Other Organo-inorganic Acids & Derivatives

Organo-inorganic acids and their derivatives are generally soluble in water. They contain many phenolic and/or carboxylic acid groups. They possess chelating properties in forming metal complexes with metal ions. Owing to its nature, many of the organo-inorganic acids and their derivatives are stable, for example, humic acid, fulvic acid, and citric acid diammonium salt. Humic acid is a complex mixture of many acidic compounds containing carboxylic and phenolic acids. Fulvic acids have a lower molecular weight and are highly oxygenated analogues of humic acids, and are used in agriculture as soil supplements.

Organo-inorganic acids and their derivatives are used in the food, cosmetics, plastic, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. They are used as nutrient or food additives, where they function as acidity regulators. Other applications include: sequestering and stabilizing agents, antioxidants, firming agents, plasticizers and fertilizers, dispersants, and dyes. The formation of sequestering complexes with metal ions makes the ions bioavailable in biological systems, and makes these acids biologically very important.