Triacetin
Encyclopedia
The triglyceride
1,2,3-triacetoxypropane is more generally known as triacetin and glycerin triacetate. It is the triester
of glycerol
and acetic acid
.
It is an artificial chemical compound, commonly used as a food additive
, for instance as a solvent
in flavourings, and for its humectant
function, with E number
E1518 and Australian approval code A1518. Triacetin is also a component of casting liquor with TG
and as an excipient
in pharmaceutical products where it is used as a humectant, a plasticizer
, and as a solvent.
Triacetin can also be used as a fuel additive as an antiknock agent
which can reduce engine knocking
in gasoline
, and to improve cold and viscosity
properties of biodiesel
.
In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette
companies, triacetin was listed as one of the 599 cigarette additives. http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm The triacetin is applied to the filter as a plasticizer
.
Because it is in some sense the simplest possible fat
after glyceryl triformate
, it has been considered as a possible source of food energy
in artificial food regeneration systems on long space missions. It is believed to be safe to get over half of one's dietary energy from triacetin.
Triglyceride
A triglyceride is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids. There are many triglycerides, depending on the oil source, some are highly unsaturated, some less so....
1,2,3-triacetoxypropane is more generally known as triacetin and glycerin triacetate. It is the triester
Ester
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
of glycerol
Glycerol
Glycerol is a simple polyol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in water and its hygroscopic nature. The glycerol backbone is central to all lipids...
and acetic acid
Acetic acid
Acetic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CO2H . It is a colourless liquid that when undiluted is also called glacial acetic acid. Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar , and has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell...
.
It is an artificial chemical compound, commonly used as a food additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
, for instance as a solvent
Solvent
A solvent is a liquid, solid, or gas that dissolves another solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature...
in flavourings, and for its humectant
Humectant
A humectant is a hygroscopic substance. It is often a molecule with several hydrophilic groups, most often hydroxyl groups, but amines and carboxyl groups, sometimes esterified, can be encountered as well; the affinity to form hydrogen bonds with molecules of water is crucial here.Since...
function, with E number
E number
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...
E1518 and Australian approval code A1518. Triacetin is also a component of casting liquor with TG
and as an excipient
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...
in pharmaceutical products where it is used as a humectant, a plasticizer
Plasticizer
Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of the material to which they are added; these include plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard, and clay. Although the same compounds are often used for both plastics and concretes the desired effects and results are...
, and as a solvent.
Triacetin can also be used as a fuel additive as an antiknock agent
Antiknock agent
An antiknock agent is a gasoline additive used to reduce engine knocking and increase the fuel's octane rating.The mixture known as gasoline, when used in high compression internal combustion engines, has a tendency to ignite early causing a damaging "engine knocking" noise...
which can reduce engine knocking
Engine knocking
Knocking in spark-ignition internal combustion engines occurs when combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder starts off correctly in response to ignition by the spark plug, but one or more pockets of air/fuel mixture explode outside the envelope of the normal combustion front.The...
in gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, and to improve cold and viscosity
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity...
properties of biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
.
In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
companies, triacetin was listed as one of the 599 cigarette additives. http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm The triacetin is applied to the filter as a plasticizer
Plasticizer
Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of the material to which they are added; these include plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard, and clay. Although the same compounds are often used for both plastics and concretes the desired effects and results are...
.
Because it is in some sense the simplest possible fat
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
after glyceryl triformate
Triformin
Triformin is the triester of glycerol and formic acid. It is the simplest possible triglyceride....
, it has been considered as a possible source of food energy
Food energy
Food energy is the amount of energy obtained from food that is available through cellular respiration.Food energy is expressed in food calories or kilojoules...
in artificial food regeneration systems on long space missions. It is believed to be safe to get over half of one's dietary energy from triacetin.