| alkali | Origin: F. Alcali, ultimately fr. Ar. Alqali ashes of the plant saltwort, fr. Qalay to roast in a pan, fry. 1. Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc. 2. <chemistry> One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, ammoma, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility in alcohol and water, uniting with oils and fats to form soap, neutralising and forming salts with acids, turning to brown several vegetable yellows, and changing reddened litmus to blue. Fixed alkalies, potash and soda. Vegetable alkalies. Same as Alkaloids. Volatile alkali, ammonia, so called in distinction from the fixed alkalies. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| alkali denaturation test | A test for haemoglobin F (Hb F), based on the fact that haemoglobins, with the exception of Hb F, are denatured by alkali to alkaline haematin; the test is sensitive to 2% or more Hb F. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkali disease | A term applied to various animal poisonings of plant and mineral origin in arid regions under the belief that they were caused by the ingestion of alkaline waters; e.g., botulism of wild ducks, caused by feeding on decayed vegetation in nearly dried-up lakes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkali earth metal | See: alkaline earth elements. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkali metal | <chemistry> Any of the highly reactive metals (such as sodium or potassium) found in the first column of the periodic table, these metals act as bases. (13 Nov 1997) |
| alkali reserve | The sum total of the basic ions (mainly bicarbonates) of the blood and other body fluids which, acting as buffers, maintain the normal pH of the blood. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkali sink | <ecology> A land basin in which water evaporation produces high salt concentrations that may, or may not, support salt marsh vegetation. (13 Nov 1997) |
| alkalies | Usually a hydroxide of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium or cesium, but also the carbonates of these metals, ammonia, and the amines. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alkalimetry | <chemistry> The art or process of ascertaining the strength of alkalies, or the quantity present in alkaline mixtures. Origin: Cf. F. Alcalimetrie. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| alkaline | <chemistry> Having the reactions of an alkali. Origin: L. Alkalinus (18 Nov 1997) |
| alkaline D-peptidase | <enzyme> A penicillin-recognizing enzyme from bacillus cereus; has beta-lactamase activity; genbank d86380 Registry number: EC 3.4.99.- Synonym: ADP gene product, alkaline d-stereospecific endopeptidase (26 Jun 1999) |
| alkaline earth | <chemistry> Any of the metallic elements found in the second column of the periodic table, such as calcium and magnesium. (09 Oct 1997) |
| alkaline earth elements | Those element's in the family Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra, the hydroxides of which are highly ionised and hence alkaline in water solution. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkaline earths | See: alkaline earth elements. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkaline elastase | <enzyme> Serine proteinase with molecular weight of 25,000 from alkalophilic bacillus sp. Ya-b Registry number: EC 3.4.21.- (26 Jun 1999) |
| vegetable alkali | A mixture of potassium hydroxide and carbonate. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| caustic alkali | A highly ionised (in solution) alkali; e.g., NaOH. (05 Mar 2000) |
| metals, alkali | Metals that constitute group ia in the periodic table. They are the most strongly electropositive of the metals. (12 Dec 1998) |
| milk-alkali syndrome | <syndrome> A form of metabolic acidosis that can result from the excessive consumption of milk (calcium) and antacids (sodium bicarbonate) over a prolonged period of time. This can result in calcium deposits in the kidneys and body tissues. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and weakness. May be seen as a complication of peptic ulcer therapy. (27 Sep 1997) |
| fixed alkali | Any alkali other than a weakly ionised one, like ammonia. (05 Mar 2000) |