Citric Acid Monohydrate

What is Citric Acid Monohydrate?

Molecular Formula (Citric Acid Monohydrate); C₆H₈O₇.H₂O

Molecular Weight; 210.1 g/mol

Chemical Name; Citric Acid Monohydrate

CAS Number;  5949-29-1

It is a tricarboxylic acid found abundantly in citrus fruits.

It is a weak organic acid. Citric Acid is a pharmacologically inactive chemical.

Citrate is a component of the Krebs cycle. Citric Acid Monohydrate occurs naturally in the metabolism of all living organisms. It is a pH control agent.

It is not a toxic chemical.

Citric Acid can constitute nearly 8% of the dry mass of a lemon.

Citrus fruits like lemons contain several acids, the most well-known being ascorbic acid or Vitamin C. However, Citric Acid is found in abundance.

We will share a detailed explanation of the differences between Citric Acid Monohydrate and Citric Acid Anhydrous on our Citric Acid Anhydrous page.

Other names for Citric Acid are as follows;

• Citrate
• Citric Acid Salt
• Citric Acid Ester
• 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, hydrate
• 5949-29-1
• Citrate
• Citric Acid Hydrate
• 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic Acid, 2-hydroxy-, monohydrate

What are the Physical and Chemical Properties of Citric Acid Monohydrate?

The density of the monohydrate is 1.542 g/cm³.

Flash point is 100 °C

Melting point is 135 °C.

It has the appearance of white, sand-like crystals.

Citric Acid Monohydrate has good solubility in water. It is a stable chemical. It does not react with bases, strong oxidizing agents, reducing agents, and metal nitrates.

It has a pH value between 1-2 at 25 °C. It is an odorless compound.

It appears as colorless crystals or a white crystalline powder with a strong acidic taste.

Citric Acid Monohydrate is fully biodegradable. This is among the most important properties of this chemical.

Citric Acid Cycle

The Citric Acid cycle is taught in detail at universities. However, students may not fully grasp the importance of the citric acid cycle.

Acetyl-CoA is formed from the breakdown of substances like starch, protein, and lipids. Acetyl-CoA consists of an Acetyl group attached to a Coenzyme A molecule. Coenzyme A has an ADP atom with two side chain groups extending from the phosphate arms. Acetyl groups are attached to the end of the side chains. Throughout the extending chains in the Citric Acid cycle, Coenzyme A acts as a carrier for the acetyl groups.

The Citric Acid cycle is driven by a dehydration reaction. The most common method for introducing Acetyl-CoA into the metabolic pathway is with the assistance of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex.

The reaction steps of the Citric Acid cycle are as follows.

1. Citrate Synthesis
2. Aconitase
3. Isocitrate Dehydrogenase
4. Alpha-Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase
5. Succinyl-CoA Synthesis
6. Succinate Dehydrogenase

How is it Produced?

The production of Citric Acid Monohydrate falls within the fields of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. Citric acid is an intermediate organic chemical compound in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, naturally found in fruits like citrus fruits, pears, and pineapples, and it crystallizes like the chemical calcium citrate.

Citric Acid is a 6-carbon tricarboxylic acid obtained from lemon juice. It is an organic carboxylic acid and is separated from citrus fruit juices by using Calcium Oxide (lime) to form Calcium Citrate, an insoluble precipitate, through a filtration method. It is then recovered from the calcium salt by the addition of Sulfuric acid .

Citric Acid production is essentially carried out by fermentation. There are many microorganisms such as yeasts, fungi, and bacteria that can produce citric acid through fermentation.

Citric Acid monohydrate can also be produced by the fermentation of glucose with certain special molds.

There are 3 different methods used for Citric Acid production. Two of these are very common. One method is liquid surface culture, and the second is submerged culture fermentation. The second method is very common in Citric Acid production. These methods used in Citric Acid production are very simple.

In production, chemical synthesis is not cheaper or less costly than fungal fermentation.

General Overview of Citric Acid

It is one of the most widely used food additives worldwide. It is an organic acid. It is naturally found in vegetables and fruits. The highest concentrations are found in citrus products. These include fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits.

Citric acid production via fermentation is cheaper. The mold used in fermentation is *Aspergillus niger*.

It has a high protective effect against damage caused by free radicals in cells. Therefore, it has antioxidant properties. Due to the properties of citric acid, it helps prevent the development of heart disease and cancer caused by free radical damage.

It helps maintain a healthy pH level in the body. Mineral supplements containing citric acid are used to prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys.

This compound, known as a food acidulant, can be evaluated for its acidity by its buffering index. For example, the buffering index of malic acid is higher than that of Citric Acid. The buffering index of Fumaric Acid is higher than that of Malic Acid.

Where is Citric Acid Monohydrate Used?

• Citric Acid Monohydrate is used in the formulas of chemicals for making baby foods and baby products. Baby skin is sensitive. Some babies experience skin peeling. To prevent this, skin care creams are used on babies' skin. This helps to keep the baby's skin moisturized and protected.
• It is used as a source of organic acid to create buffered acid solutions.
• It is used in the production of baked goods and snack products produced in bakeries and similar places. Here, Citric Acid monohydrate is used in baking powder. Its purpose is to provide acidity.
• Citric acid is used in confectionery to impart an acidic taste. Due to its properties, citric acid monohydrate is used here to lower the pH. It doesn't just provide an acidic taste. Depending on the type of acid and its specific taste characteristics, it can have positive effects on the entire flavor profile of the confectionery.
• In the production of candies that require a preservative, citric acid is used to increase gel strength.
• It is used as a pH stabilizer to stabilize beverages, preventing the growth of microorganisms.
• In wine production, citric acid is used to provide clarity and acidity.
• Citric acid monohydrate or citric acid anhydrous is used to impart a citrus flavor to non-alcoholic beverages.
• The weak acidic nature of Citric Acid makes it a strong water softener. It works by chelating trace amounts of metals present in the water. For this reason, it is a natural method for softening hard water.
• It is used in the production of cleaning sprays for kitchens and bathrooms. It is used to clean hard water stains, which are impurities caused by metal ions in the water, and to clean dishes in the kitchen.
• Since Citric Acid Monohydrate is a citrus-based acid, its pleasant aroma allows it to be used as a deodorizer. The amount used in this application is low.
• It is found in the formulation of chemicals produced for cleaning colored carpets.
• Small amounts of citric acid are found in shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers, hand soap, nail polish, and various other cosmetic products.
• It is used as an acidity regulator in the production of hard candies.
• In the cosmetics industry, it is used in anti-wrinkle products to increase the skin's water retention capacity.
• It is used as an acidity regulator in some fruit-flavored energy and nutritional supplement drinks.
• In the cosmetics industry, the monohydrate is used for its ability to provide a low pH. It generally helps to make the skin smoother and softer.

What are Other Areas of Use?

• It prevents the formation of kidney stones. Due to its acidic nature, citric acid breaks down stones that form in the body. And it helps the kidneys to function well.
• It is used to remove rust stains from carpets.
• One of the reasons Citric Acid is used in the cosmetics industry is that it helps regenerate skin tissue. Citric Acid prevents skin peeling.
• It is the acid used as an acidity regulator in medications for treating acne.
• It has a property that makes the skin look younger. For this reason, it is used in creams.
• In dried meats, it is used with sodium carbonate as a humectant to reduce moisture loss.
• In glaze compositions applied to the surface of baked goods to help retain moisture, it helps lower the acidity to increase the effectiveness of potassium sorbate.
• It is used in the formulation of cosmetic products to prevent skin discoloration.
• It is used in products that serve as a protein source for skin and hair.
• It is used with some copolymers to prevent scaling during the squeezing and shut-off operations required to increase production rates in oil wells. These copolymers can include aminotrimethylene phosphonic Acid, tetramethylene phosphonic Acid, and methylene phosphonic Acid.
• In olive production, Citric Acid is used as a food preservative additive to give the olives an acidic taste.
• Oilfield drilling fluids exhibiting low fluorescence properties can be emulsified with citric acid. Such emulsifiers can yield beneficial results in the field.
• It is used to reduce salt stains on stuffed vine leaves.
• In the medical field, it is used as an acidity regulator in hair removal formulas.
• It is used in the production of carpet shampoo.

What Factors Affect its Price?

The price of Citric Acid Monohydrate generally varies depending on fluctuations in the agricultural sector. The most influential factor affecting the price of Citric Acid is the price of citrus fruits. For example, an increase in the price of oranges and lemons can radically increase the price of citric acid.

Prices can vary according to the production process. That is, if citric acid is produced by chemical synthesis, it is offered to the market at a higher price than citric acid obtained from fungal fermentation.

The price of Citric Acid Monohydrate is also directly proportional to the prices of the input commodities used in the production process.