Definition

Noun: 1. A salt or ester of arsenic acid: An arsenate is a chemical compound containing the arsenate ion (AsO₄³⁻), which is derived from arsenic acid. These compounds are often found in minerals and have been used historically in pesticides, herbicides, and wood preservatives.

Usage

• Arsenates are typically discussed in scientific contexts, such as chemistry, geology, environmental science, and toxicology.
• The word is used to describe specific chemical entities, their properties, their natural occurrence, or their historical applications.

Examples

• General Use:
  • The geologist identified the green mineral as an arsenate of copper.
  • Lead arsenate was once a common insecticide in orchards.
• Scientific Context:
  • The solubility of the arsenate salt determines its mobility in groundwater.
  • The enzyme can reduce arsenate to arsenite, a more toxic form.

Advanced Usage

• "Arsenate respiration": A metabolic process used by some bacteria in anaerobic environments, where arsenate (AsO₄³⁻) is used as a terminal electron acceptor instead of oxygen.
  • Studies of arsenate respiration in Mono Lake have expanded our understanding of microbial life in extreme environments.

Variants and Related Words

• Arsenic (noun): The chemical element (As) from which arsenates are derived.
• Arsenite (noun): A salt containing the arsenite ion (AsO₃³⁻), which is more toxic and chemically distinct from arsenate.
• Arsenate mineral (noun phrase): A naturally occurring mineral whose structure is based on the arsenate ion, such as erythrite or scorodite.

Synonyms

• Arsenic salt (general, less precise)
• Arseniate (an archaic or alternative spelling, now rare)

Notes on Meaning

The term arsenate refers strictly to the chemical compound. It does not describe the element arsenic in its pure form or other compounds like arsenides or organoarsenicals. Its primary meaning is tied to its specific anionic structure (AsO₄³⁻).

Noun

1. a salt or ester of arsenic acid