Starch exists as a carbohydrate in nature, derived from fruits, grain, and vegetables. It is utilized by the body once it has been broken down to glucose, a sugar which is consumed by cell metabolism. The biggest source of starch is corn, followed by potatoes, tapioca and wheat. Starch recently has also been used to …
Sodium hydroxide, also known in industry as caustic soda and lye, has one of the highest production volumes of inorganic chemicals worldwide, estimated at about 12 million metric tons. The laboratory market accounts for just a fraction of that, but it is still one of the most widely used inorganic chemicals in the laboratory today. …
Potassium Iodate (KIO3) is used commercially in the food industry, primarily as an additive for table salt to prevent a thyroid disease called Goiter. It is also used in analytical chemistry for the titration of sodium thiosulfate. The iodine in the iodate anion becomes liberated in the presence of both iodide (usually potassium iodide) and …
Potassium hydroxide (KOH) was discovered by British scientist Sir Humphry Davy in 1807. He used electrolysis to isolate KOH. He later also used this method to isolate sodium, calcium, strontium, barium and other hydroxides. KOH is a strong base with a high pKb. Its behavior is similar to that of sodium hydroxide. KOH is mostly …
Commercial uses of potassium bromate includes its use in the baking industry, bleaching of dough, and enhancement of the process of rising of the dough. Bromate is banned in certain countries for food use. It has been linked to a variety of ailments such as nausea, cramps, and cancer. Currently it is still used in …
In pure form, perchloric acid (70%) is potentially dangerous if certain conditions are present. It is an oxidizer, and it is also used to synthesize salts, some of which are used as rocket fuel. It is a strong acid because of the high oxidation strength of the chlorine atom. Historically, an industrial tragedy occurred in …
This method was developed by Johan Kjeldahl in 1883 for determining nitrogen in both organic and inorganic compounds. Ammonia and ammonium are determined for their nitrogen value. This is an invaluable tool for analyzing proteins, mostly in food. A sample is heated with sulfuric acid for oxidation with the help of a catalyst such as …
The ISO 17034 Standard replaced Guide 34 in 2016. It specifies requirements for Certified Reference Material producers (CRM’s). One of these strict requirements is the measurement and tabulation of uncertainty guidelines for a chemical standard/reference material. These uncertainties (all possible sources of error) must be stated on certificates to the end user. A manufacturer which …
The ISO 17025 Standard is a requirement for competence of laboratories to perform testing of their products as well as calibration of their equipment. It is accepted and recognized as one of the highest standards in testing chemicals/standardized solutions manufacturing. For some aqueous solutions (pH buffers and conductivity standards) the additional compliance to ISO 17034 …
Most of the world’s iodine is mined in Chile’s Atacama Desert, followed by Japan. In Chile it is an ore (caliche ore), but in Japan it is present as a brine, deep underground. But even in these deposit sources the iodine content is very small- less than 0.1%. As far back as 1852 it was …
