Dextran

Name:
Dextran
Detailed information:
(macrose). Certain polymers of glucose that have chain like structures and molecular weights up to 200,000. Produced from sucrose by Leuconostoc bacteria. Occurs as slimes in sugar refineries, on fermenting vegetables, or in dairy products. Clinical dextran is standardized to a low molecular weight (75,000); made by partial hydrolysis and fractional precipitation of the high molecular weight particles.

Properties:

Stable to heat and storage. Soluble in water making very viscous solutions. Solutions can be sterilized. Combustible.

Use:

Blood plasma substitute or expander, confections, lacquers, oil-well drilling muds, filtration gel, food additive.