Haematin

/ˈhiːmətɪn/ noun

Definition

A brownish compound derived from hemoglobin by removal of the protein part, used in medical and chemical research.

Etymology

From Greek haema (blood) + -in (chemical suffix). First isolated in the 1800s when chemists discovered they could separate hemoglobin into its iron-containing core and protein shell.

Kelly Says

Haematin is basically what's left when you strip away the protein from hemoglobin—it's the iron-rich heart of blood, and scientists use it to study everything from disease diagnosis to forensic blood analysis.

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