Uses of Lime

Lime is the most versatile chemical substance which has wide usage in many industrial applications. Lime is considered to be the most significant building material as for its nature of composition.  We find lime in three forms, one is calcium carbonate, second one is burnt lime or quick lime and third lime is hydrated lime. As for the formation we have different formations and applications in the industries.

As hydrated Lime, slaked lime or pickling lime its uses are unique in nature:

• It is used in water and sewage treatment and improvement of acid soils as flocculent.
• It is an important ingredient in whitewash, mortar, and plaster
• It acts as a alkali and used as lye substitute in no-lye relaxers
• This is used calcium supplement for baby formulas
• It acts as a chemical re-agent, it can create as a long lasting form of fungicide and also the reef aquarium hobby for adding bio-available calcium in solution for calcium-using animals such as algae, snails, hard tube worms, and corals (often referred to as Kalkwasser mix), and also used to increase the alkalinity of the water
• In the tanning industry for neutralization of acid, the liming of hides and skins and the flocculation of wastewater.
• Even in petroleum refining industry, lime is used to manufacture of additives to oils (salicatic, sulphatic, fenatic)
• It is used for manufacturing of calcium stearate in chemical industry.
• It is also used for processing water for alcoholic and soft drinks in food industry.
• It is used to separate sugar from sugar cane in the sugar industry.
• Used in the processing of Norwegian lutefisk. Dried cod fish is soaked in a mixture of slaked lime and soda to produce a soft-fleshed fish fillet that is steamed or baked.
• Lime is used to clear brine of carbonates of calcium and magnesium while manufacturing salt for food and pharmacopoeia.
• It is also used in American cooking dish called nixtamal, where corn is cooked with lime which increases the bioavailability of niacin, and is also considered tastier and easier to digest.
• While chewing betel nut or coca leaves, calcium hydroxide is usually chewed alongside to keep the alkaloid stimulants chemically available for absorption by the body.
• Mostly lime is used in Chinese cuisine, for making century eggs
• It is used in the petrochemical industry for manufacturing of solid oil of various marks: brake pads, ebonite, pesticides, antifungal and antimicrobial preservative for vegetables in storage
• For preparation of dry mixes for painting and decorating
• It is used as antimicrobial effect during a dental root canal procedure by dressing in paste form. It is also a bone -regeneration stimulant.
• It has been proposed to add it to sea water in great quantities to reduce atmospheric CO2 and fight the greenhouse effect. However, since the production of calcium oxide (the main starting material of calcium hydroxide) involves calcinations of limestone, which involves great deal of heat, it would be not very productive if fossil fuel were used in the production process.
• Lime is used in production of metals, it is injected into the waste gas stream to neutralize acids, such as fluorides and chlorides prior to being released to atmosphere.
• Lime is used in the relaxers for permanently straightening very curly hair.