sulfonate

1 of 2

noun

sul·​fo·​nate ˈsəl-fə-ˌnāt How to pronounce sulfonate (audio)
: a salt or ester of a sulfonic acid

sulfonate

2 of 2

verb

sulfonated; sulfonating

transitive verb

: to introduce the SO3H group into
broadly : to treat (an organic substance) with sulfuric acid
sulfonation noun

Examples of sulfonate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Some common chemical names to look out for include linear alkylate sulfonate or any other variety with sulfate or sulfonate in their name and enzymes like amylase, lipase and protease. Jodhaira Rodriguez, Good Housekeeping, 11 Oct. 2022 While many shampoos contain sulfates, foaming agents that remove buildup but can dry out the hair and scalp, Vegamour relies on sulfate alternatives such as sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and lauramidopropyl betaine to sweep away buildup and dirt. Iman Balagam, Allure, 27 Mar. 2023 The tests showed that the foam contained perfluorooctane sulfonate, also known as PFOS, and three other compounds. From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 30 July 2021 Since the early 2000s, chemical companies have agreed to phase out two common forms of the chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOA and PFOS. Kris Maher, WSJ, 4 Feb. 2020 The chemicals found – perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid – are in firefighting foam and implicated in some types of cancer and thyroid effects, school officials said, pointing to several scientific studies. Martin E. Comas, OrlandoSentinel.com, 3 July 2018 The police department determined that the chemical was a sulfonate solution that originated from the Calumet-Penreco plant upstream. Nick Powell, Houston Chronicle, 22 Jan. 2018 Alabama contaminants The main contaminants in Alabama are: Mercury Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Perfluoralkyl sulfonate (PFOS What is mercury? Leada Gore, AL.com, 11 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sulfonate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1876, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sulfonate was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near sulfonate

Cite this Entry

“Sulfonate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sulfonate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

sulfonate

1 of 2 noun
sul·​fo·​nate
variants or chiefly British sulphonate
: a salt or ester of a sulfonic acid

sulfonate

2 of 2 transitive verb
variants or chiefly British sulphonate
sulfonated or chiefly British sulphonated; sulfonating or chiefly British sulphonating
: to introduce the SO3H group into
broadly : to treat (an organic substance) with sulfuric acid
sulfonation noun
or chiefly British sulphonation

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