4 iMagazine / April, 2013
Chemical bonds in substances used in Industry
THE ASPIRIN (POLAR COVALENT BOND)
Acetylsalicilic Acid is also known as Aspirin, and as C9H804.
Physical Properties*:
Molecular Weight: 180.15742 g/mol.
Is a solid at room temperature.
Is odorless.
Boiling Point: 140°C or 284°F.
Melting Point: 135°C or 275°F.
Density: 1.4g/cm.
Colorless to white.
Chemical Properties*:
When heated to decompose it, emits acrid smoke
Stabe in dry air; when exposed to moist air, gradually will be hydrolyzed into salicylic and acetic acid
Does not have an electrical conductivity for being covalent
Soluble in water.
*Data from: PubChem(2015): http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/aspirin#section=Top
Acetylsalicylic acid is important because we can use it as an analgesic, which means that we can relieve pain without producing anesthesia.
The advantage of consuming aspirin is that it can retrieve aches, pains, to reduce fever and as an anti-inflammatory drug.
What happen if someone consumes more than he shoud?
There are two ways of having an aspirin overdose, which are:
Acute Overdose
Occurs when the person consumes a very large dose of aspirin at one time (Medline,2015) intentionally or accidentally.
Chronic Overdose
Occurs when a daily aspirin dose builds up in the body and damages your health. Commonly is because your kidneys may not work well or when you are dehydrated. Usually is seen in old patients in hot weathers.
Symptoms
If someone consumes too many aspirins, can have headaches, fatigue, fever, confusion, and rapid heartbeat.
As O'Malley, F. & O'Malley R. (2015) says, you can have low blood pressure, dehydratation, low oxygen level in the blood (Hypoxia), and fluid in the lungs (Pulmonary Edema).