Coagulant Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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coagulant

[kษ™สŠหˆรฆษกjสŠlษ™nt ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

medical

A substance that causes blood or other liquids to thicken or coagulate.

Synonyms

clot promoter, clotting agent, thickening agent.

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Word Description / Examples
coagulant

Used in medical or chemical settings to describe a substance that causes blood or another liquid to coagulate.

  • The doctor applied a coagulant to the wound to stop the bleeding
  • The factory uses a coagulant in the process of making cheese
clotting agent

Generally used in medical contexts to refer to substances that assist in the clotting or coagulation of blood.

  • The surgeon injected a clotting agent to minimize bleeding
  • They developed a new clotting agent for patients with hemophilia
thickening agent

Used in culinary or industrial settings to describe substances that make a liquid thicker. This term rarely implies the medical context of blood clotting.

  • Cornstarch is often used as a thickening agent in soups and sauces
  • The product contains a thickening agent to improve its consistency
clot promoter

Specifically used in medical contexts to describe substances that encourage blood clot formation. This term emphasizes the medical nature of the process.

  • In cases of severe bleeding, doctors may use a clot promoter
  • People with blood clotting disorders should avoid clot promoters

Examples of usage

  • The coagulant was administered to stop the bleeding after the accident.
  • The doctor used a coagulant to help the patient's blood clot faster.
Context #2 | Noun

chemistry

A substance that causes particles in a liquid to clump together and settle.

Synonyms

flocculant, precipitant, settling agent.

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Word Description / Examples
coagulant

Used in water and wastewater treatment processes to help gather small particles into larger clumps for easier removal.

  • The treatment plant added a coagulant to the water to improve clarity
settling agent

Used in processes where solid particles need to be forced to the bottom of a liquid, often in beverage production, such as wine or beer making, and in water treatment.

  • A settling agent was added to the wine to ensure clarity before bottling
flocculant

Often paired with a coagulant, it helps to bind aggregated particles together into 'flocs'. Common in industrial water treatment and swimming pools.

  • The technician added a flocculant to the pool to remove impurities
precipitant

Used in chemical processes to cause a substance to separate from a solution as a solid. This is common in laboratory experiments and industrial chemical processes.

  • Adding a precipitant causes the dissolved minerals to form solid particles that can be filtered out

Examples of usage

  • The coagulant added to the solution helped to separate the solid particles from the liquid.
  • The coagulant used in the experiment facilitated the filtration process.

Translations

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Interesting Facts

Science

  • Coagulants are essential in water treatment processes to remove impurities by causing them to clump together.
  • In human physiology, substances like thrombin act as coagulants to help blood clot and prevent excessive bleeding.
  • Certain foods, such as milk, are coagulated using coagulants like rennet in cheese-making.

Medicine

  • Coagulant therapies are often critical in treating hemophilia, a condition where blood doesn't clot properly.
  • Anticoagulants are the opposite of coagulants and are used to prevent blood clots in patients at risk for heart attacks.
  • Some synthetic coagulants are developed for use in surgical procedures to manage patients' blood loss effectively.

Culinary

  • In cooking, coagulants can refer to ingredients that help thicken sauces or curdle foods, like gelatin or agar.
  • Molecular gastronomy often employs coagulants to create unique textures in dishes, such as spherification in modern cuisine.
  • Yogurt production involves the coagulation of milk proteins, transforming liquid milk into a creamy product.

Environment

  • Coagulants are used in sedimentation processes in lakes and rivers to help clarify water, making it cleaner for wildlife.
  • Pollution control measures often use coagulants to bind pollutants together, allowing them to be removed more effectively from waterways.
  • Biopolymers that act as coagulants can be derived from natural sources, making them environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic options.

Origin of 'coagulant'

Main points about word origin

  • The word comes from the Latin verb 'coagulare', meaning 'to curdle' or 'to clot'.
  • It is composed of 'co-' (together) and 'agulant' (to drive), suggesting bringing things together.
  • The term has been used in medical and scientific contexts since the 18th century.

The word 'coagulant' originated from the Latin word 'coagulare', meaning 'to cause to curdle or congeal'. The concept of coagulation has been used in various fields such as medicine, chemistry, and food processing for centuries. The use of coagulants to thicken or separate substances has been a key process in many industries, contributing to advancements in science and technology.


See also: coagulate, coagulating, coagulation.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,380, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.