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Calcium chloride

 
Calcium Chloride

 
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Calcium chloride
 
 
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Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a common salt. It behaves as a typical ion
Ion

An ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative electrical charge. According to the Bohr_model this will be from or in the outer shield 'n'....
ic halide
Halide

A halide is a binary compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an chemical element or radical that is less electronegative than the halogen, to make a fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, or astatide compound....
, and is solid
Solid

A solid object is in the states of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume. In other words, it has high values both of Young's modulus and of shear modulus; this contrasts e.g....
 at room temperature
Room temperature

Room temperature is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space at which humans are accustomed.Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 10celsius to 23?C , though climate may acclimatize people to higher or lower temperatures....
. It has several common applications such as brine
Brine

File:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848.JPGFile:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848-2.JPGBrine is water Saturation or nearly saturated with a Salt .It is used to preserve vegetables, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining ....
 for refrigeration plants, ice
Ice

Ice is a solid phases of matter, usually crystalline solid, of a non-metallic substance that is liquid or gas at room temperature, such as ammonia ice or methane ice....
 and dust control on roads, and in concrete
Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
. It can be produced directly from limestone
Limestone

File:Limestone Formation In Waitomo.jpgLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geology record....
, but large amounts are also produced as a by-product of the Solvay process
Solvay process

The Solvay process, also referred to as the ammonia-soda process, is the major industrial process for the production of soda ash . The ammonia-soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay during the 1860s....
. Because of its hygroscopic nature, it must be kept in tightly-sealed containers.






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Encyclopedia


Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a common salt. It behaves as a typical ion
Ion

An ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative electrical charge. According to the Bohr_model this will be from or in the outer shield 'n'....
ic halide
Halide

A halide is a binary compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an chemical element or radical that is less electronegative than the halogen, to make a fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, or astatide compound....
, and is solid
Solid

A solid object is in the states of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume. In other words, it has high values both of Young's modulus and of shear modulus; this contrasts e.g....
 at room temperature
Room temperature

Room temperature is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space at which humans are accustomed.Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 10celsius to 23?C , though climate may acclimatize people to higher or lower temperatures....
. It has several common applications such as brine
Brine

File:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848.JPGFile:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848-2.JPGBrine is water Saturation or nearly saturated with a Salt .It is used to preserve vegetables, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining ....
 for refrigeration plants, ice
Ice

Ice is a solid phases of matter, usually crystalline solid, of a non-metallic substance that is liquid or gas at room temperature, such as ammonia ice or methane ice....
 and dust control on roads, and in concrete
Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
. It can be produced directly from limestone
Limestone

File:Limestone Formation In Waitomo.jpgLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geology record....
, but large amounts are also produced as a by-product of the Solvay process
Solvay process

The Solvay process, also referred to as the ammonia-soda process, is the major industrial process for the production of soda ash . The ammonia-soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay during the 1860s....
. Because of its hygroscopic nature, it must be kept in tightly-sealed containers. It is used to turn kelp
Kelp

Kelp are large seaweed plants , belonging to the brown algae and classified in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genus. Some species can be very long and form kelp forests....
 into a solid.

Chemical properties

Calcium chloride can serve as a source of calcium ions in solution
Solution

In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent....
, for instance for precipitation
Precipitation (chemistry)

Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution during a chemical reaction. When the reaction occurs, the solid formed is called the precipitate, and the liquid remaining above the solid is called the supernate....
 because many calcium compounds
Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a Chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical element Chemical bond together in a fixed mass ratio that can be split into simpler substances....
 are insoluble: this is made out of calcium and chlorine elements.

3CaCl2+2K3PO4 (aq
Aqueous solution

An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water. It is usually shown in chemical equations by appending to the relevant formula....
) ? Ca3(PO4)2
Calcium phosphate

Calcium phosphate is the name given to a family of minerals containing calcium ions together with orthophosphates , metaphosphates or pyrophosphates and occasionally hydrogen or hydroxide ions....
(s
Solid

A solid object is in the states of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume. In other words, it has high values both of Young's modulus and of shear modulus; this contrasts e.g....
) + 6 KCl
Potassium chloride

The chemical compound potassium chloride is a metal halide Salt composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state it is odorless. It has a white or colorless vitreous crystal, with a crystal structure that cleaves easily in three directions....
(aq
Aqueous solution

An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water. It is usually shown in chemical equations by appending to the relevant formula....
)

Molten CaCl2 can be electrolysed
Electrolysis

In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of separating Chemical bond chemical compound by passing an electric current through them....
 to give calcium
Calcium

Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the earth's Crust ....
 metal and chlorine gas:

CaCl2(l
Liquid

Liquid is one of the principal states of matter. A liquid is a fluid that has the particles loose and can freely form a distinct surface at the boundaries of its bulk material....
) ? Ca(s
Solid

A solid object is in the states of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume. In other words, it has high values both of Young's modulus and of shear modulus; this contrasts e.g....
) + Cl2(gas
Gas

In physics, a gas is a state of matter, consisting of a collection of particles without a definite shape or volume that are in more or less random motion....
)

Uses in industry


Because it is strongly hygroscopic, air
AIR

Air is the part of Earth's atmosphere that humans breath and as such Air .Air may also refer to:...
 or other gas
Gas

In physics, a gas is a state of matter, consisting of a collection of particles without a definite shape or volume that are in more or less random motion....
es may be channeled through a column of calcium chloride to remove moisture. In particular, calcium chloride is usually used to pack drying tube
Drying tube

A drying tube or guard tube is a tube-like piece of apparatus used to house a disposable solid desiccant, wherein at one end the tube-like structure terminates in a ground glass joint for use in connecting the drying tube to a reaction vessel, for the purpose of keeping that reaction vessel free of moisture....
s to exclude atmospheric moisture from a reaction set-up while allowing gases to escape. It cannot, however, be used to dry alkaline gases such as ammonia because it will form addition products. It can also be added to liquids to remove suspended or dissolved water. The dissolving process is highly exothermic
Exothermic

File:Explosion1.JPG In thermodynamics, the term exothermic describes a process or reaction that releases energy usually in the form of heat, but also in form of light , electricity , or sound....
 and rapidly produces temperatures of around 60 °C
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
 (140 °F
Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724. Today, the scale has largely been replaced by the Celsius scale; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other countries such as Belize....
). In this capacity, it is known as a drying agent or desiccant
Desiccant

A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness in its local vicinity in a moderately-well sealed container.Commonly encountered pre-packaged desiccants are solids, and work through absorption or adsorption of water, or a combination of the two....
. It is converted to a brine
Brine

File:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848.JPGFile:Kissingen-Solepumpe-1848-2.JPGBrine is water Saturation or nearly saturated with a Salt .It is used to preserve vegetables, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining ....
 as it absorbs the water
Water

Water is a common chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or States of matter, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam....
 or water vapor
Water vapor

Water vapor or water vapour , also aqueous vapor, is the gas phase of water . Water vapor is one Phase of the water cycle within the hydrosphere....
 from the substance to be dried:

CaCl2 + 2 H2O ? CaCl2·2H2O


Aided by the intense heat evolved during its dissolution, calcium chloride is also used as an ice
Ice

Ice is a solid phases of matter, usually crystalline solid, of a non-metallic substance that is liquid or gas at room temperature, such as ammonia ice or methane ice....
-melting compound. Unlike the more-common sodium chloride
Sodium chloride

Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula SodiumChlorine....
 (rock salt or halite
Halite

Halite is the mineral form of sodium chloride, sodiumchlorine, commonly known as rock salt. Halite forms Cubic crystals. The mineral is typically colorless to yellow, but may also be light blue, dark blue, and pink depending on the amount and type of impurities....
), it is relatively harmless to plants and soil; however, recent observations in Washington state suggest it may be particularly harsh on roadside evergreen trees. It is also more effective at lower temperatures than sodium chloride. When distributed for this use, it usually takes the form of small white balls a few millimetres in diameter, called prills (see picture at top of page).

Used for its hygroscopic property, it can be applied to keep a liquid layer on the surface of the roadway, which holds dust down. It is used in concrete mixes to help speed up the initial setting, but chloride ion leads to corrosion of steel rebar
Rebar

A rebar, or reinforcing bar, is a common steel bar, and is commonly used in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures. It is usually formed from carbon steel, and is given ridges for better mechanical anchoring into the concrete....
, so it should not be used in reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete

Reinforced concrete is concrete in which steel reinforcement bars or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen a material that would otherwise be brittle....
. The anhydrous form of calcium chloride may also be used for this purpose and can provide a measure of the moisture in concrete.

Aqueous calcium chloride (in solution with water) lowers the freezing point as low as -52°C (-62°F), making it ideal for filling agricultural implement tires as a liquid ballast, aiding traction in cold climates.

Other industrial applications include use as an additive in plastics, as a drainage aid for wastewater treatment, as an additive in fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user , or otherwise requires the expertise of a fire department....
s, as an additive in control scaffolding in blast furnace
Blast furnace

A blast furnace is a type of metallurgy furnace used for smelting to produce metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions take place throughout the furnace as the material moves downward....
s, and as a thinner in fabric softener
Fabric softener

Fabric Softener is used to prevent static cling and make fabric softer. It is available as a liquid or as dryer sheets. Popular brand names include Downy , Snuggle, Bounce , Comfort and Sta-Soft....
.

North American consumption in 2002 was 1,687,000 tons (3.7 billion pounds). A Dow Chemical Company manufacturing facility in Michigan, houses about 35% of the total U.S. production capacity for calcium chloride.

Uses in food

As an ingredient, it is listed as a permitted food additive in the European Union for use as a sequestrant
Sequestrant

A sequestrant is a food additive whose role is to improve the quality and stability of the food products. Sequestrants form chelate complexes with polyvalent metal ions....
 and firming agent
Firming agent

Firming agents are food additives added in order to precipitation residual pectin, thus strengthening the structure of the food and preventing its collapse during processing....
 with the E number
E number

E numbers are number codes for food additives and are usually found on food labels throughout the European Union. The numbering scheme follows that of the International Numbering System as determined by the Codex Alimentarius committee....
 E509, and considered as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (21 CFR § 184.1193) The average intake of calcium chloride as food additives has been estimated to be 160-345 mg/day for individuals. Ingestion of concentrated or pure calcium chloride products may cause gastrointestinal irritation or ulceration. The anhydrous form has been approved by the FDA as a packaging aid to ensure dryness (CPG 7117.02).

Calcium chloride is commonly used as an electrolyte
Electrolyte

An electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that behaves as an electrical conductor medium. Because they generally consist of ions in solution, electrolytes are also known as ionic solutions, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
 and has an extremely salty
Salty

Salty may refer to the following:*An adjective describing something with the properties, usually taste, of salt*An adjective describing something related to the sea e.g....
 taste, as found in sports drinks and other beverages such as Smartwater
Glacéau

Energy Brands, also doing business as Glac?au, is a privately owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola Company based in Whitestone, Queens, New York City that manufactures and distributes various lines of Flavored water....
 and Nestle
Nestlé

Nestl? is a Multinational corporation packaged food company founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, and listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange with a turnover of over 87 billion Swiss francs....
 bottled water. It can also be used as a preservative to maintain firmness in canned vegetables or in higher concentrations in pickles
Pickled cucumber

A pickled cucumber, most often simply called a pickle in the United States and Canada, is a cucumber that has been Pickling in a brine, vinegar, or other solutions and left to ferment for a period of time....
 to give a salty taste while not increasing the food's sodium
Sodium

Sodium is an element which has the symbol Na , atomic number 11, atomic mass 23 amu , and a common oxidation number +1. Sodium is a soft, silvery white, highly reactive element and is a member of the alkali metals within "group 1" ....
 content. It is even found in snack foods, including Cadbury Caramilk
Cadbury Caramilk

Caramilk is a candy bar made by Cadbury Adams in Canada. It was first sold in 1968.Variations available, some of them limited editions, include Caramilk made with dark chocolate, Caramilk with maple, and Caramilk filled with chocolate or cappuccino....
 chocolate bars (purpose unknown).

It can be used to make a caviar
Caviar

Caviar is the Food processing, salted roe of certain species of fish, most notably the sturgeon and the salmon . It is commercially marketed worldwide as a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or a spread; for example, with hors d'?uvres....
 substitute from vegetable or fruit juices or added to processed milk to restore the natural balance between calcium and protein for the purposes of making cheese such as brie
Brie (cheese)

Brie is a soft cows' cheese named after Brie , the France province in which it originated . It is pale in colour with a slight greyish tinge under crusty white mould; very soft and savoury with a hint of ammonia....
 and stilton
Stilton (cheese)

Stilton is a cheese of England. It is produced in two varieties: the well-known blue and the lesser-known white. Both have been granted the status of a protected designation of origin by the European Commission....
. Calcium chloride's exothermic properties are exploited in many 'self heating' food products where it is activated (mixed) with water to start the heating process, providing a non-explosive, dry fuel that is easily activated.

In brewing beers (esp. ales and bitters), calcium chloride is sometimes used to correct mineral deficiencies in the brewing water (calcium is important for enzyme function during the mash, for kettle protein coagulation (the "hot break") and yeast metabolism) and adds permanent hardness to the water. The chloride ions enhance flavour and give a perception of sweetness and fuller flavour, whereas the sulfate ions in gypsum
Gypsum

Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula calciumsulfuroxygen4?2water....
, which is also used to add calcium ions to brewing water, tend to impart a drier, crisper flavour with more bitterness.

Uses in drugs

Calcium chloride can be injected as intravenous therapy
Intravenous therapy

File:Infuuszakjes.jpgIntravenous therapy or IV therapy is the giving of liquid substances directly into a vein. It can be intermittent or continuous; continuous administration is called an intravenous drip....
 for the treatment of hypocalcaemia
Hypocalcaemia

In medicine, hypocalcemia is the presence of low blood plasma calcium levels in the blood, usually taken as less than 2.1 mmol/L or 9 mg/dl or an ionized calcium level of less than 1.1 mmol/L ....
 (low serum calcium). It can be used for insect bites or stings (such as Black Widow Spider bites); sensitivity reactions, particularly when characterized by urticaria
Urticaria

Urticaria are a kind of skin rash notable for dark red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives are frequently caused by allergic reactions, however there are many non-allergic causes....
 (hives); magnesium intoxication; as an aid in management of the acute symptoms in lead colic; in cardiac resuscitation, particularly after open heart surgery. Parenteral
Parenteral

Parenteral refers to a route of administration that involves piercing the skin or mucous membrane.Total parenteral nutrition refers to providing nutrition via the veins....
 calcium can be used when epinephrine
Epinephrine

Epinephrine is a hormone and neurotransmitter.Epinephrine increases the "fight or flight" response of the Sympathetic nervous system of the autonomic nervous system....
 has failed to improve weak or ineffective myocardial contractions. Calcium chloride injection may antagonize cardiac toxicity as measured by electrocardiogram
Electrocardiogram

An electrocardiogram is a recording of the electricity activity of the heart over time produced by an electrocardiograph, usually in a Non-invasive recording via skin electrodes....
 (ECG/EKG).

It can help to protect the myocardium from dangerously-high levels of serum potassium
Potassium

Potassium is a chemical element. It has the symbol K , atomic number 19, and atomic mass 39.0983. Potassium was first isolated from potash, hence the name....
 in hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia Hyperkalaemia is an elevated blood level of the electrolyte potassium. The prefix hyper- means high . The middle kal refers to kalium, which is neo-Latin for potassium....
. Calcium chloride can be used to quickly treat Calcium Channel Blocker toxicity, from the side effects of drugs such as Diltiazem (Cardizem)—helping avoid potential heart attacks.

The aqueous form of calcium chloride is used in genetic transformation
Transformation (genetics)

In molecular biology, transformation is the Introduction to genetics alteration of a cell resulting from the uptake, genomic incorporation, and expression of foreign genetic material ....
 of cells by increasing the cell membrane permeability, inducing competence
Competence (biology)

In microbiology, genetics, cell biology and molecular biology, competence is the ability of a cell to take up extracellular DNA from its environment....
 for DNA uptake (allowing DNA fragments to enter the cell more readily).

It can also be used in the reef aquarium
Reef aquarium

Marine aquaria include "fish only" tanks, "fish only with live rock" tanks, and "reef tanks". Fish only tanks often showcase large or aggressive marine fish species and generally rely on mechanical and chemical filtration....
 hobby for adding bio-available calcium in solution for calcium-using animals such as algae
Algae

Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms. The largest and most complex marine forms are called seaweeds....
, snails, hard tube worm
Tube worm

The name tube worm may refer to any of a number of unrelated tube-dwellingworm-like invertebrates.These include chiefly various polychaetes, specifically the Family Siboglinidae , Serpulidae, and related families of the order Canalipalpata....
s, and corals although the use of calcium hydroxide
Calcium hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide, traditionally called slaked lime, hydrated lime, or pickling lime, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Calcium2....
 (kalkwasser mix) or a calcium reactor
Calcium reactor

In marine aquarium and reef aquariums, a calcium reactor is a device used to create a balance of Alkali in the system. An acidic solution is produced by injecting carbon dioxide into a chamber with salt water and calcium rich media....
 is the preferred method of adding calcium. However, calcium chloride is the quickest method to increase calcium levels as it dissolves readily in water.

Precautions

Calcium chloride is an irritant, particularly on moist skin.

Dry calcium chloride reacts exothermically
Exothermic reaction

An exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that releases energy in the form of heat. It is the opposite of an endothermic reaction. Expressed in a chemical equation:...
 when exposed to water. Burns
Burn (injury)

A burn is a type of injury that may be caused by heat, Temperature, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation, or friction. Burns can be highly variable in terms of the tissue affected, the severity, and resultant complications....
 can result in the mouth and esophagus
Esophagus

The esophagus or oesophagus , sometimes known as the gullet, is an Organ in vertebrates which consists of a Muscle tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach....
 if humans or other animals ingest dry calcium chloride pellets. Small children are more susceptible than adults (who generally have had experience trying to eat hot food, and can react accordingly) so calcium chloride pellets should be kept out of their reach.

Natural occurrence

Natural occurrence of a dihydrate (mineral sinjarite) and hexahydrate (antarcticite) is very rare and connected mainly with dry lakes and brines. Chlorocalcite KCaCl3 is a related mineral (also very rare).

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