What has caused the odor in the acrolein test for glycerol?
Jenkin replies: Acrolein has a pungent, irritating smell (think of the word acrid, often used to describe such smells). Acrolein was also called acraldehyde, but with the formula CH2=CHCHO its systematic name is propenal. Propenal can be made by the dehydration of glycerol (correctly named propane-1,2,3-triol), often done by heating with potassium hydrogensulphate. Risk assessment Before attempting any practical work based on the advice and suggestions on this website, you must do the following. Identify any hazards, assess the risks from these hazards, and then decide appropriate control measures to reduce the risks. You must have these approved by those in authority in your school or college laboratory. Do not rely on what is said on this website. For further guidance see our tutorial on Risk Assessment.
