Triethanolammonium salicylate was synthesized, characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, elemrntal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The structure was established, and cation-anion interactions were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that exchange reaction occurs at triethanolammonium salts interaction with silver (I) nitrate, and the product structure was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. The influence of triethanolammonium salicylate solution on the growth properties of the fungus Rhizopus oryzae was studied. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.