Pyroligneous acid

Pyroligneous acid

Pyroligneous acid, also called wood vinegar, is a dark liquid produced through the natural act of carbonization, which occurs when wood is heated in an airless container during charcoal production.

Contents

Chemical components

Its principal components are acetic acid and methanol. It was once used as a commercial source for acetic acid. In addition, the vinegar often contains 80-90% water along with some 200 organic compounds.

Medicinal uses

Recently, it has been promoted as a natural aid for various uses including detoxification, mild pain relief, and to sterilize and promote healing of minor wounds. These claims may be of questionable value.(Goldacre 2009, p. 8-9)

Deficiency

During the United States Civil War, cooks in the Confederate States of America tried to make up for an increasing deficiency in salt by preserving meat and fish in pyroligneous acid, which was not very effective (Kurlansky 2002, p. 267-68).

References

Kurlansky, Mark (2002). Salt: A World History. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-200161-9. 

Goldacre, Ben (2009). Bad Science. Fourth Estate. ISBN 978-0-00-728487-0. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pyroligneous acid — n. a reddish brown liquid obtained by destructive distillation of wood and containing chiefly acetic acid, methanol, acetone, furfural, and various tars and oils …   English World dictionary

  • pyroligneous acid — noun a red brown liquid formed in distillation of wood which contains acetic acid, methanol, acetone, wood oils, and tars • Syn: ↑wood vinegar • Hypernyms: ↑liquid * * * noun : an acid reddish brown aqueous liquid of empyreumatic odor obtained by …   Useful english dictionary

  • pyroligneous acid — Wood Wood, n. [OE. wode, wude, AS. wudu, wiodu; akin to OHG. witu, Icel. vi?r, Dan. & Sw. ved wood, and probably to Ir. & Gael. fiodh, W. gwydd trees, shrubs.] [1913 Webster] 1. A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove; frequently …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pyroligneous acid — medžio actas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Actas, gaunamas be oro kaitinant medieną. atitikmenys: angl. pyroligneous acid; wood vinegar rus. древесный уксус …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • pyroligneous acid — noun Etymology: French pyroligneux, from pyr + ligneux woody, from Latin lignosus, from lignum wood more at ligneous Date: 1788 an acid reddish brown aqueous liquid containing chiefly acetic acid, methanol, wood oils, and tars that is obtained by …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pyroligneous acid — noun a dark liquid, produced by the destructive distillation of wood, containing acetic acid, methanol, oils and tars; once used as a commercial source of acetic acid …   Wiktionary

  • pyroligneous acid — Chem. a yellowish, acidic, water soluble liquid, containing about 10 percent acetic acid, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood: used for smoking meats. Also called wood vinegar. [1780 90] * * * …   Universalium

  • pyroligneous acid — py•ro•lig′ne•ous ac′id [[t]ˌpaɪ rəˈlɪg ni əs[/t]] n. chem. a yellowish liquid distilled from wood, composed of acetic acid, acetone, and methyl alcohol: used for smoking meats • Etymology: 1780–90 …   From formal English to slang

  • pyroligneous acid — /ˌpaɪroʊˌlɪgniəs ˈæsəd/ (say .puyroh.ligneeuhs asuhd) noun an acidic distillate obtained from wood and containing about 10 per cent acetic acid; wood vinegar …  

  • Pyroligneous — Pyr o*lig ne*ous, Pyrolignic Pyr o*lig nic, a. [Pyro + L. lignum wood: cf. F. pyroligneux.] (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, the acid liquid obtained in the distillation of wood, consisting essentially of impure acetic acid. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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