glacial acetic acid /glā″shəl/ , a clear, colorless liquid or crystalline substance (CH3COOH) with a pungent odor. It is obtained by the destructive distillation of wood, by oxidation of acetylene and water by air, or by the oxidation of ethyl alcohol by aerobic bacteria, as in the production of vinegar. Glacial acetic acid is strongly corrosive and potentially flammable, having a low flash point. It is miscible in alcohol, ether, glycerol, and water and is used as a solvent for organic compounds. Also called vinegar acid.
