NINHYDRIN Meaning and
Definition
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Ninhydrin is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C9H6O4. It is primarily used as a reagent in analytical chemistry and forensic science to detect and visualize the presence of primary and secondary amines.
The compound is a yellowish solid that is soluble in organic solvents but insoluble in water. It has a distinctive odor and a melting point of approximately 250 degrees Celsius. Ninhydrin is known as a tricyclic hydrindene derivative and belongs to the class of organic compounds called keto acids.
In analytical chemistry, ninhydrin is commonly used in a technique called the ninhydrin reaction to identify and quantify amines. It forms colored complexes with amines, particularly those containing a free amino group (-NH2) such as amino acids, proteins, and peptides. The reaction occurs through the formation of a purple-colored compound called Ruhemann's purple, which can be detected visually or quantified using spectrophotometric techniques.
Ninhydrin is also widely applied in forensic science for the detection of latent fingerprints. When ninhydrin is sprayed or applied to a surface, it reacts with the amino acids present in the sweat and oils of fingerprints, producing a purple-blue color that can be visualized and used for identification purposes.
Overall, ninhydrin is an important chemical reagent utilized in various fields to detect, identify, and quantify amines, making it a valuable tool in analytical chemistry and forensic investigations.
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Triketohydrinden-hydrate, C6H4CO.CO.C(OH)2, occurring in the form of colorless water-soluble crystals; employed as a reagent for determining the presence of albumin, peptone, polypeptids, and amino acids, and also of specific proteolytic ferments in the blood, as in the Abderhalden tests.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for NINHYDRIN
Etymology of NINHYDRIN
The word "Ninhydrin" is derived from the chemical composition of the compound.
The term "nin" in Ninhydrin comes from the chemical name "triketohydrindene hydrate", where "nin" represents "indene" – a bicyclic aromatic compound.
The ending "-hydrin" is added to denote the presence of a hydroxyl group (OH), indicating the compound's potential to form hydrates.
Therefore, Ninhydrin refers to a chemical compound that is derived from indene and contains a hydrate moiety.
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