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Butyric acid is a colorless liquid found in dairy products and is a byproduct of fermentation. It has a rancid smell and is responsible for bad odors in vomit and flatulence. It is also used in stink bombs, but some of its derivatives have a sweet smell. Butyric acid is produced by fermenting starch or sugar and is a byproduct of fiber digestion in humans. It is also found in the rumen of cows and goats. Butyric acid is used in the food and perfume industries, and its derivatives have different properties.
Butyric acid, also known as butanoic acid, is an oily, colorless chemical with the formula CH3CH2CH2-COOH that is found in many dairy products, especially milk, and is also a byproduct of fermentation in many cases. It tends to smell somewhat rancid when isolated, and is the main cause of the malodor associated with human vomiting and flatulence. For this reason it is a common addition to stink bombs. However, some of its chemical derivatives and esters have a sweet smell; much depends on the presentation and the precise chemical composition.
Basic features
Acid is a liquid at room temperature and is composed predominantly of fat. It freezes at 17.8°F (about -8°C) and boils at 326.3°C (163.5°F). Despite its stability, the acid is susceptible to hydrolysis, a chemical process in which water molecules are separated into isolated hydrogen and oxygen atoms, taking most of the cells to which they are bound with them. In fact, the acid gets its name from the Latin word butyrum, or “butter,” which is where it was allegedly first discovered and isolated. Butter is generally up to 4% acid and when it spoils the hydrolysis it causes a bad sour smell to be emitted. The same smell is associated with most spoiled dairy products.
Production and fermentation
This compound is prepared on a large scale by fermenting starch or sugar. Fermentation uses microorganisms and occurs under conditions where there is no oxygen to transform glucose into these compounds. Microbes get energy from this process. Less energy is produced than if the compounds were transformed in the presence of oxygen.
Various species of bacteria also make it as a product of fermentation. These types of bacteria typically thrive in places where there is no oxygen, such as the rumen of cows and goats. The rumen is a special digestive organ that helps with the breakdown of plant compounds that would otherwise be extremely difficult to break down. Bacteria within the organ generate butyrate from the plant fibers they consume. This is also one of the main reasons the compound appears in dairy products such as milk, butter and most yogurts. In many cases it is also produced as a by-product in some marine sediments.
Role in digestion
Humans also have this acid in their digestive tracts, and it is one of many stomach acids that help break down food for energy. The colon also produces it as a byproduct of some types of fiber digestion, especially oats and raw bran. Many experts say this acid is the main reason human gas and flatulence smells bad in so many cases. Acid is also often a major component of vomit and is usually responsible for its characteristic acidic odor.
Like a weapon
The bad smell of acid has led to its use in the composition of stink bombs and tools used by police and political activists in many parts of the world. Stink bombs are also used in various protests, usually as a way to cause damage to property or shut down services, even if only temporarily. Acid attacks have been well documented in abortion clinics, for example, and against whalers and whalers.
Derivatives and foreigners
When carboxylic acids are exposed to certain alcohols or phenols, they typically break down and form slightly new structures known as “esters.” This happens to butyric acid under a variety of circumstances and the results, while chemically similar to the original, are often very different in terms of their basic properties and characteristics.
When this happens to butyric compounds, the COOH hydrogen group is replaced with an organic compound to produce an ester known as butanoate. These types of compounds are found in many vegetable oils and animal fats, making them relatively common and typically have very different properties. In particular, they generally have a pleasant smell and taste, which has made them useful for the food and perfume industries.
Another common chemical derivative is phenyl butyric acid. This compound is used as an intermediate in a number of chemical processes. Indole butyric acid, for example, is a plant growth hormone that makes shoot roots grow and helps speed up the delivery of nutrients to cells.
