Magnesium Acetate Tetrahydrate

Brief Overview

Magnesium Acetate is the acetate salt form of magnesium. Magnesium is a divalent cation essential for several biochemical processes involved in nerve signalling, bone mineralization and muscle contractions. About 350 enzymes involved in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, formation of cyclic-AMP and ATP, cellular signal transduction and protein and nucleic acid synthesis are dependent on magnesium. Magnesium Acetate smells like acetic acid and is soluble in water.

Manufacturing Process

Magnesium Acetate is synthesised by the following method:

Step 1: Synthesis of magnesium acetate from the reaction of magnesium hydroxide with acetic acid.

2 CH₃COOH + Mg(OH)₂ → (CH₃COO)₂Mg + 2 H₂O

Step 2: Magnesium carbonate suspended in distilled water with 20% acetic acid solution.

2 CH₃COOH + MgCO₃ → Mg(CH₃COO)₂ + CO₂ + H₂O

Step 3: Reacting metallic magnesium with acetic acid dissolved in dry benzene causes magnesium acetate to form along with the release of a gas, presumably hydrogen.

Mg +2 CH₃COOH → Mg(CH₃COO)₂ + H₂

Food Industry:

• Used as food additive

• Anti-freeze and de-icing products

Environmental Industry: Magnesium Acetate is mixed with calcium acetate to produce calcium magnesium acetate (CMA). CMA acts as a powerful SO₂, NO_x, and toxic particulate emission control agent in coal combustion processes to reduce acid rain, and as an effective catalyst for the facilitation of coal combustion.

Textile Industry: Used to make fabric, textile, and leather products.