Sodium acetate, a derivative of acetic acid and the primary flavoring for salt and vinegar chips, is available in two forms. The first, sodium acetate anhydrous, is a water-soluble powder with the chemical structure CH3COONa. Adding three molecules of water changes its structure to a crystalline form, its name to sodium acetate trihydrate and its chemical structure to CH3COONa.3H2O. Both forms have variety of therapeutic uses.
Intravenous Use
According to Drugs.com, 3.28g of sodium acetate anhydrous for each 20mL of water creates a solution suitable to add to intravenous fluids. Administering sodium acetate in this way can help reverse the effects of dehydration by restoring sodium levels in extracellular fluid, an electrolyte critical for controlling the amount of water in your body.
Anti-inflammatory Agent
Sodium acetate combined with sodium phosphate, can become an ingredient in injections designed help reduce pain and swelling of the joints due to conditions such as bursitis. Bursitis is inflammation of a fluid-filled sac called the bursa that lies between the bone and tendon of your joints. Repetitive movements or constant compression can cause the bursa to swell, leading to pain and stiffness in your joints. A report published by Dennis A. Cardone, D.O. and Alfred F. Tallia, M.D., of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, relating to elbow bursitis states that these injections are relatively safe and can provide relief for approximately two to six weeks.
Acidosis Treatment
Acidosis is a condition that occurs when blood pH levels fall below 7.35, according to "Lab Tests Online." Because your kidneys are one of the major organs controlling blood pH, when they do not function correctly and fail to eliminate acids in urine, acidosis can develop . As an acid neutralizer, sodium acetate, added during hemodialysis, can help neutralize an acidic environment and restore blood pH levels to the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45.
Heating Pads/Hand Warmers
Sodium acetate in its trihydrate form has exothermic properties that make it useful in "rechargeable" heating pads and hand warmers. According to the website "Sodium Acetate," this exothermic reaction occurs when a metal disc in the pad or warmer triggers trihydrate crystals dissolved in an acetate solution, heated to approximately 100 degrees Celsius, or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and left to cool, to reform crystals. The process of generating heat by reforming sodium acetate crystals can go on indefinitely, simply by reheating the pad or warmer and allowing it to cool again.
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