Can desiccant be eaten?

In life, we often come into contact with desiccants. Desiccant has a wide range of uses in industry. For example, some spaces cannot be overly humid, so desiccant is used to absorb moisture. In addition, people often place desiccants in wardrobes to prevent clothes from getting damp. There are many types of desiccants currently available, and there are many precautions when using desiccants, such as avoiding children from touching them, because some desiccants may cause great harm if accidentally eaten by children.

Can desiccant be eaten?

First of all, we need to distinguish the types of desiccants. There are two common types of desiccants, which can be judged by the form of the ingredients: one is quicklime desiccant, which is a white block that turns into powder after being damp; the other is silica gel desiccant, which is a colorless and transparent ball, some of which are colorful and look like delicious candy.

Situation 1: Accidental ingestion of quicklime desiccant

Drink water or milk immediately, but control the amount you drink. Take 10 ml per kilogram of body weight. The total amount should not exceed 200 ml, because overdose may cause vomiting. Then he was sent to the hospital for treatment.

Situation 2: Ingestion of silica gel desiccant

If you accidentally ingest this desiccant, don't worry too much because it cannot be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and can be excreted from the body through feces. It is non-toxic to the human body. No special treatment is required after accidental ingestion. Unless you experience special reactions such as dizziness or vomiting, you generally do not need to seek medical attention.

1. Silica gel desiccant---This desiccant is generally transparent, non-toxic and does not require any treatment.

2. Ferric oxide desiccant - This desiccant is brown in color and only slightly irritating. The person who accidentally ingests it can dilute it by drinking water. Unless the patient deliberately takes a large amount and develops symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, the possibility of iron poisoning must be considered and medical attention must be sought immediately.

3. Calcium chloride desiccant - This desiccant is also only slightly irritating and can be diluted with water.

4. Calcium oxide desiccant - This desiccant is commonly known as quicklime. When it comes into contact with water, it will turn into a strong alkaline calcium bicarbonate, which is corrosive. Please dilute it with water at home, and then send it to the hospital for further treatment. Do not induce vomiting, and give milk or water orally quickly, but be careful not to neutralize it with any acid.