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Calcium chloride

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	Calcium chloride
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	Topics Calcium chloride Topic Home Calcium chloride (CaCl₂), is an ionic compoundIon An ion is an atom or group of atoms that normally are electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss of an... of calciumCalcium Calcium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Ca and atomic number 20.... and chlorineChlorine Chlorine , is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl.... . It is highly soluble in water and it is deliquescent. It is a salt that is solidSolid A solid object is in the phase of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume.... at room temperatureRoom temperature Room temperature, in common usage, is taken to be roughly 20–25 degrees Celsius.... , and it behaves as a typical ionIon An ion is an atom or group of atoms that normally are electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss of an... ic halideHalide A halide is a binary compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less... . It has several common applications such as brineBrine Brine is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt.... for refrigeration plants, iceIce Ice is an Oxide class mineral that is referred to by any one of the 14 known solid phases of water.... and dust control on roads, and in cementCement In the most general sense of the word, cement is a binder, a substance which sets and hardens independently, and can bind ot... . It can be produced directly from limestoneLimestone Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite .... , but large amounts are also produced as a by-product of the Solvay processSolvay process Overview The Solvay process, also referred to as the ammonia-soda process is the major industrial process used in the productio... . Because of its hygroscopic nature, it must be kept in tightly-sealed containers. Chemical properties Calcium Chloride can serve as a source of calcium ions in solutionSolution In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of one or more substances, known as solutes, dissolved i... , for instance for precipitationPrecipitation (chemistry) Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution during a physical reaction, such as evaporation.... because many calcium compoundsChemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a ... are insoluble: 3 CaCl₂(aqAqueous solution An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water.... ) + 2 K₃PO₄Potassium phosphate Summary Potassium phosphate is a generic term for the salts of potassium and phosphate ions including:... (aqAqueous solution An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water.... ) ? Ca₃(PO₄)₂Calcium phosphate Calcium phosphate is the name given to a family of minerals containing calcium ions together with orthophosphates, metaphosp... (sSolid A solid object is in the phase of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume.... ) + 6 KClPotassium chloride The chemical compound potassium chloride is a metal halide composed of potassium and chlorine.... (aqAqueous solution An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water.... ) Molten CaCl₂ can be electrolysedElectrolysis In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of separating bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric ... to give calciumCalcium Calcium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Ca and atomic number 20.... metal: CaCl₂(lLiquid A liquid is one of the main phases of matter.... ) ? Ca(sSolid Summary A solid object is in the phase of matter characterized by resistance to deformation and changes of volume.... ) + Cl₂(gGas A gas is one of the four main phases of matter , that subsequently appear as a solid material is subjected to increasingly h... ) Uses (industrial) Millions of tonneTonne A tonne , sometimes referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms.... s of calcium chloride are made each year in the US alone, and it has a wide variety of industrial applications: Because it is strongly hygroscopic, airAIR AIR is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:... or other gasGas A gas is one of the four main phases of matter , that subsequently appear as a solid material is subjected to increasingly h... es may be channeled through a column of calcium chloride to remove moisture. In particular, calcium chloride is usually used to pack drying tubeDrying tube A drying tube or guard tube is a tube-like piece of apparatus used to house a disposable solid desiccant, wherein at o... s to exclude atmospheric moisture from a reaction set-up while allowing gases to escape. It can also be added to liquids to remove suspended or dissolved water. The dissolving process is highly exothermicExothermic ExothermicIn thermodynamics, the word exothermic describes a process or reaction that releases energy in the form of... and rapidly produces temperatures of around 60 °CCelsius The Celsius scale is a temperature scale named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who first proposed a similar sy... (140 °FFahrenheit Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit , who proposed it in 1724.... ). In this capacity, it is known as a drying agent or desiccantDesiccant A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness in its local vicinity in a moderately-well sea... . It is converted to a brineBrine Brine is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt.... as it absorbs the waterWater Water is a tasteless, odorless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solve... or water vaporWater vapor Water vapor, also aqueous vapor, is the gas phase of water.... 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 iceIce Ice is an Oxide class mineral that is referred to by any one of the 14 known solid phases of water.... -melting compound. Unlike the more-common sodium chlorideSodium chloride Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the formula NaCl.... (rock salt or haliteHalite Halite is the mineral form of sodium chloride, NaCl, commonly known as rock salt.... ), 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, however chloride ion leads to corrosion of steel rebarRebar Rebar is common steel reinforcing bar, an important component of reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures.... , so it should not be used in reinforced concreteReinforced concrete Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete in some countries, is concrete in which reinforcement bars or fibers h... . 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 as an additive in plastics, as a drainage aid for wastewater treatment, as an additive in fire extinguisherFire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device to extinguish or control a fire, often in emergency situations.... s, as an additive in control scaffolding in blast furnaceBlast furnace A blast furnace is a type of furnace for smelting iron ore.... s, and as a thinner in fabric softenerFabric softener Fabric softener is used to prevent static cling and makes the fabric softer.... . 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 (food) As an ingredient, it is listed as a permitted food additive in the European Union for use as a sequestrantSequestrant A sequestrant is a food additive whose role is to improve the quality and stability of the food products.... and firming agentFirming agent Firming agents are food additives added in order to precipitate residual pectin, thus strengthening the structure of the foo... with the E numberE number E numbers are codes for food additives and are usually found on food labels throughout the European Union.... 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 ElectrolyteElectrolyte An electrolyte is a substance containing free ions which behaves as an electrically conductive medium.... and has an extremely saltySalty Salty may refer to the following:... taste, as found in sports drinks and other beverages such as SmartwaterGlacéau Glac?au is the name of a line of products sold by Energy Brands, Inc., a beverage company based in the Whitestone section of... and NestleNestlé Nestl S.A. or Socit des Produits Nestl S.A., headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, is the world's biggest food and beve... bottled water. It can also be used as a preservative to maintain firmness in canned vegetables or in higher concentrations in picklesPickled cucumber A pickled cucumber is a popular pickled fruit found in many cuisines around the world .... to give a salty taste while not increasing the food's sodiumSodium Sodium is a chemical element which has the symbol Na , atomic number 11, atomic mass 22.9898 g/mol, oxidation number +1.... content. It is even found in snack foods, including Cadbury CaramilkCadbury Caramilk Caramilk is a chocolate bar made by Cadbury.... chocolate bars (purpose unknown). It can be used to make a caviarCaviar Caviar is the processed salted roe of various species of fish, most notably sturgeon.... 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 brieBrie (cheese) Brie is a soft cow's milk cheese named after Brie, the French province in which it originated.... and stiltonStilton (cheese) Stilton is a cheese of England. It is produced in two varieties: the well-known blue and the lesser-known white.... . 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 GypsumGypsum Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4'2H2O. ... , which is also used to add calcium ions to brewing water, tend to impart a drier, crisper flavour with more bitterness. Uses (biological/medical) Calcium chloride can be injected as intravenous therapyIntravenous therapy Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the administration of liquid substances directly into a vein.... for the treatment of hypocalcaemiaHypocalcaemia In medicine, hypocalcaemia is the presence of low serum calcium levels in the blood, usually taken as less than 2.2 mmol/L o... (low serum calcium). It can be used for: insect bites or stings (such as Black Widow Spider bites); sensitivity reactions, particularly when characterized by urticariaUrticaria Urticaria or hives is a relatively common form of allergic reaction that causes raised red skin welts.... (hives); magnesium intoxication; as an aid in management of the acute symptoms in lead colic; in cardiac resuscitation, particularly after open heart surgery. Parenteral calcium can be used when epinephrineEpinephrine Epinephrine or adrenaline , sometimes spelled "epinephrin" or "adrenalin" respectively, is a hormone and a neurotra... has failed to improve weak or ineffective myocardial contractions. Calcium chloride injection may antagonize cardiac toxicity as measured by electrocardiogramFacts About Electrocardiogram An electrocardiogram is a graphic produced by an electrocardiograph, which records the electrical voltage in the heart... (ECG/EKG). It can help to protect the myocardium from dangerously-high levels of serum potassiumPotassium Potassium is a chemical element. It has the symbol K and atomic number 19.... in hyperkalemiaHyperkalemia Hyperkalemia is an elevated blood level of the electrolyte potassium.... . Calcium chloride can be used to quickly treat Calcium Channel Blocker toxicity, from the side effects of drugs such as Diltiazem—helping avoid potential heart attacks. The aqueous form of calcium chloride is used in genetic transformationTransformation (genetics) Transformation is the genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the introduction, uptake and expression of foreign genetic... of cells by increasing the cell membrane permeability, inducing competenceCompetence (biology) In cell biology, competence is the ability of a cell, usually a bacterium, to take extracellular DNA from its environment an... for DNA uptake (allowing DNA fragments to enter the cell more readily). It can also be used in the reef aquariumReef aquarium A reef aquarium or reef tank is an aquarium containing live corals and other animals associated with coral reefs.... hobby for adding bio-available calcium in solution for calcium-using animals such as algaeAlgae Algae encompass several different groups of usually relatively simple living organisms that capture light energy through ph... , snails, hard tube wormTube worm The name tube worm describes several groups of marine worms that secrete tubes which they then inhabit, emerging to filter f... s, and Corals although the use of calcium hydroxideCalcium hydroxide Calcium hydroxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca2.... (kalkwasser mix) or a calcium reactorCalcium reactor In marine and reef aquariums, a calcium reactor is a device used to create a balance of alkalinity in the system.... 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. Wear gloves and goggles or a full face shield to protect hands and eyes; avoid inhalation. Dry calcium chloride reacts exothermicallyExothermic reaction In chemistry, an exothermic reaction is one that releases heat.... when exposed to water. BurnsBurn (injury) In medicine, a burn is a type of injury to the skin caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. ... can result in the mouth and esophagusEsophagus The esophagus, or gullet is the muscular tube in vertebrates through which ingested food passes from the mouth area to... 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. External links