
Precautions
natural sources of glycerol are fatty acids (plant- or animal fats) that have been hydrolyzed with base (e.g. NaOH). however, glycerol from these sources is hard to purify. Chemically pure glycerol (e.g. in pharma, creams etc) is still made on a large scale from epichlorohydrin, a derivative of propene, chlorine gas, and NaOH
What are the natural sources of glycerol?
Glycerol Fire Hazards (Chemical): Not flammable. Special Protective Equipment: Fire fighters should use self-contained breathing apparatus and protective clothing. Precautions for Firefighters: Carbon monoxide and unidentified organic compounds may be formed during combustion. 6. Accidental Release Measures Emergency Procedures: Evacuate the area of all unnecessary personnel.
What type of hazard is glycerol?
Vegetable glycerin, sometimes called glycerol, or glycerine, is a clear sugar alcohol derived from vegetable oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, or soy oil. Vegetable oil is a type of fat made from pressed plant parts (often the seeds) of various plants, including canola, corn, olive, soybean, and sunflower.
Is glycerol a fat or oil?
Glycerol Chemical Properties,Uses,Production Physical and chemical properties Pure glycerol appears as colorless, odorless and sweet viscous liquid. Boiling point: 290 ° C, melting point: 17.9 ° C, the relative density: 1.2613. It can be miscible with water infinitely. It can be dissolved in 11 times ethyl acetate, about 500 times ether.
What are the physical properties of glycerol?
What is glycerol made of?
What are the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol?
Why is glycerol used in cough lozenges?
Why is glycerol important?
What is the melting point of glycerol?
What is glycol used for?
What was the first chemically isolated substance?
See 4 more
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Glycerol | Use, Benefits, and Chemical Safety Facts
Uses & Benefits Pharmaceuticals. Glycerol is a common ingredient in pharmaceutical and is used to improve smoothness and taste of medicines. Glycerol is added to cough syrups to help prevent irritation in throats which leads to coughing.() It is also used to make tablets easier to swallow.Personal Care Products
Uses of Glycerol - Detailed List of Applications of Glycerol
Glycerol, also known as glycerin and glycerine, is a chemical compound that is widely used in the treatment of burns and wounds. Learn about the uses of glycerol here.
Glycerol Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
glycerol: [noun] a sweet syrupy hygroscopic trihydroxy alcohol C3H8O3 usually obtained by the saponification of fats.
How is glycerol distilled?
The glycerol solution is then distilled under high vacuum ( about 0.5 - 1.0 kPa); co-distilled water is separated by fractional condensation. Residual inorganic salts and higher oligomers of glycerol remaining after the evaporation must be worked up further or discarded.
What is the specific gravity of glycerol?
It has a minimum specific gravity (25 °C/25 °C) of 1.249, corresponding to no less than 95% glycerol.
What is the function of glycerin?
Glycerin is a substrate for synthesis of triacylglycerols and of phospholipids in the liver and adipose tissue. When fat metabolized as a source of energy, glycerol and fatty acids are released into the bloodstream. Circulating glycerin does not glycate proteins and does not lead to the formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). In some organisms, the glycerin component can enter the glycolysis pathway directly to provide a substrate for energy or glucose production. Glycerol must be converted to their intermediate glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate before being used in glycolysis or gluconeogenesis. Glycerol metabolism is regulated by the enzymes glycerol kinase, (cytosolic) NAD+ -dependent G3P dehydrogenase and (mitochondrial) FAD-linked G3P dehydrogenase.
How much glycerol is in soap?
Two grades of crude glycerol are marketed: (1) soap-lye crude glycerol obtained by concentration of lyes from kettle or continuous soapmaking processes contains about 80% glycerol; and (2) hydrolysis crude glycerol resulting from hydrolysis of fats contains about 88-91% glycerol and a small amount of organic salts.
How is allyl chloride produced?
Production from allyl chloride: ... This method became available once the high-temperature chlorination of propene to allyl chloride could be controlled properly. The allyl chloride produced is oxidized with hypochlorite to dichlorohydrin, which is converted without isolation to epichlorohydrin by ring closure with calcium or sodium hydroxide. Hydrolysis to glycerol is carried out with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate. Epichlorohydrin is hydrolyzed to glycerol at 80 - 200 °C with a 10 - 15% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate at atmospheric or overpressure. The residence time in one or a series of several closed, continuously operating reactors amounts to several minutes or several hours depending on the plant concerned. The yield of dilute (10 - 25%) glycerol solution is > 98%. The solution contains 5 - 10% sodium chloride and less than 2% of other impurities. This aqueous glycerol solution containing sodium chloride is evaporated in a multistage evaporation plant under vacuum to a glycerol concentration of > 75%; precipitated sodium chloride is separated at the same time. The glycerol solution is then distilled under high vacuum (about 0.5 - 1.0 kPa); co-distilled water is separated by fractional condensation. Residual inorganic salts and higher oligomers of glycerol remaining after the evaporation must be worked up further or discarded. The glycerol, practically free of water, is treated further to remove colored impurities and odorous material; this can be performed, for example, with activated carbon.
How to store glycerol?
Glycerol should preferably be stored at 40 - 60 °C under nitrogen blanketing. It is not corrosive and presents little risk of ignition because of its high flash point. Highly concentrated glycerol does not corrode steel, but storage tanks of carbon steel must be protected by surface coating to prevent rusting by residual moisture. Glycerol is therefore usually stored in tanks of stainless steel or aluminum.
How much sodium chloride is in glycerol?
This aqueous glycerol solution containing sodium chloride is evaporated in a multistage evaporation plant under vacuum to a glycerol concentration of > 75% ; precipitated sodium chloride is separated at the same time.
Where does glycerol come from?
Glycerol is generally obtained from plant and animal sources where it occurs in triglycerides, esters of glycerol with long-chain carboxylic acids . The hydrolysis, saponification, or transesterification of these triglycerides produces glycerol as well as the fatty acid derivative:
What is the source of glycerol?
glycerol. Triglycerides can be saponified with sodium hydroxide to give glycerol and fatty sodium salt or soap . Typical plant sources include soybeans or palm. Animal-derived tallow is another source.
Why use glycerol in pressure gauges?
The excessive swinging of the needle can also damage internal gears or other components, causing premature wear. Glycerol, when poured into a gauge to replace the air space, reduces the harmonic vibrations that are transmitted to the needle, increasing the lifetime and reliability of the gauge.
What is the purpose of glycerol and water?
Glycerol and water are used to preserve certain types of plant leaves. As a sugar substitute, it has approximately 27 kilocalories per teaspoon (sugar has 20) and is 60% as sweet as sucrose. It does not feed the bacteria that form a dental plaque and cause dental cavities.
Why is glycerin soap used?
This kind of soap is used by people with sensitive, easily irritated skin because it prevents skin dryness with its moisturizing properties. It draws moisture up through skin layers and slows or prevents excessive drying and evaporation.
What is glycerol used for?
In food and beverages, glycerol serves as a humectant, solvent, and sweetener, and may help preserve foods. It is also used as filler in commercially prepared low-fat foods (e.g., cookies ), and as a thickening agent in liqueurs. Glycerol and water are used to preserve certain types of plant leaves.
Why is glycerol added to icing?
It is added to icing (frosting) to prevent it from setting too hard. As used in foods, glycerol is categorized by the U.S. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a carbohydrate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carbohydrate designation includes all caloric macronutrients excluding protein and fat.
What is the molecular weight of glycerol?
When the weight of all the atoms is added, the final molecular weight of glycerol is 92.09g/mol. Due to its structure, glycerol has the following properties: • Highly soluble in water. • Slight solubility in organic solvents. • Melting point of 18°C or 64°F. • Boiling point of 290°C or 554°F.
How many carbons are in glycerol?
Glycerol is composed of: As shown in the glycerol structure above, the three carbons form a chain, with each carbon binding to a hydroxyl group (-OH). When the weight of all the atoms is added, the final molecular weight of glycerol is 92.09g/mol.
Why is glycerol important?
Glycerol is an extremely important compound in science. Due to its viscosity and insulating properties , glycerol is used to store important and unstable enzymes, such as polymerases, at subfreezing temperatures. This compound is also used to store bacteria at extremely low temperatures (-80°C) and to avoid cell lysis.
What is the name of the compound that was discovered in 1779?
This compound, discovered in 1779 by Swedish scientist C. W. Scheele, was glycerol .
Why is glycerol used in medicine?
This is caused by its three hydroxyl (-OH) groups. It increases immune system response, increases blood pressure, and it can prevent water reabsorption, causing an increase in urine.
What is the formula for glycerol?
Glycerol's molecular formula is C3H8O3. This formula can be written in multiple formats such as CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH or C3H5 (OH)3. The structure of glycerol can be observed in the figure below.
Is glycerol safe for humans?
Due to glycerol being non-toxic to humans, it is considered safe for human consumption, as well as for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. It's three hydroxyl (-OH) groups allow it to interact with many organic compounds. Some examples of glycerol's varied uses include:
Where does glycerol come from?
Glycerol is generally obtained from plant and animal sources where it occurs as triglycerides. Triglycerides are esters of glycerol with long-chain carboxylic acids. The hydrolysis, saponification, or transesterification of these triglycerides produces glycerol as well as the fatty acid derivative.
What is the role of glycerol in the body?
After phosphorylation and oxidation, glycerol is used as an energy substrate via glycolysis or participates in gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis. When the body uses stored fat as a source of energy, glycerol and fatty acids are released into the bloodstream.
What would happen if glycerol was 92?
Glycerol concentrations in blood higher than 92 mg/L would result in renal elimination of glycerol in rats and humans by preventing water reabsorption in the proximal tubule in the kidney leading to an increase in water and sodium excretion and a reduction in blood volume.
How many food categories does glycerol come in?
the safety assessment carried out by the Panel is limited to the use and use levels received from industry and member states in 28 food categories out of 68 food categories in which glycerol is authorized;
How to purify glycerol?
Crude glycerol from the hydrolysis of triglycerides can be purified by treatment with activated carbon to remove organic impurities, alkali to remove unreacted glycerol esters, and ion exchange to remove salts. High purity glycerol (> 99.5%) is obtained by multi-step distillation; vacuum is helpful due to the high boiling point of glycerol (290 °C).
Why is glycerin soap used?
This kind of soap is used by people with sensitive, easily irritated skin because it prevents skin dryness with its moisturizing properties. It draws moisture up through skin layers and slows or prevents excessive drying and evaporation.
What is the highest percentile of exposure of glycerol and natural sources?
the highest 95th percentile of exposure of glycerol and natural sources was estimated at 460 mg/kg body weight per day in children in the refined non‐brand‐loyal exposure scenario;
What is glycerol made of?
W. Scheele. He was investigating the similarities between soap and a drying plaster called Emplastrum simplex. The salve was made of lead salts of fatty acids, while soap is made of sodium salts of organic acids. During his experiments of reacting olive oil with lead monoxide, he discovered a water-soluble substance with a sweet taste. This was the first recorded chemical isolation of glycerol and was initially called the ‘sweet principle of fat’. Scheele analyzed the substance and found it to be distinct from the other sugars known at the time. Glycerol did not crystallize, ferment, and showed greater heat resistance than most other sugars. He also investigated the difference between glycerol and cane sugar, especially in the proportion of oxygen (or phlogiston as it was then called) it contained. Scheele demonstrated that it took a greater amount of nitric acid to oxidize glycerol than cane sugar. It also did not release an alkali when it was reacted with ethanol. While it could not be easily crystallized, it could be distilled. It also decomposed at higher temperatures.
What are the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol?
The three hydroxyl groups of glycerol allow reactions with many organic acids to form esters. When all three reactive groups are esterified with long chain organic fatty acids, a triglyceride is formed. Triglycerides are among the most common lipids in the human body.
Why is glycerol used in cough lozenges?
Glycerol usage in the pharmaceutical industry is to improve smoothness and taste. It is used in the creation of tablets so that they are easy to swallow. The coating can disintegrate within the body. Cough lozenges often use glycerol to give a sweet taste.
Why is glycerol important?
The relevance of glycerol as a commercially important chemical is linked to its use in the production of dynamite. Alfred Nobel, who later instituted the Nobel Prizes, discovered a method for the reliable stabilization, transport and handling of trinitroglycerin, which is the central explosive compound in dynamite.
What is the melting point of glycerol?
Properties of Glycerol. Pure glycerol has a melting point of 17.8°C. Its boiling point is 290°C but it also decomposes at that temperature. The presence of three hydroxyl groups makes the compound hygroscopic, with a tendency to absorb moisture from the air.
What is glycol used for?
Glycerol is used in the cosmetics industry as a moisture-control reagent and to enhance the texture of lotions and creams. Glycerol’s ability to retain moisture and its emollient properties make it an attractive ingredient in many moisturizing formulations. Glycerol can also prevent the cosmetic from either drying out or freezing.
What was the first chemically isolated substance?
This was the first recorded chemical isolation of glycerol and was initially called the ‘sweet principle of fat’ .

Overview
This medication is used as a moisturizer to treat or prevent dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin and minor skin irritations (such as diaper rash, skin burns from radiation therapy).
May Treat: Corneal edema
Drug Class: Dermatological - Emollients · Dermatological - Shampoos · Diuretic - Osmotic · Mouth and Throat - Artificial Saliva · Mouth and Throat - Protectants and more
Availability: Prescription sometimes needed
Pregnancy: Consult your doctor
Lactation: Does not adversely affect lactation
Structure
Production
Applications
Metabolism
Although achiral, glycerol is prochiral with respect to reactions of one of the two primary alcohols. Thus, in substituted derivatives, the stereospecific numbering labels the molecule with a "sn-" prefix before the stem name of the molecule.
Historical cases of contamination with diethylene glycol
Glycerol is generally obtained from plant and animal sources where it occurs in triglycerides, esters of glycerol with long-chain carboxylic acids . The hydrolysis, saponification, or transesterification of these triglycerides produces glycerol as well as the fatty acid derivative:
Triglycerides can be saponified with sodium hydroxide to give glycerol and fatty …
Etymology
In food and beverages, glycerol serves as a humectant, solvent, and sweetener, and may help preserve foods. It is also used as filler in commercially prepared low-fat foods (e.g., cookies), and as a thickening agent in liqueurs. Glycerol and water are used to preserve certain types of plant leaves. As a sugar substitute, it has approximately 27 kilocalories per teaspoon (sugar has 20) and is 60% as sw…
See also
Glycerol is a precursor for synthesis of triacylglycerols and of phospholipids in the liver and adipose tissue. When the body uses stored fat as a source of energy, glycerol and fatty acids are released into the bloodstream.
Glycerol is mainly metabolized in the liver. Glycerol injections can be used as a simple test for liver damage, as its rate of absorption by the liver is considered an accurate measure of liver health. …