Sodium citrate may refer to any of the
sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...
salts
In chemistry, a salt is a chemical compound consisting of an ionic assembly of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, which results in a compound with no net electric charge. A common example is table salt, with positively c ...
of
citric acid
Citric acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula HOC(CO2H)(CH2CO2H)2. It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in ...
(though most commonly the third):
*
Monosodium citrate
*
Disodium citrate
*
Trisodium citrate
The three forms of salt are collectively known by the
E number E331.
Applications
Food
Sodium citrates are used as acidity regulators in food and drinks, and also as
emulsifiers for oils. They enable cheeses to melt without becoming greasy. It reduces the acidity of food as well.
Blood clotting inhibitor
Sodium citrate is used to prevent
donated blood from clotting in storage. It is also used in a laboratory, before an operation, to determine whether a person's blood is too thick and might cause a blood clot, or if the blood is too thin to safely operate. Sodium citrate is used in medical contexts as an
alkalinizing agent
Alkalinizing agents are drugs used to manage disorders associated with low pH. For example, they may be used to treat acidosis due to kidney failure.
Used for oral or parenteral therapy, sodium bicarbonate is the commonly preferred alkalinizin ...
in place of
sodium bicarbonate, to neutralize excess acid in the blood and urine.
Metabolic acidosis
It has applications for the treatment of
metabolic acidosis
Metabolic acidosis is a serious electrolyte disorder characterized by an imbalance in the body's acid-base balance. Metabolic acidosis has three main root causes: increased acid production, loss of bicarbonate, and a reduced ability of the kidneys ...
and
chronic kidney disease.
Ferrous nanoparticles
Along with
oleic acid
Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omeg ...
sodium citrate may be used in the synthesis of
magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle
A nanoparticle or ultrafine particle is usually defined as a particle of matter that is between 1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in diameter. The term is sometimes used for larger particles, up to 500 nm, or fibers and tubes that are less than 10 ...
s coatings.
References
{{Chemistry index
Citrates
Chelating agents
Organic sodium salts
E-number additives