Editing Solvent (section)

{{short description|Substance dissolving a solute resulting in a solution}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
[[File:Solvent.png|thumb|A solvent dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution]]
[[File:Ethyl-acetate-3D-balls.png|thumb|Ethyl acetate, a nail polish solvent.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/nail-care/tips/non-acetone-nail-polish-remover.htm| title = What's the Difference Between Acetone and Non-acetone Nail Polish Remover?| date = 3 November 2009}}</ref>]]

A '''solvent''' (from the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''[[wikt:solvo#Latin|solvō]]'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a [[Solution (chemistry)|solution]]. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a [[supercritical fluid]]. Water is a solvent for [[Chemical polarity#Polarity of molecules|polar molecules]], and the most common solvent used by living things; all the ions and proteins in a [[Cell (biology)|cell]] are dissolved in water within the cell.

Major uses of solvents are in paints, paint removers, inks, and dry cleaning.<ref>{{Ullmann |doi=10.1002/14356007.a24_437 |title=Solvents|year=2000 |last1=Stoye |first1=Dieter |isbn=3527306730}}</ref> Specific uses for [[Organic compound|organic]] solvents are in [[dry cleaning]] (e.g. [[tetrachloroethylene]]); as [[paint thinner]]s ([[toluene]], [[turpentine]]); as nail polish removers and solvents of glue ([[acetone]], [[methyl acetate]], [[ethyl acetate]]); in spot removers ([[hexane]], petrol ether); in detergents ([[D-limonene|citrus terpenes]]); and in [[perfume]]s ([[ethanol]]). Solvents find various applications in chemical,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Suarez |first=Adiran Garaizar |last2=Göller |first2=Andreas H. |last3=Beck |first3=Michael E. |last4=Gheta |first4=Sadra Kashef Ol |last5=Meier |first5=Katharina |date=2024-10-29 |title=Comparative assessment of physics-based in silico methods to calculate relative solubilities |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10822-024-00576-y |journal=Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design |language=en |volume=38 |issue=1 |pages=36 |doi=10.1007/s10822-024-00576-y |issn=1573-4951}}</ref> [[pharmaceutical]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Higginbotham |first=T. |last2=Meier |first2=K. |last3=Ramírez |first3=J. |last4=Garaizar |first4=A. |date=2025-02-03 |title=Predicting Drug-Polymer Compatibility in Amorphous Solid Dispersions by MD Simulation: On the Trap of Solvation Free Energies |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00810 |journal=Molecular Pharmaceutics |volume=22 |issue=2 |pages=760–770 |doi=10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00810 |issn=1543-8384}}</ref> oil, and gas industries, including in [[Chemical synthesis|chemical syntheses]] and purification processes

Some [[petrochemical]] solvents are highly toxic and emit [[Volatile organic compound|volatile organic compounds]]. Biobased solvents are usually more expensive, but ideally less toxic and [[Biodegradation|biodegradable]]. Biogenic raw materials usable for solvent production are for example [[Lignocellulosic biomass|lignocellulose]], [[starch]] and [[sucrose]], but also waste and byproducts from other industries (such as [[Terpene|terpenes]], [[Vegetable oil|vegetable oils]] and [[Animal fat|animal fats]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biobased Solvents Market Report: Market Analysis and Forecasts |url=https://ceresana.com/en/produkt/biobased-solvents-market-report-world |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Ceresana Market Research |language=en-US}}</ref>