Calcium alginate

Calcium alginate
Names
IUPAC name
Calcium β-D-mannopyranuronosyl-(1→4)- α-L-gulopyranuronosyl-(1→4)- α-L-gulopyranuronate
Other names
E404
Identifiers
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.124.785
E number E404 (thickeners, ...)
UNII
Properties
(C12H14CaO12)n
Appearance Solid
Pharmacology
B02BC08 (WHO)
Hazards
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
>15g/kg
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Calcium alginate is a water-insoluble, gelatinous, cream-coloured substance that can be created through the addition of aqueous calcium chloride to aqueous sodium alginate. Calcium alginate is also used for entrapment of enzymes and forming artificial seeds in plant tissue culture.

"Alginate" is usually the salts of alginic acid, but it can also refer to derivatives of alginic acid and alginic acid itself; in some publications the term "algin" is used instead of alginate. Alginate is present in the cell walls of brown algae, as the calcium, magnesium and sodium salts of alginic acid.