|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

Calcium Hydroxide Effects

Also referred to as slaked lime, calcium hydroxide is a white, powdered chemical substance used in a range of commercial and industrial products, including solvents, mortar, plaster and in some depilatory creams used to remove body hair. Trace amounts of calcium hydroxide may be used to help preserve pickled eggs and processed cheeses. Despite its use in some consumer products, calcium hydroxide is a poisonous chemical and must never be consumed in undiluted, powdered form.

  1. Effects on Industry and Agriculture

    • Calcium hydroxide is used widely in the construction industry, particularly when paving roads, working with cement and insulating homes. This substance helps bond cement, mortar and insulation in the construction of roads and buildings. Calcium hydroxide is also added to paint, where it significantly increases PH levels. When used in an agricultural context, calcium hydroxide decreases acidity levels in soil and serves as an effective insecticide. The use of calcium hydroxide in agriculture is referred to as liming and in addition to reducing acidity, slaked lime also increases calcium and magnesium levels.

    Effects on Food and Produce

    • A diluted form of calcium hydroxide is used when processing corn and removing it from its husk. Calcium hydroxide causes swelling in corn kernels and helps loosen it from the husk without having to rely on any machinery or extensive manual labor. Calcium hydroxide also increases a form of Vitamin B in corn known as niacin, making it more nutritious when consumed. In pickling, this chemical substance can make even relatively soft pickles become firm and crunchy, thanks to the injection of calcium. Yet calcium hydroxide can also cause toxicity in pickles, if the substance is not rinsed off after being soaked in chemical lime water.

    Effects on Human Health

    • Calcium hydroxide is poisonous and can seriously impact anyone's health if consumed in its original, powdered form. In humans, contact with calcium hydroxide may lead to vomiting, abdominal pain and even cause internal bleeding from burning the windpipe. While these effects are temporary in nature, permanent or long-lasting side effects may include deteriorated vision and even blindness, severely lowered blood pressure, heart damage and decreased lung capacity. Swallowing undiluted calcium hydroxide constitutes a medical emergency and the local hospital's poison control unit should be contacted.

Environmental Health - Related Articles