Calcium chloride is an

inorganic compound An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds⁠that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as ''inorganic chemistry''. Inorgan ...

, a

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

with the

chemical formula A chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbols, such as pare ...

. It is a white crystalline solid at room temperature, and it is highly

soluble In chemistry, solubility is the ability of a substance, the solute, to form a solution with another substance, the solvent. Insolubility is the opposite property, the inability of the solute to form such a solution. The extent of the solubi ...

in water. It can be created by neutralising

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungency, pungent smell. It is classified as a acid strength, strong acid. It is ...

with

calcium hydroxide Calcium hydroxide (traditionally called slaked lime) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca( OH)2. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is produced when quicklime ( calcium oxide) is mixed with water. Annually, approxim ...

. Calcium chloride is commonly encountered as a hydrated solid with generic formula , where ''n'' = 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6. These compounds are mainly used for de-icing and dust control. Because the

anhydrous A substance is anhydrous if it contains no water. Many processes in chemistry can be impeded by the presence of water; therefore, it is important that water-free reagents and techniques are used. In practice, however, it is very difficult to achie ...

salt is hygroscopic and deliquescent, it is used as a

desiccant A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that is used to induce or sustain a state of dryness (desiccation) in its vicinity; it is the opposite of a humectant. Commonly encountered pre-packaged desiccants are solids that absorb water. Desiccant ...

.Robert Kemp, Suzanne E. Keegan "Calcium Chloride" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2000, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.

History

Calcium chloride was apparently discovered in the 15th century but wasn't studied properly until the 18th century. It was historically called "fixed sal ammoniac" () because it was synthesized during the distillation of

ammonium chloride Ammonium chloride is an inorganic chemical compound with the chemical formula , also written as . It is an ammonium salt of hydrogen chloride. It consists of ammonium cations and chloride anions . It is a white crystalline salt (chemistry), sal ...

with lime and was nonvolatile (while the former appeared to sublime); in more modern times (18th–19th cc.) it was called "muriate of lime" ().

Uses

De-icing and freezing-point depression

By depressing the freezing point of water, calcium chloride is used to prevent ice formation and is used to

de-ice De-icing is the process of removing snow, ice or frost from a surface. Anti-icing is the application of chemicals that not only de-ice but also remain on a surface and continue to delay the reformation of ice for a certain period of time, or pr ...

. This application consumes the greatest amount of calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is relatively harmless to plants and soil. As a de-icing agent, it is much more effective at lower temperatures than

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as Salt#Edible salt, edible salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. It is transparent or translucent, brittle, hygroscopic, and occurs a ...

. When distributed for this use, it usually takes the form of small, white spheres a few millimeters in diameter, called prills. Solutions of calcium chloride can prevent freezing at temperatures as low as −52 °C (−62 °F), making it ideal for filling agricultural implement tires as a liquid ballast, aiding traction in cold climates. It is also used in domestic and industrial chemical air dehumidifiers.

Road surfacing

The second largest application of calcium chloride exploits its

hygroscopic Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption (chemistry), absorption or adsorption from the surrounding Natural environment, environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water mol ...

nature and the tackiness of its hydrates; calcium chloride is highly hygroscopic and its hydration is an

exothermic process In thermodynamics, an exothermic process () is a thermodynamic process or reaction that releases energy from the system to its surroundings, usually in the form of heat, but also in a form of light (e.g. a spark, flame, or flash), electricity (e ...

. A concentrated solution keeps a liquid layer on the surface of dirt roads, which suppresses the formation of dust. It keeps the finer dust particles on the road, providing a cushioning layer. If these are allowed to blow away, the large aggregate begins to shift around and the road breaks down. Using calcium chloride reduces the need for grading by as much as 50% and the need for fill-in materials as much as 80%.

Food

In the food industry, calcium chloride is frequently employed as a firming agent in canned vegetables, particularly for canned tomatoes and cucumber pickles. It is also used in firming

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

curds into

tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

and in producing a caviar substitute from vegetable or fruit juices. It is also used to enhance the texture of various other products, such as whole apples, whole hot peppers, whole and sliced strawberries, diced tomatoes, and whole peaches. The firming effect of calcium chloride can be attributed to several mechanisms: # Complexation, since calcium ions form coordination complexes with

pectin Pectin ( ': "congealed" and "curdled") is a heteropolysaccharide, a structural polymer contained in the primary lamella, in the middle lamella, and in the cell walls of terrestrial plants. The principal chemical component of pectin is galact ...

, a

polysaccharide Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long-chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wat ...

found in the cell wall and middle lamella of plant tissues. # Membrane stabilization, since calcium ions contribute to the stabilization of the cell membrane. # Turgor pressure regulation, since calcium ions influence cell

turgor pressure Turgor pressure is the force within the cell that pushes the plasma membrane against the cell wall. It is also called ''hydrostatic pressure'', and is defined as the pressure in a fluid measured at a certain point within itself when at equilibri ...

, which is the pressure exerted by the cell contents against the cell wall. Calcium chloride's freezing-point depression properties are used to slow the freezing of the caramel in caramel-filled chocolate bars. Also, it is frequently added to sliced apples to maintain texture. In

brewing Brewing is the production of beer by steeping a starch source (commonly cereal grains, the most popular of which is barley) in water and #Fermenting, fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with Yeast#Beer, yeast. It may be done in a brewery ...

beer, calcium chloride is sometimes used to correct mineral deficiencies in the brewing water. It affects flavor and chemical reactions during the brewing process, and can also affect yeast function during fermentation. In

cheesemaking Cheesemaking (or caseiculture) is the craft of making cheese. The production of cheese, like many other food preservation processes, allows the nutritional and economic value of a food material, in this case milk, to be preserved in concentrate ...

, calcium chloride is sometimes added to processed (pasteurized/homogenized) milk to restore the natural balance between calcium and protein in

casein Casein ( , from Latin ''caseus'' "cheese") is a family of related phosphoproteins (CSN1S1, αS1, aS2, CSN2, β, K-casein, κ) that are commonly found in mammalian milk, comprising about 80% of the proteins in cow's milk and between 20% and 60% of ...

. It is added before the coagulant. Calcium chloride is also commonly used as an "

electrolyte An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons. This includes most soluble Salt (chemistry), salts, acids, and Base (chemistry), bases, dissolved in a polar solven ...

" in

sports drink Sports drinks, also known as electrolyte drinks, are non-caffeinated functional beverages whose stated purpose is to help athletes replace water, electrolytes, and energy before, during and (especially) after training or competition. The eviden ...

s and other beverages; as a

food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives, such as vinegar ( pickling), salt ( salting), smoke ( smoking) and sugar ( crystallization), have been used f ...

used in conjunction with other inorganic salts it adds taste to

bottled water Bottled water is drinking water (e.g., Water well, well water, distilled water, Reverse osmosis, reverse osmosis water, mineral water, or Spring (hydrology), spring water) packaged in Plastic bottle, plastic or Glass bottle, glass water bott ...

. The average intake of calcium chloride as food additives has been estimated to be 160–345 mg/day.Calcium Chloride SIDS Initial Assessment Profile, UNEP Publications, SIAM 15, Boston, 22–25 October 2002, pp. 13–14. Calcium chloride is permitted as a food additive in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

for use as a sequestrant and firming agent with the

E number E numbers, short for Europe numbers, are codes for substances used as food additives, including those found naturally in many foods, such as vitamin C, for use within the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Commonly ...

E509. It is considered as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.21 CFR § 184.1193 Its use in organic crop production is generally prohibited under the US

National Organic Program The National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal regulatory framework in the United States, United States of America governing organic food. It is also the name of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service ...

.7 CFRbr>§ 205.602
The elemental calcium content in calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl₂·6H₂O) is approximately 18.2%. This means that for every gram of calcium chloride hexahydrate, there are about 182 milligrams of elemental calcium. For anhydrous calcium chloride (CaCl₂), the elemental calcium content is almost twice higher, that is around 36.1% (for every gram of anhydrous calcium chloride there are about 361 milligrams of elemental calcium). Calcium chloride has a very salty taste and can cause mouth and throat irritation at high concentrations, so it is typically not the first choice for long-term oral supplementation (as a calcium supplement). Calcium chloride, characterized by its low molecular weight and high water solubility, readily breaks down into calcium and chloride ions when exposed to water. These ions are efficiently absorbed from the intestine. Calcium chloride has the potential to release heat energy upon dissolution in water. This release of heat can lead to trauma and burns in the mouth, throat,

esophagus The esophagus (American English), oesophagus (British English), or œsophagus (Œ, archaic spelling) (American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, see spelling difference) all ; : ((o)e)(œ)sophagi or ((o)e)(œ)sophaguses), c ...

, and stomach. In fact, there have been reported cases of stomach necrosis resulting from burns caused by accidental ingestions of big amounts of undissolved calcium chloride. The extremely salty taste of calcium chloride is used to flavor

pickles Pickle, pickled or Pickles may refer to: Food * Pickle, a food that has undergone pickling * Pickled cucumber * Pickle, a sweet, vinegary pickled chutney popular in Britain, such as Branston Pickle, also known as "sweet pickle" or "ploughman's ...

without increasing the food's

sodium Sodium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Na (from Neo-Latin ) and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 element, group 1 of the peri ...

content. Calcium chloride is used to prevent cork spot and bitter pit on apples by spraying on the tree during the late growing season."Cork Spot and Bitter Pit of Apples", Richard C. Funt and Michael A. Ellis, Ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-01

Laboratory and related drying operations

Drying tubes are frequently packed with calcium chloride.

Kelp Kelps are large brown algae or seaweeds that make up the order (biology), order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genus, genera. Despite its appearance and use of photosynthesis in chloroplasts, kelp is technically not a plant but a str ...

is dried with calcium chloride for use in producing

sodium carbonate Sodium carbonate (also known as washing soda, soda ash, sal soda, and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield alkaline solutions in water ...

. Anhydrous calcium chloride has been approved by the FDA as a packaging aid to ensure dryness (CPG 7117.02). The hydrated salt can be dried for re-use but will dissolve in its own water of hydration if heated quickly and form a hard amalgamated solid when cooled.

Metal reduction flux

Similarly, is used as a flux and

in the FFC Cambridge electrolysis process for

titanium Titanium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...

production, where it ensures the proper exchange of calcium and oxygen ions between the electrodes.

Medical use

Calcium chloride infusions may be used as an

intravenous therapy Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutr ...

to prevent

hypocalcemia Hypocalcemia is a medical condition characterized by low calcium levels in the blood serum. The normal range of blood calcium is typically between 2.1–2.6 mmol/L (8.8–10.7 mg/dL, 4.3–5.2 mEq/L), while levels less than 2.1 ...

. Calcium chloride is a highly soluble calcium salt. Hexahydrate calcium chloride (CaCl₂·6H₂O) has solubility in water of 811 g/L at 25 °C. Calcium chloride when taken orally completely dissociates into calcium ions (Ca²⁺) in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in readily bioavailable calcium. The high concentration of calcium ions facilitates efficient absorption in the small intestine. However, the use of calcium chloride as a source of calcium taken orally is less common compared to other calcium salts because of potential adverse effects such as gastrointestinal irritation and discomfort. When tasted, calcium chloride exhibits a distinctive bitter flavor alongside its salty taste. The bitterness is attributable to the calcium ions and their interaction with human taste receptors: certain members of the TAS2R family of bitter taste receptors respond to calcium ions; the bitter perception of calcium is thought to be a protective mechanism to avoid ingestion of toxic substances, as many poisonous compounds taste bitter. While chloride ions (Cl⁻) primarily contribute to saltiness, at higher concentrations, they can enhance the bitter sensation. The combination of calcium and chloride ions intensifies the overall bitterness. At lower concentrations, calcium chloride may taste predominantly salty. The salty taste arises from the electrolyte nature of the compound, similar to sodium chloride (table salt). As the concentration increases, the bitter taste becomes more pronounced: the increased presence of calcium ions enhances the activation of bitterness receptors.

Other applications

Calcium chloride is used in concrete mixes to accelerate the initial setting, but chloride ions lead to corrosion of steel

rebar Rebar (short for reinforcement bar or reinforcing bar), known when massed as reinforcing steel or steel reinforcement, is a tension device added to concrete to form ''reinforced concrete'' and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen and aid ...

, so it should not be used in

reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete or ferro-concrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ...

. The anhydrous form of calcium chloride may also be used for this purpose and can provide a measure of the moisture in concrete. Calcium chloride is included as an additive in plastics and in

fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which ha ...

s, in

blast furnace A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being supplied above atmospheric pressure. In a ...

s as an additive to control scaffolding (clumping and adhesion of materials that prevent the furnace charge from descending), and in

fabric softener A fabric softener (American English) or fabric conditioner (British English) is a conditioner applied to laundry after it has been washed in a washing machine. A similar, more dilute preparation meant to be applied to dry fabric is known as a wrin ...

as a thinner. The exothermic dissolution of calcium chloride is used in self-heating cans and heating pads. Calcium chloride is used as a water hardener in the maintenance of hot tub water, as insufficiently hard water can lead to corrosion and foaming. In the

oil industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest volume products ...

, calcium chloride is used to increase the density of solids-free

brine Brine (or briny water) is a high-concentration solution of salt (typically sodium chloride or calcium chloride) in water. In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawat ...

s. It is also used to provide inhibition of swelling clays in the water phase of invert

emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally Miscibility, immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloi ...

drilling fluids. Calcium chloride () acts as flux material, decreasing the melting point, in the Davy process for the industrial production of sodium metal through the

electrolysis In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a technique that uses Direct current, direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Electrolysis is commercially important as a stage in the separation of c ...

of molten . Calcium chloride is also used in the production of

activated charcoal "Activated" is a song by English singer Cher Lloyd. It was released on 22 July 2016 through Vixen Records. The song was made available to stream exclusively on ''Rolling Stone'' a day before to release (on 21 July 2016). Background In an inter ...

. Calcium chloride can be used to precipitate

fluoride Fluoride (). According to this source, is a possible pronunciation in British English. is an Inorganic chemistry, inorganic, Monatomic ion, monatomic Ion#Anions and cations, anion of fluorine, with the chemical formula (also written ), whose ...

ions An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

from water as insoluble . Calcium chloride is also an ingredient used in ceramic slipware. It suspends clay particles so that they float within the solution, making it easier to use in a variety of slipcasting techniques. For watering plants to use as a fertilizer, a moderate concentration of calcium chloride is used to avoid potential toxicity: 5 to 10 mM (millimolar) is generally effective and safe for most plants—that is of anhydrous calcium chloride () per liter of water or of calcium chloride hexahydrate (·6) per liter of water. Calcium chloride solution is used immediately after preparation to prevent potential alterations in its chemical composition. Besides that, calcium chloride is highly hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs moisture from the air. If the solution is left standing, it can absorb additional water vapor, leading to dilution and a decrease in the intended concentration. Prolonged standing may lead to the precipitation of calcium hydroxide or other insoluble calcium compounds, reducing the availability of calcium ions in the solution and reducing the effectiveness of the solution as a calcium source for plants. Nutrient solutions can become a medium for microbial growth if stored for extended periods. Microbial contamination may alter the composition of the solution and potentially introduce pathogens to the plants. When dissolved in water, calcium chloride can undergo hydrolysis, especially over time, which can lead to the formation of small amounts of hydrochloric acid and calcium hydroxide: +2 ⇌ +2. This reaction can lower the pH of the solution, making it more acidic. Acidic solutions may harm plant tissues and disrupt nutrient uptake. Calcium chloride dihydrate (20 percent by weight) dissolved in

ethanol Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...

(95 percent ABV) has been used as a sterilant for male animals. The solution is injected into the testes of the animal. Within one month,

necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. The term "necrosis" came about in the mid-19th century and is commonly attributed to German pathologist Rudolf Virchow, who i ...

of testicular tissue results in sterilization.

Cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

producers in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

import tons of calcium chloride to recover solvents that are on the INCB Red List and are more tightly controlled.

Hazards

Although the salt is non-toxic in small quantities when wet, the strongly

properties of non-hydrated calcium chloride present some hazards. It can act as an irritant by

desiccating Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. The ...

moist skin. Solid calcium chloride dissolves

exothermic In thermodynamics, an exothermic process () is a thermodynamic process or reaction that releases energy from the system to its surroundings, usually in the form of heat, but also in a form of light (e.g. a spark, flame, or flash), electricity (e ...

ally, and

burns Burns may refer to: Astronomy * 2708 Burns, an asteroid * Burns (crater), on Mercury People * Burns (surname), list of people and characters named Burns ** Burns (musician), Scottish record producer Places in the United States * Burns, ...

can result in the

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

and esophagus if it is ingested. Ingestion of concentrated solutions or solid products may cause

gastrointestinal The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. ...

irritation or

ulceration An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected Organ (biology), organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caus ...

. Consumption of calcium chloride can lead to

hypercalcemia Hypercalcemia, also spelled hypercalcaemia, is a high calcium (Ca2+) level in the blood serum. The normal range for total calcium is 2.1–2.6 mmol/L (8.8–10.7 mg/dL, 4.3–5.2 mEq/L), with levels greater than 2.6 mmol/L def ...

Properties

Calcium chloride dissolves in water, producing chloride and the aquo complex . In this way, these solutions are sources of "free" calcium and free chloride ions. This description is illustrated by the fact that these solutions react with

phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...

sources to give a solid precipitate of calcium phosphate: : Calcium chloride has a very high enthalpy change of solution, indicated by considerable temperature rise accompanying dissolution of the anhydrous salt in water. This property is the basis for its largest-scale application. Aqueous solutions of calcium chloride tend to be slightly acidic due to the influence of the chloride ions on the hydrogen ion concentration in water. The slight acidity of calcium chloride solutions is primarily due to the increased ionic strength of the solution, which can influence the activity of hydrogen ions and lower the pH slightly. The pH of calcium chloride in aqueous solution is the following: Molten calcium chloride can be electrolysed to give

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

metal and

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between ...

gas: :

Preparation

In much of the world, calcium chloride is derived from

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

as a by-product of the

Solvay process The Solvay process or ammonia–soda process is the major industrial process for the production of sodium carbonate (soda ash, Na2CO3). The ammonia–soda process was developed into its modern form by the Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay during the ...

, which follows the net reaction below: : North American consumption in 2002 was 1,529,000

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton in the United States to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the s ...

s (3.37 billion pounds).Calcium Chloride SIDS Initial Assessment Profile, UNEP Publications, SIAM 15, Boston, 22–25 October 2002, page 11. In the US, most calcium chloride is obtained by purification from

. As with most bulk commodity salt products, trace amounts of other

cation An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

s from the

alkali metal The alkali metals consist of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K),The symbols Na and K for sodium and potassium are derived from their Latin names, ''natrium'' and ''kalium''; these are still the origins of the names ...

s and

alkaline earth metal The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group (periodic table), group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).. The elements have very similar p ...

s ( groups 1 and 2) and other

anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conven ...

s from the

halogen The halogens () are a group in the periodic table consisting of six chemically related elements: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and the radioactive elements astatine (At) and tennessine (Ts), though some authors would ...

s (

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...

17) typically occur.

Occurrence

Calcium chloride occurs as the rare

evaporite An evaporite () is a water- soluble sedimentary mineral deposit that results from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution. There are two types of evaporite deposits: marine, which can also be described as oce ...

minerals sinjarite (dihydrate) and antarcticite (hexahydrate). Another natural hydrate known is ghiaraite – a tetrahydrate. The related minerals chlorocalcite (potassium calcium chloride, ) and tachyhydrite (calcium magnesium chloride, ) are also very rare. The same is true for rorisite, CaClF (calcium chloride fluoride).

References

External links

International Chemical Safety Card 1184

Product and Application Information (Formerly Dow Chemical Calcium Chloride division)

Report on steel corrosion by chloride including CaCl₂

Collection of calcium chloride reports and articles

Calcium chloride, Anhydrous MSDS

Difusivity of calcium chloride

National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, "Calcium Chloride (anhydrous)" {{DEFAULTSORT:Calcium Chloride Calcium compounds Chlorides Alkaline earth metal halides Deliquescent materials Desiccants Pyrotechnic colorants Edible salt E-number additives Concrete admixtures