Ko te waikawa acetic he waikawa carboxylic kukū kei roto ngā ngota waro e rua, ā, he mea nui e whai wāhi ana ki te hāora o ngā warowaihā. Ko tōna tauira ngota ko C₂H₄O₂, me te tauira hanganga CH₃COOH, ā, ko tōna rōpū mahi ko te rōpū carboxyl. Hei wāhanga matua o te winika, e mōhiotia whānuitia ana te waikawa acetic glacial ko te waikawa acetic. Hei tauira, kei roto i te ahua o ngā esters i roto i ngā hinu hua, i ngā hinu huawhenua rānei, i roto i ngā kiko kararehe, i ngā paru, me te toto, kei roto i te waikawa acetic glacial he waikawa kore utu. Kei roto i te winika noa te 3% ki te 5% o te waikawa acetic.

Neke atu i te 20 tau o te wheako hei kaihokohoko i te waikawa acetic glacial, kei reira ngā raraunga. Pāwhiri ki konei hei tiki i tētahi whakatau utu.