Tetrasodium pyrophosphate

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate
Names
IUPAC name
Tetrasodium diphosphate
Other names
Pyrophosphate, Sodium pyrophosphate, Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (anhydrous), TSPP[1]
Identifiers
7722-88-5 Yes
13472-36-1 (decahydrate) Yes
EC number 231-767-1
Jmol-3D images Image
PubChem 24403
Properties
Molecular formula
Na4O7P2
Molar mass 265.90 g·mol−1
Appearance Colorless crystals
Odor odorless
Density 2.534 g/cm3
Melting point 988 °C (1,810 °F; 1,261 K) (anhydrous)
79.5 °C (decahydrate)
2.61 g/100 mL (0 °C)
6.7 g/100 mL (25 °C)
42.2 g/100 mL (100 °C)
Solubility insoluble in ammonia, alcohol
1.425
Structure
Crystal structure monoclinic (decahydrate)
Thermochemistry
Specific
heat capacity (C)
241 J/mol K
270 J/mol K
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfHo298)
-3166 kJ/mol
-3001 kJ/mol
Hazards
EU Index Not listed
Flash point Non-flammable
Related compounds
Other anions
Trisodium phosphate
Pentasodium triphosphate
Sodium hexametaphosphate
Other cations
Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate
Related compounds
Disodium pyrophosphate
Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa)
  verify (what is: Yes/?)
Infobox references

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, also called sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium phosphate or TSPP, is a colorless transparent crystalline chemical compound with the formula Na4P2O7. It is a salt composed of pyrophosphate and sodium ions. Toxicity is approximately twice that of table salt when ingested orally.[2] There is also a hydrated form, Na4P2O7 · 10(H2O).[3]

Tetrasodium 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 tetrasodium 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.

In toothpaste and dental floss, tetrasodium pyrophosphate acts as a tartar control agent, serving to remove calcium and magnesium from saliva and thus preventing them from being deposited on teeth. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is used in commercial dental rinses before brushing to aid in plaque reduction.

Tetrasodium 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.

Production

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is produced by the reaction of furnace-grade phosphoric acid with sodium carbonate to form disodium phosphate, which is then heated to 450 °C to form tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

References

  1. CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
  2. Handbook of food toxicology, S. S. Deshpande, page 260
  3. D.L. Perry S.L. Phillips (1995) Handbook of inorganic compounds CRC Press ISBN 0-8493-8671-3