Description
Clay is a large class of naturally occurring minerals and consists of hydrated aluminum silicates. A major component of fuller’s earth is attapulgite, a hydrated aluminum-magensium silicate [(MgAl)5Si8O 22(OH)4-4H2O].
Fuller’s earth was reported in the 1987 NAS survey of food additives. Three million pounds was reported used as a separation/filtration aid and another 3 million reported used as a clarifying/flocculating agent.D150
.
Chemical Properties
beige, grey or brown powder or granules
Uses
Decolorizing of oils and other liquids, oil-well drilling muds, insecticide carrier, floor-sweeping compounds, cosmetics, rubber filler, carrier for catalysts, filtering medium.
Definition
A porous colloidal aluminum silicate (clay) that has high natural adsorptive power. Gray to yellow color, noncombustible.
