Salting Out

Name:
Salting Out
Detailed information:
Reduction in the water solubility of an organic solid or liquid by adding a salt (usually sodium chloride) to an aqueous solution of the substance. Ions of the dissolved salt attract and hold water molecules, thus making them less free to react with the solute. The result of this is to decrease the solublility of the solute molecules with consequent separation or precipitation. Colloidal suspensions of proteins, soaps, and similar substances are precipitated in this way.