a chemical reagent used for the detection and analysis of primary amines, esp amino acids, with which it forms a derivative with an intense purple colour
Word origin
C20: from the chemical name triketo hydrindene
ninhydrin in American English
(nɪnˈhaidrɪn)
noun
Chemistry
a white or yellow, toxic, crystalline or powdery compound, C9H4O3⋅H2O, that reddens when heated above 100°C, a monohydrate, soluble in water or alcohol: used primarily as a reagent to detect the presence of various amino acids
Word origin
[‹ G, registered as a trademark for the drug in 1912]
Examples of 'ninhydrin' in a sentence
ninhydrin
Wet solutions - ninhydrin or diazafluoren - are used on porous objects.