Tetrasodium pyrophosphate

<p>Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is used as a <a href="/facts/Buffering_agent/zrLz9eaa">buffering agent</a>, an <a href="/facts/Emulsifier/YMSqSCuH">emulsifier</a>, a dispersing agent, and a <a href="/facts/Thickening_agent/lNPqbaWy">thickening agent</a>, and is often used as a <a href="/facts/Food_additive/jGk8zjn8">food additive</a>. Common <a href="/facts/Food/RgNq6NAK">foods</a> containing tetrasodium pyrophosphate include <a href="/facts/Chicken_nugget/gFHeXqAm">chicken nuggets</a>, <a href="/facts/Marshmallows/D5omkVHU">marshmallows</a>, <a href="/facts/Pudding/dtHt7KU6">pudding</a>, <a href="/facts/Crab/GvkhXnSK">crab</a> meat, <a href="/facts/Imitation_crab/MJhWedoH">imitation crab</a>, canned <a href="/facts/Tuna/7HtBI9EL">tuna</a>, and <a href="/facts/Soy/koovP3CI">soy</a>-based <a href="/facts/Meat_alternatives/bbcc4qR3">meat alternatives</a> and <a href="/facts/Cat_food/jGuqdmVy">cat foods</a> and cat treats where it is used as a <a href="/facts/Palatability/W2A0spKm">palatability</a> enhancer. 
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/Toothpaste/PMTIQxtj">toothpaste</a> and dental floss, tetrasodium pyrophosphate acts as a <a href="/facts/Calculus_(dental)/nsvBI3Hz">tartar</a> control agent, serving to remove <a href="/facts/Calcium/hf252CC0">calcium</a> and <a href="/facts/Magnesium/XyIhd2FG">magnesium</a> from <a href="/facts/Saliva/RUzb41Ct">saliva</a> and thus preventing them from being deposited on <a href="/facts/Teeth/Wc6IqwVf">teeth</a>. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is used in commercial dental rinses before brushing to aid in <a href="/facts/Dental_plaque/b67GE1pA">plaque</a> reduction.
</p><p>Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is sometimes used in household <a href="/facts/Detergent/4FLKXR6p">detergents</a> to prevent similar deposition on <a href="/facts/Clothing/5J5RhkYY">clothing</a>, but due to its <a href="/facts/Phosphate/FDGVCxUG">phosphate</a> content it causes <a href="/facts/Eutrophication/rqXhQYyt">eutrophication</a> of <a href="/facts/Water/0lkXnJPK">water</a>, promoting <a href="/facts/Algae/U1ftVKU3">algae</a> growth.
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<h2 id="production">Production</h2>
<p>Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is produced by the reaction of furnace-grade <a href="/facts/Phosphoric_acid/l6NbwyCv">phosphoric acid</a> with <a href="/facts/Sodium_carbonate/P6RHvIoK">sodium carbonate</a> to form <a href="/facts/Disodium_phosphate/B7JQX0o7">disodium phosphate</a>, which is then heated to 450 °C to form tetrasodium pyrophosphate:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>
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2 Na2HPO4  →  Na4P2O7  +  H2O

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Handbook of food toxicology, S. S. Deshpande, page 260 <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Mk-IdNTTJB0C&dq=tetrasodium+phosphate+toxicity&pg=PA260" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=Mk-IdNTTJB0C&dq=tetrasodium+phosphate+toxicity&pg=PA260</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>D.L. Perry S.L. Phillips (1995) Handbook of inorganic compounds CRC Press ISBN 0-8493-8671-3 <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Klaus Schrödter; Gerhard Bettermann; Thomas Staffel; Friedrich Wahl; Thomas Klein; Thomas Hofmann. "Phosphoric Acid and Phosphates". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a19_465.pub3. ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2. <a href="978-3-527-30673-2" target="_blank">978-3-527-30673-2</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate open-in-new

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate