What is CaCl2? CaCl2 is the chemical compound calcium chloride. Outside of high school chemistry class, most of us never even give this wonder compound a second thought. But, it has a wide variety of uses that enhance our lives on a daily basis.

2 Common Uses of CaCl2

CaCl2 in Food: According to the Dow Chemical Company, calcium chloride has been manufactured for well over 100 years. It is considered safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (as with all chemicals, in reasonable dosages). This has been estimated to be between 60-345 milligrams/day for most.

CaCl2 is found naturally in the environment in matters like brine and in foods like cheese. CaCl2 can also be found in medications.

CaCl2 Helps the Environment: When any type of spill occurs that could harm the environment (eg, gas, oil, etc.), the first thing officials look to do is contain the spill. This helps prevent the mass contamination of public water supplies and soil, for example.

Because CaCl2 is a drying agent, it is usually introduced to help contain whatever spill to keep it from spreading. Some of the reasons it is one of the best substances for this use:

CaCl2 is not harmful to aquatic life. This is especially important when you consider some of the massive oil spills that have taken place in the past, eg, the Exxon Valdez. This oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1989, dumping almost 11 million 10.8 million U.S. gallons (40.9 million liters) of crude oil into the sea. Thisi region was highly populated area of sea life (ie, salmon, seals, seabirds, ottters, etc.). For disasters like this, CaCl2 is released in a controlled capacity to help contain the damage, while at the same time protecting the indigenous population.

Another reason experts like to use CaCl2 to clean up natural or man-made disasters is because it is not flammable and does not burn. That way, you literally don’t have to worry about doing more harm than good.

The final reason CaCl2 is good for the environment is that it is totally soluble in water. Therefore, you don’t have to worrya bout buildup or residual damage.

Negative Effects of CaCl2

CaCl2 has some negative effects if ingested in harmful dosages. Like any other chemical substance, the amount of damage depends on the length and time of the exposure, as well as the amount ingested.

Some of the negative effects of the ingestion of CaCl2 include skin irritations, burning, vapors, gastrointestinal ulcerations and inflammation. To cause this kind of damage, CaCl2 would most likely have to be purposefully ingested in a pure, concentrated form.

If this happens for whatever reason, medical experts advise that vomiting should not be induced. A cup of milk or water should be ingested, and prompt medical attention should be sought.

For the most part, CaCl2 adds to our daily lives for it has usages well beyond what many of us appreciate beyond high school chemistry class.