mercaptan
/məˈkapt(ə)n
/noun Chemistry
Another term for thiol.Ethyl acetate, hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans, excess sulphur dioxide, and the smellable compounds generated by some bacteria all can be reasons for judging a wine faulty....
- Even a healthy animal not exposed to noxious substances will have some toxins present in the body (e.g., mercaptans, short-chain fatty acids, skatoles, indoles, ketone bodies).
- In the pure science section is the data surrounding the two chemicals ethyl mercaptan and butyl sereno-mercaptan which smell of a combination of rotting cabbage, garlic, onions, burned toast and sewers.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin mercurium captans, literally 'capturing mercury'.