Trisodium phosphate

Trisodium phosphate (TSP), available at most hardware stores in white powder form, is a cleaning agent and degreaser, commonly used to prepare household surfaces for painting. It can also be called trisodium orthophosphate and has the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a highly water-soluble ionic salt. Solutions of it dissolved in water have an alkaline pH.

Related Topics:
Degreaser - Chemical formula - Solution - Alkaline - PH

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It can also be found as a food additive; it is used as a buffer agent, emulsifier, thickening agent, nutrition enlargement agent and metal-chelating agent. In these uses it may be known as simply sodium phosphate. It also goes by this name when sold as an enema, working as a laxative to treat constipation. Sodium phosphate enemas are sold over-the-counter in the United States. However it should not be confused with the related compounds sodium dihydrogen phosphate, also known as monosodium phosphate or MSP, and disodium hydrogen phosphate.

Related Topics:
Metal-chelating - Sodium dihydrogen phosphate - Disodium hydrogen phosphate

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