1. n. []
A commonly used preservative for starch, xanthan gum, guar gum and other natural polymers that are prone to attack by bacteria. It is as a trimer of formaldehyde and has the formula O-CH2-O-CH2-O-CH2. Paraformaldehyde is a white, water soluble powder. When added to a mud in advance of a bacterial inoculation and maintained, paraformaldehyde can effectively control many strains of bacteria. The amount or paraformaldehyde in a mud can be estimated by oxidizing it with sulfite into formic acid and performing an alkalinity titration, according to a procedure published by API.
See related terms: bactericide, formaldehyde, formic acid, guar gum, sulfate-reducing bacteria, XC polymer
