Palmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants, a saturated fatty acid found in fats and waxes including olive oil, palm oil, and body lipids. It occurs in the form of esters (glycerides) in oils and fats of vegetable and animal origin and is usually obtained from palm oil, which is widely distributed in plants. Palmitic acid is used in determination of water hardness and is an active ingredient of *Levovist*TM, used in echo enhancement in sonographic Doppler B-mode imaging and as an ultrasound contrast medium.
Belongs to the class of organic compounds known as long-chain fatty acids. These are fatty acids with an aliphatic tail that contains between 13 and 21 carbon atoms.
