Glycerol

Cleaves, Henderson James (Jim)

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_657

Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II⁸

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Synonyms

Glycerin; Glycerine; 1, 2, 3-Propantriol

Definition

Glycerol is a three-carbon organic compound with a hydroxyl group on each carbon atom. It is viscous colorless liquid at room temperature. It is extremely soluble in water and is a component of many lipids, either as part of fatty acid esters or phytanyl ethers. Dissolved aqueous glycerol lowers the freezing point of water. Glycerol, as its phosphate ester, is generally metabolically derived from the reduction of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate or dihydroxyacetone phosphate.

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Authors and Affiliations

Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20015, USA
Dr. Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II

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Dr. Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II
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Correspondence to Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II .

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Editors and Affiliations

Astrophysicist, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, BP 89, 33270, Floirac, France
Muriel Gargaud
Departamento de Planetología y Habitabilidad Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Campus Cantoblanco, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28049, Madrid, Spain
Ricardo Amils
Department of Astrophysics, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC) Ctra de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
José Cernicharo Quintanilla
Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20015, USA
Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves II
Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts Lederle Graduate Research, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003-9305, USA
William M. Irvine
GEOTOP & Départment des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
Daniele L. Pinti
Astrobiology, CNES/DSP/EU, 2 place Maurice-Quentin, 75039, Paris, France
Michel Viso

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Cleaves, H.J. (2011). Glycerol. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_657

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_657
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-11271-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-11274-4
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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