- Ammonium acetate comes in pharmaceutical, food and technical grades and is available as a crystalline substance, as a 50 percent (by weight) solution in water and as a 57.5 percent (by weight) solution in water.
- Pharmaceutical grade ammonium acetate is used in the manufacture of insulin, which is used to treat type 1 and severe forms of type 2 diabetes, and penicillin, which is an antibacterial agent.
- Technical-grade ammonium acetate is used in the surface treatment of metals, in the printing and dyeing of textiles, and as a catalyst in the production of rayon fiber. It also is employed as a gelling agent (an agent that produces a solid, jellylike substance) in the production of foam rubber and vinyl plastics, as well as in the process of manufacturing industrial detergents.
- Food-grade ammonium acetate is an acidity regulator in dairy products (including products such as chocolate milk and cheeses) and vegetables (including dried, canned and boil-in-the-bag vegetables).
- Pharmaceutical-grade ammonium acetate is also used in chromatography---a technique used for the separation of gases, liquids and dissolved substances. A mixture of a solution of ammonium acetate and a solution of acetic acid is also used as a buffer (a solution that can maintain its acidic or basic nature).
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