thimerosal
Meaning
an organomercury compound formerly used as a preservative in some vaccines and other medical products.
Structure
Usage
due to public concern, thimerosal was removed from most childhood vaccines.
the controversy centered on the ethylmercury component of thimerosal.
some multi-dose influenza vaccines may still contain thimerosal as a preservative.
Etymology
thimerosal is a modern chemical name constructed from clipped forms of its constituent parts. the first element, 'thi-', references the sulfur atom in its thiosalicylate component, tracing back to the greek word for sulfur. the middle segment, '-mer-', is a direct abbreviation of 'mercury', the metallic element at its core, named for the roman deity. the final part, '-sal', abbreviates 'salicylate', derived from the latin for willow, the plant from which related compounds were first isolated. thus, the name literally and logically denotes a 'mercury-containing compound of thiosalicylic acid,' a transparent descriptor for its chemical composition.
Analysis
- thi: from international scientific vocabulary, based on 'thio-', denoting sulfur, from greek 'theion' (sulfur). - mer: a clipped form from 'mercury', from latin 'mercurius', the roman god and the planet, later applied to the liquid metal. - sal: a clipped form from 'salicylate', a salt or ester of salicylic acid, from latin 'salix' (willow tree, the original source of salicylic acid).