Common Types of Reagents

Kyberlife
2 days ago
3 min read

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Discover the most common types of reagents used in laboratory settings.

In modern scientific research, reagents are essential substances or compounds added to chemical systems to produce specific reactions and results. They play a crucial role across various fields, especially in organic chemistry and biotechnology—by facilitating detection, synthesis, testing, research, and diagnosis.

In biotechnology, common reagents include monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, oligonucleotides, and cell lines. Meanwhile, organic chemistry typically utilizes reagents that are either inorganic compounds or small organic molecules, often used in colorimetric analysis or synthetic transformations.

Some well-known reagents include Grignard reagent, Millon’s reagent, and Collins reagent. Below is a detailed overview of how reagents are classified and some examples by type.

Classification by Purity:

Reagents can be classified into different groups based on its purity level, the higher the grade, the higher the purity level.

A.C.S.

Highest purity level.
Meets specifications set by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Suitable for high-precision analytical and laboratory work.

Reagent

High purity, close to ACS standards.
Ideal for general laboratory and analytical use.

U.S.P

Meets the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia.
Suitable for pharmaceutical research and formulations.

N.F.

Conforms to the National Formulary requirements.
Used in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.

Laboratory

Good purity, though minor unknown impurities may be present.
Common in educational settings, not suitable for food or drug production.

Purified

Practical-grade reagent without standardized specifications.
Used mainly in education or general applications, not for consumption.

Technical

Lower purity, suitable for industrial or commercial purposes.
Not suitable for any biological or food applications.

Example of Reagents

Organic Reagents

Organic reagents are used extensively in inorganic analysis for separation through precipitation, qualitive testing, and detections.

Applications:

Formation of colored complexes with metal ions for detection.
Precipitation of compounds based on solubility differences.
Used in purification and washing of other reagents or solvents.

Examples of Organic Reagents:

Benzene arsenic acid: Buffering agent and precursor for organoarsenic compounds.

Mandelic acid: Used to separate zirconium from iron, aluminum, titanium, and thorium. Typically used as a 0.1 M solution.

Tollen’s Reagent Test

Tollen’s reagent test is a classic test used to test for aldehydes. It consists of a silver (I) amine, for positive results, it forms a silver metallic complex when reacting with aldehydes. reacts with aldehydes to form silver metallic deposits.

Applications:

Differentiates aldehydes from ketones in organic qualitative analysis.

Used in anatomical pathology for detecting chromaffin cells.

Employed in materials science for creating silver mirror coatings.

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