perchlorate

noun per·chlo·rate \ (ˌ)pər-ˈklȯr-ˌāt , -ət \

Definition of perchlorate

:a salt or ester of perchloric acid

Recent Examples of perchlorate from the Web

The burning waste is rich in lead, mercury, chromium and compounds like nitroglycerin and perchlorate, all known health hazards.

— krista stevens, Longreads, "Open Burning: A Banned Practice That’s Poisoning America," 21 July 2017
The researchers exposed the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, a common spacecraft contaminant, to perchlorates and UV radiation at levels similar to those found at and near the Martian surface.

— mike wall space.com senior writer, Fox News, "Mars soil may be toxic to microbes," 7 July 2017
The researchers exposed the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, a common spacecraft contaminant, to perchlorates and UV radiation at levels similar to those found at and near the Martian surface.

— mike wall, Scientific American, "Toxic Compounds May Sterilize Martian Soil," 7 July 2017
As Kluger reports, some bacteria on Earth use naturally occurring perchlorate as an energy source.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Mars Surface May Be Too Toxic For Microbial Life," 7 July 2017
Cells bathed in radiation without the perchlorate experienced just a two-fold fall-off.

— jeffrey kluger, Time, "Why Life on Mars May Be Impossible," 6 July 2017
A substance called perchlorate exists in relatively high quantities on Mars (and also on Earth in bleach and other substances), making up about 1 percent of all the dust on the red planet.

— laura poppick, Smithsonian, "When Humans Begin Colonizing Other Planets, Who Should Be in Charge?," 1 Mar. 2017
Temperatures swing from -225 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (-153 to 20 degrees Celsius), and gentle winds swirl over soils filled with toxic perchlorates.

— michael greshko, National Geographic, "Retro Posters Show NASA’s Vision for Our Future on Mars," 16 June 2016
States still have the option of regulating perchlorate on their own — but this is not easy, said Charles DeSaillan, New Mexico’s assistant attorney general for natural resources.

— brandon keim, WIRED, "Feds Set to Eliminate Water Regulations for Toxin," 3 Dec. 2008

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perchlorate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.