Our planet is inhabited by millions of tiny organisms known as diatoms. Although these organisms are small in stature, they're having a huge impact on society. When these organisms die, a fossil consisting of a pair of symmetrical shells remains. One of these frustules, as they are called, isn't large enough to accomplish anything with, but when millions of these remains start piling up, they become what has come to be known as diatomaceous earth. The original discoverer, back in around 1837, thought he had discovered limestone which could have been used as fertilizer, but he was wrong, and he couldn't imagine an use for the substance he had found. Individuals soon found uses for the substances since it was available in such large amounts. In 1866 Alfred Nobel used it in his production of safer dynamite, and Wilhelm Berkefeld, noticing that the substance had filtering capabilities, developed "filter candles" which were used successfully during a German cholera epidemic in 1892. However, people still hadn't begun to use diatomaceous earth for filtration purposes just yet. Diatomaceous earth makes an excellent filtering medium thanks to the fact that it is very porous. When you need to filter out tiny particles which will either clog or flow through ordinary filter paper, DE can do the job. Plenty of people use it to decontaminate water. In this application, it is often used to filter the water in fish tanks and also in swimming pools. It can also be used to filter syrup, honey, wine, and beer since it doesn't alter them at all. Other people have found ways to make use of it in the manufacture of paper, soaps and detergents, paints, and ceramics. This material occurs naturally in nature and is available in large amounts. In parts of the western United States, the material is at least 302 feet deep, and there are also sizable deposits in such places as Virginia, Denmark, and the Sahara Desert, to name a few. Using DE as a filtering medium means you won't be doing any damage to the earth. There are numerous other uses that have been found for DE. It can be used in metal cleaners, insecticides, and facial scrubs. We will probably find many more uses for diatomaceous earth as time goes on.
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Diatoms are tiny organisms that inhabit our planet by the millions. They aren't very big, but they are having an impact on our modern society. Whenever they die, they leave behind a pair of symmetrical shells. One of these frustules, as they are called, isn't large enough to accomplish anything with, but when millions of these remains start piling up, they become what has come to be known as diatomaceous earth. The original discoverer, back in around 1837, thought he had discovered limestone ...
Kristie Brown writes on a variety of topics from health to technology. Check out her websites on Portable water purification system and Portable water purification systems
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