Silicium dioxide, commonly known as "silica gel" is a desiccant that can be found in the form of beads, granules, powder or small pebbles. Each grain of silica is made of silicium atoms interconnected with each other through oxygen atoms.
This product is very common: for example, it can be found in shoe boxes or in the packaging of electrical appliances in small white paper bags. It is also used to make cat litter and to dry out plants in flower arrangements.
Silica gel is not a toxic substance because our bodies do not assimilate it.
The silica gel beads we use are either transparent or colored. If coloured, the color is a saturation indicator: the silica gel changes from orange to green to blue when it is saturated with moisture.
Did you know that silica gel played a key role during the two World Wars? During the First World War, it was used in the filters of gas masks. During World War II, itwas essential to the preservation of penicillin and the protection of electronic equipment against moisture.
