Salicylic acid the OH group is "ortho" to the carboxyl group. It is also known as 2-hydroxybenzoic acid. It is poorly soluble in water (2 g/L at 20 °C). Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid or ASA) can be prepared by the esterification of the phenolic hydroxyl group of salicylic acid with the acetyl group from acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride. Salicylic acid can also be prepared using the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction. Salicylic acid is used as a food preservative, a bactericidal and an antiseptic. Sodium salicylate is a useful phosphor in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range, with nearly flat quantum efficiency for wavelengths between 10
Acid-fastness Acid-fastness Acid-fastness is a physical property of certain bacterial and eukaryotic cells, as well as some sub-cellular structures, specifically their resistance to decolorization by acids during laboratory staining procedures. Once stained as part of a sample, these organisms can resist the acid and/or ethanol-based decolorization procedures common in many staining protocols, hence the name "acid-fast". The mechanisms of acid-fastness vary by species, although the most well-known example is in the genus "Mycobacterium", which includes the species responsible for tuberculosis and leprosy. The acid-fastness of "Mycobacteria" is due to the high mycolic acid content of their cell walls, which is responsible