Nomenclature
Siliceous earth; diatomaceous earth; fossil flour; kieselguhr; Celite; Super-Cel. Description and 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.