alginic acid
noun/ælˌdʒɪn.ɪk ˈæs.ɪd/
Etymology From algin + -ic and acid.
1
Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Physical sciences An insoluble colloidal acid (C₆H₈O₆)ₙ that in the form of its salts is a constituent of the cell walls of brown algae and is used as a food additive.
- For the long-stalked kelps that sway in dusky forests just below the level of the spring tides, survival in the surf zone is largely a matter of chemistry. Their tissues contain large amounts of alginic acid and its salts, which create a tensile strength and elasticity able to withstand the pulling and pounding of the waves.1955, Rachel Carson, chapter 2, in The Edge of the Sea, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, page 17:
- Synonyms
- E400
- Derived terms
- alginate