Sodium metabisulfite or sodium pyrosulfite (IUPAC spelling; Br. E. sodium metabisulphite or sodium pyrosulphite) is an inorganic compound Traditionally, inorganic compounds are considered to be of a mineral, not biological, origin. Complementarily, most organic compounds are traditionally viewed as being of biological origin. Over the past century, the precise classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists, primarily because the majority of of chemical formula Na2S2O5. The name is sometimes referred to as disodium (metabisulfite, etc). It is used as a disinfectant Disinfectants are substances that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living on the objects. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially not resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilisation, which is an extreme physical and / or chemical process that kills all types of, antioxidant An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by and preservative A preservative is a naturally occurring or synthetic substance that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes agent.
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Uses
Food additive
It is used as a food additive, mainly as a preservative and is sometimes identified as E223 E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority. The numbering scheme follows that of the International Numbering System (INS) as[citation needed].
It may cause allergic reactions in those who are sensitive to sulfites Sulfites are compounds that contain the sulfite ion S , including respiratory In humans and other mammals, for example, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles. Molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide are passively exchanged, by diffusion, between the gaseous external environment and the blood. This exchange process occurs in the alveolar region of the lungs reactions in asthmatics as well as in those who do not identify with the condition.[1]
Sodium metabisulfite and potassium metabisulfite Potassium metabisulfite, K2S2O5, is a white crystalline powder with a pungent sulfur odour. The main use for the chemical is as an antioxidant or chemical sterilant. It is a sulfite and is chemically very similar to sodium metabisulfite, with which it is sometimes used interchangeably. Potassium metabisulfite is generally preferred out of the two are the primary ingredients in Campden tablets Campden tablets are a sulphur-based product that is used primarily in wine, cider and beer making to kill certain bacteria and to inhibit the growth of most wild yeast: this product is also used to eliminate both free chlorine, and the more stable form, chloramine, from water solutions (i.e., drinking water from municipal sources). Campden tablets, used for wine Wine is an alcoholic beverage, typically made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and converts them and beer Beer is the world's most widely consumed and probably the oldest of alcoholic beverages; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely used. Most beer is making[citation needed].
The acceptable daily intake Acceptable daily intake or ADI is a measure of the amount of a specific substance in food or drinking water that can be ingested (orally) over a lifetime without an appreciable health risk. ADIs are expressed by body mass, usually in milligrams (of the substance) per kilograms of body mass per day is up to 0.7 mg per kg of body weight[citation needed]. Sodium metabisulfite has no side effects; it is oxidised in the liver to harmless sulfate and excreted in the urine.[2][clarification needed]
Sanitization / Cleaning agent
It is commonly used in homebrewing Homebrewing is the brewing of beer, wine, cider and other beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, through fermentation on a small scale as a hobby for personal consumption, free distribution at social gatherings, amateur brewing competitions or other non-commercial reasons and winemaking Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material. Mead is a wine that is made with honey being the primary ingredient after water to sanitize equipment. It is used as a cleaning agent for potable water reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis is a filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and the pure solvent is allowed to pass to the other side. To be " membranes in desalination Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other minerals from water. More generally, desalination may also refer to the removal of salts and minerals, as in soil desalination systems. It is also used to remove chloramine Chloramine is an inorganic compound with the formula NH2Cl. It is a colourless liquid at room temperature, but it is usually handled as a dilute solution where it is used as a disinfectant. The term chloramine also refers to a family of organic compounds with the formulas R2NCl and RNCl2 (R is an organic group). Dichloramine, NHCl2, and nitrogen from drinking water after treatment.
Other uses
Concentrated sodium metabisulfite can be used to remove tree stumps After a tree has been cut and felled, the stump or tree stump is usually a small remaining portion of the trunk with the roots still in the ground. Stumps may show the age-defining rings of a tree. The study of these rings is known as dendrochronology. Some brands contain 98% sodium metabisulfite, and cause degradation of lignin Lignin or lignen is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood, and an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants and some algae. The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood. It is one of the most abundant organic polymers on Earth, exceeded only by cellulose, in the stumps, facilitating removal.[3]
It is also used as an excipient An excipient is generally a pharmacologically inactive substance used as a carrier for the active ingredients of a medication. In many cases, an "active" substance may not be easily administered and absorbed by the human body; in such cases the substance in question may be dissolved into or mixed with an excipient. Excipients are also in some tablets A tablet is a pharmaceutical dosage form. It comprises a mixture of active substances and excipients, usually in powder form, pressed or compacted into a solid. The excipients can include diluents, binders or granulating agents, glidants and lubricants to ensure efficient tabletting; disintegrants to promote tablet break-up in the digestive tract;, such as paracetamol US FDA:link. Approximately 0.5 mg is used in epinephrine, also known as the EpiPen Auto-Injector.
A very important health related aspect of this substance is that it can be added to a blood smear in a test for sickle cell anaemia Sickle-cell disease, or sickle-cell anaemia , is a genetic life-long blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. The sickling occurs because of a mutation in the haemoglobin gene. Life expectancy is shortened, (and other similar forms of haemoglobin Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates and the tissues of some invertebrates. Hemoglobin in the blood is what transports oxygen from the lungs or gills to the rest of the body (i.e. the tissues) where it releases the oxygen for cell use mutation Mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic chemicals, as well as errors that occur during meiosis or DNA replication. They can also be induced by the organism itself, by cellular processes such as). The substances causes defunct cells to sickle (through a complex polymerisation In polymer chemistry, polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form three-dimensional networks or polymer chains. There are many forms of polymerization and different systems exist to categorize them) hence confirming disease.
Chemical properties
When mixed with water, sodium metabisulfite releases sulfur dioxide Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula SO2. It is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain. This is one (SO2), a pungent, unpleasant smelling gas that can also cause breathing difficulties in some people. For this reason, sodium metabisulfite has fallen from common use in recent times, with agents such as hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced in organisms as a by-product of oxidative metabolism. Nearly all living things possess enzymes known as peroxidases, which harmlessly and catalytically decompose low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen becoming more popular for effective and odorless sterilization of equipment. Released sulfur dioxide however makes the water a strong reducing agent.
Toxicology
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Compendial status
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See also
References
- ^ http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/asthmabroch.cfm
- ^ Food-Info.net : E-numbers : E223: Sodium disulphite
- ^ http://www.bonideproducts.com/lbonide/msds/msds271.pdf
External links
Categories: Metabisulfites | Sodium compounds | Food additives | Disinfectants | Homebrewing
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FIS
Prawn skippers and shellfish processors have long used sodium metabisulphite as a treatment to prevent blackspot in prawns, which is a natural process that ...
Mike B.
ue, 20 Oct 2009 12:30:17 GM
'Redox couple: The combination of oxidizing and reducing agents generates free radicals posters at low temperatures. Organic peroxides are used as oxidizers and sulfur compounds in low oxidation state (. bisulfite. and . sodium. ...
