It aids in the removal of calcium and rust coatings from steam blocks and hot water systems.
- In electroplating procedures, it also acts as a buffering and complexing agent.
- Citric acid's chelating properties and lack of toxicity aid the textile and construction industries.
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Health Hazards
Citrosodine has been determined to be of minimal risk after a series of experiments. It is flammable. Rest and breathe fresh air after breathing this chemical. Rinse and cleanse skin with soap and water if you come into contact with it. If it goes into your eyes, immediately rinse them out with lots of water. Rinse your mouth completely if you swallow this substance.
Things to Remember Based on Sodium Citrate
- The sodium salts of citric acid are referred to as sodium citrate.
- The Sodium Citrate Molecular Formula is Na3C6H5O7
- The pH range of Sodium Citrate is 7.5 to 9.0.
- It is commonly utilised for blood collection and preservation because sodium citrate functions well as a blood anticoagulant.
- When mixed with citric acid, Sodium Citrate functions as a buffer, allowing for precise pH adjustment in a range of foods and beverages.
- In the medical industry, sodium citrate is used instead of sodium bicarbonate as an alkalinizing agent to neutralise excess acid in the blood and urine.
Important Questions Based on Sodium Citrate
Ques: How does sodium citrate affect the blood? (1 Marks)
Ans: Sodium citrate, which stops coagulation by generating a calcium ion complex, is an excellent anticoagulant for coagulation testing.
Ques: What are the industrial applications of sodium citrate? (2 Marks)
Ans: Sodium Citrate is used as a buffering agent for precise pH regulation in a variety of foods and beverages. In some industries, citric acid is used for cleaning. It helps remove calcium and rust deposits from steam blocks and hot water systems. It also serves as a buffering and complexing agent in electroplating techniques. The textile and construction sectors benefit from citric acid's chelating capabilities and lack of toxicity.
Ques: What is the purpose of citric acid in food? (2 Marks)
Ans: Citrus fruits contain a powerful organic acid called citric acid. In addition to being a natural preservative, it is also used as an acidic (sour) flavouring for food and soft drinks. It has an important role in biochemistry as an intermediary in the citric acid cycle, and so appears in the metabolism of practically all living organisms.
Ques: Why do we need sodium citrate? (2 Marks)
Ans: Sodium citrate is a sodium salt derived from citric acid. This is also known as sour salt, and it is usually utilised as a food additive for flavour or preservation purposes. It has the sour and salty taste of club soda. Because it reduces food acidity, spherification with very acidic components is permitted.
Ques: What are the health benefits of sodium citrate? (3 Marks)
Ans: Sodium citrate is just a sodium salt with a citric acid-base. To make the urine less acidic, sodium citrate medicine is utilised. As a result, the kidneys are able to eliminate uric acid, which can help avoid kidney stones and gout. Sodium citrate can also be used to treat and prevent some renal disorders as well as metabolic problems such as acidosis. It also acts as an anticoagulant in coagulation tests. By generating a calcium ion complex, it can help prevent coagulation. In all of these ways, sodium citrate is used to treat and prevent illnesses.
Ques: What is Trisodium Citrate? (3 Marks)
Ans: Na3C6H5O7 is the chemical formula for trisodium citrate. It is a sodium salt of citric acid, and it is called sodium citrate. It's also known as sour salt, and it has a salty, somewhat acidic flavour. Its principal use is as a food ingredient, generally as a flavour enhancer or preservative. It may provide both salty and sour club soda flavours. Spherification with very acidic substances is also permitted because it reduces food acidity. The three different types of sodium salts are referred to as E number E331.
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