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Acetic Acid

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Synonyms

Ethanoic acid

Definition

Acetic acid is a carboxylic acid with the chemical formula CH3COOH . It is a colorless liquid at room temperature with an irritating odor. Pure anhydrous acetic acid is sometimes called glacial acetic acid. It can be obtained by oxidation of acetaldehyde, which occurs in human liver by enzyme (aldehyde dehydrogenase), or by the hydrolysis of acetonitrile. It is easily formed in chemical evolution experiments, e.g., it was found among the products of spark discharge experiment in a gas mixture of methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water by S. L. Miller in 1953. It has been found in extracts from carbonaceous chondrites and has also been identified in molecular clouds. Melting point: 16.6°C, boiling point: 117.8°C, density: 1.0492 g cm−3, acidity constant (pK a): 4.76.

See also

Acetaldehyde

Aldehyde

Carboxylic Acid

Chondrite

Miller, Stanley

Molecular Cloud

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama National University, 240-8501, Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku Yokohama, Japan

    Prof. Kensei Kobayashi

Authors
  1. Prof. Kensei Kobayashi
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Astrophysicist, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, BP 89, 33270, Floirac, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Campus Cantoblanco, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  3. Department of Astrophysics, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC) Ctra de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20015, USA

    Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II

  5. Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts Lederle Graduate Research, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003-9305, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. GEOTOP & Départment des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Daniele L. Pinti

  7. Astrobiology, CNES/DSP/EU, 2 place Maurice-Quentin, 75039, Paris, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kobayashi, K. (2011). Acetic Acid. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_16

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