Chemical Properties and Structure of Tartaric Acid
Tartaric acid is an organic dicarboxylic acid that exists as a white, crystalline solid. Its chemical formula is C4H6O6 and it has a molecular weight of 150.087 g/mol. The acid exists as two enantiomers - D-(-)-tartaric acid and L-(+)-tartaric acid. Both enantiomers have the same chemical and physical properties except for their optical activity. Tartaric acid is soluble in water and soluble in polar organic solvents like alcohols. It forms salts called tartrates when reacted with bases and undergoes esterification reactions when reacted with alcohols.
Tartaric Acid has a stereochemistry due to the presence of four different substituents bonded to the alpha carbon atoms. It can exist as a pair of enantiomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. This property of tartaric acid to form distinct optical isomers is important in many of its applications like in pharmaceuticals.
Natural Sources and Production of Tartaric Acid
Tartaric acid is naturally present in grapes and grape-derived products like wine. It is produced during the fermentation of grape juice by yeast. During winemaking, tartaric acid precipitates out of wine as potassium bitartrate crystals, also known as cream of tartar or argol. This crystalline deposit is known as wine lees or vinasse and traditionally collected from the inside surface of oak barrels after fermentation and aging.
Commercially, tartaric acid is produced either by microbial fermentation using Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum or by acid-base neutralization of argol or crude tartar. The fermentation process involves growing the fungus on a carbohydrate source like potato starch or molasses and then extracting the tartaric acid. Microbial production is a more environment-friendly and economical method compared to earlier chemical synthesis routes.
Applications of Tartaric Acid
Due to its acidifying and stabilizing properties, tartaric acid has widespread applications in food and beverage industries. Some key uses are:
- Winemaking: It gives acidity, balance and stability to wines. It prevents tartrate crystals formation which can cause haziness.
- Beverages: Used in carbonated drinks, juices and other non-alcoholic beverages for flavor and as an acidulant.
- Confectionery: Improves texture and shelf life of candies, desserts and baked goods. Helps control sugar crystallization.
- Pharmaceuticals: Present in many antacids as a salt. Also used in effervescent tablets and powder formulations.
- Photography: Used as an additive in developer solutions and etching baths in photographic film processing.
- Cosmetics: Acts as a pH balancer and preservative in lotions, creams and other products.
- Household Products: Used as a cleaning agent in products like dishwasher detergents for its acidity.
Tartaric Acid in Medicine
As mentioned, tartaric acid finds applications as a pharmaceutical excipient in medicinal formulations. Some examples are:
- Antacids: Tartaric acid is commonly present as a salt like potassium hydrogen tartrate or sodium tartrate in antacid medications to counter excess stomach acid.
- Effervescent Tablets: Being acidic, it helps in the effervescence of tablets when dissolved in water. Often combined with citric or malic acid.
-Buffered Medications: Acts as an internal buffer to control the pH of liquid oral suspensions or syrups during manufacturing and after ingestion.
-Uric Acid Therapy: Sodium tartrate and potassium tartrate salts have been studied for dissolving and eliminating uric acid urinary stones effectively.
- Anti-inflammatory: Some research indicates tartaric acid may exhibit anti-inflammatory properties similar to other polycarboxylic acids. Further studies are ongoing.
Other Uses of Tartaric Acid
In addition to the major uses outlined, tartaric acid also finds applications as:
- Chelating agent that binds metal ions due to its polycarboxylic structure. Used in sequestering additives in laundry detergents.
- Tanning agent in leather industry where it converts animal hides to leather by binding to collagen fibers in an acidic environment.
- Mold inhibitor and preservative due to its antimicrobial effects in foods, cosmetics and other products requiring long shelf life.
- Reducing agent in electroplating solutions where it reduces metal cations to deposit a thin layer onto metal objects.
- Reagent in organic chemistry laboratory synthesis of esters, amides and other derivatives that exploit its versatile reactivity as a acid.
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