Butyric Acid: Occurrence, Structure, Properties, Uses and Effect

Butyric acid is a colourless, oily, and short chain fatty acid, which goes by the chemical name Butanoic acid. This oily textured liquid is miscible in liquids like water, and other known solvents like ethanol. The acid tastes like butterfat and its occurrence in nature is not widespread.

This oily acid is found in plant oils and animal fats. The esters of this acid are also found in a lot of places. It was first discovered way back in 1814 and serves many useful purposes. 

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What is Butyric Acid?

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Butyric acid has taken its name originally from the Greek word, ‘βο?τ?ρον’, which implies butter. It is an oily and colourless liquid with an unpleasant odour similar to that of vomit. It is also called Butanoic acid, Ethyl Acetic acid, and Propyl formic acid. 

Occurring in a straight chain, it is a carboxylic acid by nature, and can be found in plant oils and animal fats. It is present in the esterified form in them.

The salts of butyric acid are known as butyrate’s, whereas the esters are called butanoates respectively. In its original form of acid, its occurrence is not very widespread like that of its esters. With a taste like butter fat, butyric acid is a common component in industrial chemicals. This acid is also primarily present in the mammalian gut.

Michel Eugène Chevreul, a French chemist, was the one who was successful in discovering butyric acid in 1814, in its impure form. Butyric acid is an ammonium salt by nature and consists of 4 carbon acids.

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Occurrence of Butyric Acid

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The composition of Triglycerides of butyric acid is 3 to 4 percent of butter. When this butter becomes rancid, hydrolysis occurs. This releases the butyric acid from the glyceride. Butanoic/butyric acid is highly reactive with metals and affects them. It affects bases too because of its carboxylic nature.

Research has found that breast milk contains traces of significant amounts of butyric acid in it. Apart from this it is also found extensively in animal fat and plant oils. Milk products like butter and parmesan cheese also contain this acid as an important component. This acid is also found in bovine milk, body odour and vomit. Butanoic acid possesses a strong unpleasant smell and tastes nearly like butter.

Butyric acid is easily discoverable by mammals who are blessed with excellent ability to detect scent. For example, dogs can identify traces of this acid at ten parts per billion. Humans fall behind them, with a capability to detect it only when it is in concentrated form, that is ten parts per million. It acts as a universal agent and has got uses like production of detergents, flavouring agents, and much more.

This chemical compound is also found in humans. Apart from this, the presence of this acid can be found in octyl ester, in parsnips and in the seed of the ginkgo tree.

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Chemical formula & structure of Butyric Acid

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This carboxylic acid goes by the chemical formula CH₃CH₂CH₂CO₂H, or we could simply write it as C₃H₇COOH. The preferred IUPAC name of butyric acid is ‘butanoic acid’.

Structure of Butyric Acid is as follows:

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Physical Properties of Butyric Acid

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Following are the Physical Properties of Butyric Acid:

• It is a colourless clear liquid 
• Butyric acid boils at a temperature of 163.5 °C (326.3 °F)
• Butyric acid has got a very powerful and unpleasant smell
• It is miscible in water
• It is miscible in solvents like ethanol
• The melting point of butyric acid is at −5.1 °C
• Butanoic acid has a density of 1.135 g/cm³

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Chemical properties of Butyric Acid

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Following are the Physical Properties of Butyric Acid:

• Butanoic acid reacts with the sodium hydroxide and produces sodium salt of butanoic acid, including water and carbon dioxide.

20NaOH + 21C₄H₈O₂ → 20 NaC₄H₆O + 4CO₂ + 34H₂O

• The acid on treatment with water produces ether and acetic acid. The chemical equation for this is given as follows.

H₂O + C₄H₈O₂ → CH₃COOH + C₂H₆O

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Uses of Butyric Acid

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Following are the Uses of Butyric Acid:

• Butyric acid is used in the preparation of various butyrate esters. This process is carried by the industrial oxidation of butyraldehyde.
• Used in the making of beers and detergents. It also plays an important role in making of varnishes and production of esters.
• It is solely responsible for production of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB). It makes it a very important function because it is used universally in paints, coating layers, etc. this makes it more bearable to resist the deterioration. When exposed to sunlight, moisture, or heat, CAB ends up degrading. It gives out butyric acid in the process as a by-product. 
• Methyl butyrate is an ester of butyric acid by nature. It has low molecular weight and happens to have a very pleasant aroma. It is for this reason that it is used as a food preservative and a perfume additive for food as well. 
• Butyric acid also serves as a bait to catch fish because of its strong smell. The fish get attracted to this powerful odour and as a result get caught. This acid has also been useful as a stink bomb for disrupting Japanese whaling crews.

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Effects of Butyric Acid

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Following are the Effects of Butyric Acid:

• Inhaling butyric acid leads to irritation in the nose and respiratory tract.
• Makes a person nauseated and induces vomiting upon intake.
• Swallowing this chemical compound also disturbs the stomach.
• Causes a burning sensation upon coming in contact with skin and eyes because of its corrosive nature.
• These chronic health conditions can even last upto years, leading to death of a person. 

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Things to remember

Following are some important points:

• Butyric acid comes from the Greek word ‘buturum’. It is also called Propyl Formic acid and is an oily colourless substance. Butyric acid possesses a strong pungent smell and can cause serious health issues if consumed. This chemical compound was first discovered in the year 1814 by French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul.
• One can find butyric acid occurring in plant oils and animal fats. This acid is also emitted or released from glycerides in the form of hydrolysis. Bovine milk, parmesan cheese, breast milk, also consists of some amounts of butyric acid. 
• Butyric acid has a chemical formula of C₃H₇COOH and is very useful in many fields. It is used in the production of beers, varnishes, esters of butyric acid and some cosmetic products. This carboxylic acid is also used as bait for catching fish. 
• Butyric acid can affect an individual if consumed by mistake. Upon intake, it causes certain discomfort in the respiratory tracts. It also causes headaches and abdominal cramps in the stomach. Apart from this, it can also cause irritation in the nose. Upon coming in contact with skin it causes a burning sensation too. 

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