Calcium acetate

Calcium acetate is a chemical compound which is a calcium salt of acetic acid. It has the formula Ca(C₂H₃O₂)₂. Its standard name is calcium acetate, while calcium ethanoate is the systematic name. An older name is acetate of lime. The anhydrous form is very hygroscopic; therefore the monohydrate (Ca(CH₃COO)₂•H₂O) is the common form.

Uses

• In kidney disease, blood levels of phosphate may rise (called hyperphosphatemia) leading to bone problems. Calcium acetate binds phosphate in the diet to lower blood phosphate levels.
• Calcium acetate is used as a food additive, as a stabilizer, buffer and sequestrant, mainly in candy products under the number E263.
• Tofu is traditionally obtained by coagulating soy milk with calcium sulfate. Calcium acetate has been found to be a better alternative; being soluble, it requires less skill and a smaller amount.
• Because it is inexpensive, calcium acetate was once a common starting material for the synthesis of acetone before the development of the cumene process:

Ca(CH₃COO)₂ → CaCO₃(s) + (CH₃)₂CO

• A saturated solution of calcium acetate in alcohol forms a semisolid, flammable gel that is much like "canned heat" products such as Sterno. Chemistry teachers often prepare "California Snowballs", a mixture of calcium acetate solution and ethanol. The resulting gel is whitish in color, and can be formed to resemble a snowball.