Sodium phosphate tribasic dodecahydrate

Properties

Safety Information

Description

Sodium phosphate tribasic dodecahydrate is also known as trisodium phospate or TSP. It is a highly soluble in water and widely used as a cleaning agent. The pH of a 1% solution is typically around 12, making this reagent sufficiently alkaline for saponification of grease and oils. In combination with surfactants, TSP is an excellent agent for cleaning everything from laundry to concrete driveways. This versatility and low manufacturing price made TSP the basis for a plethora of cleaning products sold in the mid-20th century. Trisodium phosphate is used in the isolation of mycobacteria, including culturing of tubercle bacilli. Has been used as a protein precipitant in certain applications and in co-precipitation and fractionization of nucleotides. May be used for the preservation of biologically active soil samples. Because of the alkaline pH, TSP disrupts cytoplasmic and outer membranes of Salmonella enterica cells making it useful in preventing the spread of bacteria. It is used in photographic developing, clarifying sugar, removing boiler scale, softening water and manufacturing of paper. They are added to many foods as an emulsifier to prevent oil separation. It can be utilized as a leavening agent. Some instances of these foods include the batter coating on breaded fish or chicken, and commercially baked cakes. Adding this item to food increases the shelf life of the food, maintaining the texture and visual aspect of the food.