English

Noun

1. Any salt or ester of metaphosphoric acid.

Translations

A metaphosphate is a salt or an ester of metaphosphoric acid, HPO3. Metaphosphates are condensation products of orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) with the sum formula (M'PO3) n. (M': univalent cation). In contrast to polyphosphates, metaphosphates store themselves to ring molecules together. As example the 6-Ring of the trimetaphosphate is represented. Tetrametaphosphates form a similar 8-Ring.

Trimetaphosphates were used in former times in detergents; today due to the fertilization effect of the phosphates zeolites (stand silicates, as e.g. zeolite A) are used.

Sources

http://translate.google.com/translate?sourceid=navclient-menuext&hl=en&u=http%3A//de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphosphate (in English)

Von „http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphosphate“ (German page)