Citric Acid
Introduction
Critric acid is made from starch by advanced biological technology. It is a white crystalline powder.It can exist either in anhydrous(water-free) from or monohydrate. The anhydrous from crystallizes from hot water, whereas the monohydrate forms when citric acid is crystallized form cold water. When heated above 175′C, it decomposes through the loss of carbon dioxide and water.
Specification
| Anhy | Mono | |
| According to | BP98 | BP98 |
| Tests | Specifications | Specifications |
| Characteristics | White crystals | Colourless crystals or white crystalline powder, efflorescent |
| Solubility | Conforming with test | |
| clarity and colour of solution | Conforming with test | Conforming with test |
| Assay | 99.5%-101% | 99.5%-101% |
| Water | 1% Max | 7.5%-9% |
| Sulfate | 150ppm Max | 150ppm Max |
| Readily carbonisable substances | Conforming with test | Not deeper than specifications |
| Barium | Conforming with test | Conforming with test |
| Calcium | 200ppm Max | 200ppm Max |
| Lead(PB) | 0.5ppm Max | 1ppm Max |
| Heavy metals | 10ppm Max | |
| Iron | 50ppm Max | 50ppm Max |
| Chloride | 50ppm Max | 50ppm Max |
| Oxalate | 100ppm Max | 350ppm Max |
| Aluminum | 0.2ppm Max | 0.2ppm Max |
| Bacterial endotoxins | 0.5 I.U./mg Max | 0.5 I.U./mg Max |
| Arsenic | 3ppm Max | 1ppm Max |
| Mercury | 1ppm Max | 1ppm Max |
| Sulfated ash | 0.05% Max | 0.05% Max |
| Tridodecylamine | 0.1ppm Max | 0.1ppm Max |
| Arganic volatile impurities | Conforming with test | Conforming with test |
Application
It is used as sour agent and preservative in food industry, preparation of citrate in pharmaceutical industry it also can be used as detergent in ordinary industry.
