acrylamide

[uh-kril-uh-mahyd, -mid, ak-ruh-lam-ahyd, -id]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, odorless, toxic crystalline compound, C 3 H 5 NO, soluble in water, alcohol, and acetone: used in the synthesis of polyacrylamide and other organic materials, as textile fibers, in the processing of ore, and in the treatment of sewage.

acrylamide

1. A chemical compound that is derived from acrylic acid and easily forms polymers. Acrylamide is used in synthetic fibers and sewage treatment and as a medium in electrophoresis, especially to separate macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Chemical formula: C ₃ H ₅ NO.

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrylamide¹

acryl(ic) + amide

Example Sentences

Researchers suggested that acrylamide — a chemical compound that's formed when certain foods, like potatoes, are fried, roasted or baked — is what's behind a higher risk of anxiety and depression.

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But research on rodents exposed them to far higher levels of the compound than humans would consume, and evidence suggests animals also metabolize acrylamide differently than we do.

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Rothamsted Research this month applied for a permit to field test wheat edited to contain less asparagine, an amino acid that becomes the carcinogen acrylamide when baked.

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And for the outward-facing side, they turned to a chemical called acrylamide, which expands at high temperatures.

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The judge determined the warnings were needed because coffee roasting produces trace amounts of acrylamide, a known carcinogen, although the retailers argued there’s no scientific evidence linking coffee consumption with an increased risk of cancer.

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