Sodium citrate
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Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid with the chemical formula of Na3C6H5O7.
In this sense, it is similar to calcium citrate. Like citric acid, sodium citrate has a sour taste. Like other salts, however, it also has a salty taste. For this reason, citrates such as sodium and calcium citrate are common known as sour salt (sometimes, people refer to citric acid as sour salt). It is chiefly used as a food additive, usually for flavor or as a preservative. Sodium citrate gives club soda both its sour and salty flavors. Sodium citrate is common in lemon-lime soft drinks, and it is partly what causes them to have their sour taste.
In 1914, the Belgian doctor Albert Hustin and the Argentine physician and researcher Luis Agote successfully used sodium citrate as an anticoagulant in blood transfusions. It continues to be used today in blood collection tubes and for the preservation of blood in blood banks. The citrate ion chelates calcium ions in the blood, disrupting the blood clotting mechanism.
As a conjugate base of a weak acid, citrate can perform as a buffer, resisting changes in pH. Sodium citrate is used to control acidity in some substances, such as Jell-O. It is also the last ingredient in Welch's Concord Grape Jam.
Research from the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2003) showed that use of sodium citrate (approx. 37 grams) improved running performance over 5 km by 30 seconds. Oopik, V et al 2003; 37: 485-489
References
External links
- For a full list of external links to MSDSs, spectroscopic data, commercial chemicals suppliers etc. for this compound, see [Chemical sources].
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