Coagulant: meaning, definitions and examples

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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