Glycerol, also known as glycerine, is a transparent, dense, and odorless liquid. Let us shed light on the different uses of glycerol throughout the article.
The versatile uses of glycerol are listed below-
- Food industry
- Manufacturing
- Cosmetics
- Preservation
Food industry
- Glycerol is widely used as a humectant, solvent, filler, and sweetening agent in several foods and beverages.
- As a food additive, glycerol act as a stabilizer in ice cream and softening agent in baked goods.
- Glycerol is sometimes employed as a thickening agent in the making of certain liqueurs.
Manufacturing
- By nitration of glycerol, nitroglycerin can be manufactured.
- Glycerol is used in making many contemporary protective coatings, such as automotive enamels and external house paints.
Cosmetics
Glycerol, being antimicrobial in nature, is utilized in the preparation of many personal care products such as soaps, mouthwashes, shaving cream, toothpaste, hair care, and skin care products.
Preservation
A combination of glycerol and water is applied to preserve certain plant parts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, glycerol is obtained from plant and animal sources in the form of triglycerides. The chemical formula of this naturally occurring compound is C3H8O3. It is a polyhydroxy compound as it contains three hydroxyl groups.
Hello, I am Tuluma Das, Completed my Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. I have a total of 9 years of research experience including a Ph.D. and Postdoc and 3 years of teaching experience. I have published 7 papers so far in international journals. Let’s connect through Linkedin :