Title: Infusorial Earth
Additional Names: Siliceous earth; diatomaceous earth; fossil flour; kieselguhr
Trademarks: Celite; Super-Cel
Literature References: Siliceous frustules and fragments of various species of diatoms. See also Silicon Dioxide.
Properties: White to light gray to pale buff powder. Insol in water, acids, or dil alkalies. Capable of taking up and holding about four times its wt of water.
Use: Clarifying agent. Largely used as an absorbent for liquids and for dispensing fluid extracts in powder form; also in cataplasms and as constituent of and excipient for pill masses. Clarifying oils, varnishes; filtering liquids; manuf heat insulators, fire brick, and fire- and acid-proof packing materials; filler for paper, paints; adsorbent dynamite; in metal polishes, dentifrices, nail polishes; in chromatography. |