| Tetrasodium pyrophosphate | |
|---|---|
|
Tetrasodium diphosphate |
|
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 7722-88-5 , 13472-36-1 (decahydrate) |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | Na4O7P2 |
| Molar mass | 265.9 g mol−1 |
| Appearance | Colorless crystals |
| Hazards | |
| EU Index | Not listed |
| Flash point | Non-flammable |
| Related compounds | |
| Other anions | Trisodium phosphate Pentasodium triphosphate Hexasodium metaphosphate |
| Other cations | Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate |
| Related compounds | Disodium pyrophosphate |
| (verify) (what is: /?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, also called sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium phosphate or TSPP, is a colorless transparent crystalline chemical compound with the formula Na4P2O7. It contains the pyrophosphate ion and sodium cation. Toxicity is approximately twice that of table salt when ingested orally.[1] There is also a hydrated form, Na4P2O7 · 10(H2O).[2]
Sodium pyrophosphate is used as a buffering agent, an emulsifier, a dispersing agent, and a thickening agent, and is often used as a food additive. Common foods containing sodium pyrophosphate include chicken nuggets, marshmallows, pudding, crab meat, imitation crab, canned tuna, and soy-based meat alternatives and cat foods and cat treats where it is used as a palatability enhancer. It is the active ingredient in Bakewell, the substitute for baking powder's acid component marketed during shortages in World War II. It is also used in some common baking powders.
In toothpaste and dental floss, sodium pyrophosphate acts as a tartar control agent, serving to remove calcium and magnesium from saliva and thus preventing them from being deposited on teeth.
Sodium pyrophosphate is sometimes used in household detergents to prevent similar deposition on clothing, but due to its phosphate content it causes eutrophication of water, promoting algae growth.
Calcium pyrophosphate is the crystal deposited in joints in the medical condition pseudogout.[3]