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since 1972
Anna All Natural Product Adsorption and Absorption
Adsorption versus Absorption
The two words look alike, but their difference is critical in understanding the functions of clay minerals.
Adsorption
Adsorption characterizes the process by which substances stick to the outside surface of the adsorbent medium. The clay possesses unsatisfied ionic bonds around the edges of its mineral particles. It naturally seeks to satisfy those bonds. For this to happen, it must meet with a substance carrying an opposite electrical (ionic) charge. When this occurs, the ions held around the outside structural units of the adsorbent medium and the substance are exchanged.
The particles of clay are said to carry a negative electrical charge, whereas impurities, bacteria, or toxins, carry a positive electrical charge. For this very reason clay has been used to adsorb the colloidal impurities in beer, wine, and cider. The impurities in wine carry positive charges and can be agglomerated (brought together) and removed by stirring a small amount of negatively charged clay material into the wine. The clay particles attract the wine impurities and they settle out together (flocculate).
The process works the same in the human body. When clay is taken internally, the positively charged toxins are attracted by the negatively charged surfaces of the clay mineral. An exchange reaction occurs whereby the clay swaps its ions for those of the other substance. Now, electrically satisfied, it holds the toxin in suspension till the body can eliminate both.
The term active, or alive, indicated the ionic exchange capacities of a given clay mineral. The degree to which the clay-mineral ions become active determine its classification as alive. Living bodies are able to grow and change their form and size by taking within them lifeless material of certain kinds, and by transforming it into a part of themselves. No dead body can adsorb. It is physically impossible.
Absorption
Absorption is a much more slow and involved process than adsorption. Here, the clay acts more like a sponge, drawing substances into its internal structure. In order for absorption to occur, the substance must undergo a chemical change to penetrate the medium's barrier. Once it has done that, it enters between the unit layers of the structure. Instead of the toxins, for instance, sticking only to the surface, they are actually pulled inside the clay. This is the reason why absorptive clays are labeled expandable clays. The more substances the clay absorbs into its internal structure, the more it expands and its layers swell.
Any clay mineral with an inner layer charge is an absorbent. Having an inner layer charge means having charged ions, sitting between layers, that are surrounded by water molecules. In this way, the clay will expand as the substance to be absorbed fills the spaces between the stacked silicate layers. Some clays are more gentle in their absorption, whereas others are definitely more radical. Absorption takes place with clay when the clay draws particulates into its internals layered structure, much like a sponge. Clay minerals have an inner layer charge that acts like an absorbent and can absorb and bond with many elements that are toxic, both man-made and natural.
The smaller the particle size of clay, the more platelets there are per given cubic centimeter of volume or unit of weight and the larger the total surface area is. Their absorbent and adsorbent capacity increases with the numbers of clay platelets per given unit of measure. The natural parent size of clay particles as created by nature is fixed. The industrial process of crushing, grinding, milling, etc, will not change the parent particle size once created. They do clump or bond together many times making them larger in size, however processing it mechanically can make them no smaller than nature originally created.
Clays are like people, there are no two alike. Each clay deposit on earth has its own fingerprint. This unique identity is comprised of its particular composition of the elements on the periodic table, different ratios to one another, different ionic electrical charge, different particle size, different purity, different exposure for a different amount of time, to mention a few of the differences. As a result of some of these differences, they react accordingly different when applied or utilized. Some clays “work”, while others do not or at least, not very well for the intended purpose, depending on what that purpose is. Examples of such purposes that the beneficial effects clay provides are: industrial manufacturing, cosmetic and paint base, paper coating, cleansing/ detoxifying, polymer resin nanotechnology, agriculture, aquaculture, nutritional supplement for people and animals, ponds and waterways flocculation cleanup, and much more. As a result of the many various uses of this simple but yet very complex compound, the net effective difference between clays has a direct relationship to cost.
The two words look alike, but their difference is critical in understanding the functions of clay minerals.
Adsorption
Adsorption characterizes the process by which substances stick to the outside surface of the adsorbent medium. The clay possesses unsatisfied ionic bonds around the edges of its mineral particles. It naturally seeks to satisfy those bonds. For this to happen, it must meet with a substance carrying an opposite electrical (ionic) charge. When this occurs, the ions held around the outside structural units of the adsorbent medium and the substance are exchanged.
The particles of clay are said to carry a negative electrical charge, whereas impurities, bacteria, or toxins, carry a positive electrical charge. For this very reason clay has been used to adsorb the colloidal impurities in beer, wine, and cider. The impurities in wine carry positive charges and can be agglomerated (brought together) and removed by stirring a small amount of negatively charged clay material into the wine. The clay particles attract the wine impurities and they settle out together (flocculate).
The process works the same in the human body. When clay is taken internally, the positively charged toxins are attracted by the negatively charged surfaces of the clay mineral. An exchange reaction occurs whereby the clay swaps its ions for those of the other substance. Now, electrically satisfied, it holds the toxin in suspension till the body can eliminate both.
The term active, or alive, indicated the ionic exchange capacities of a given clay mineral. The degree to which the clay-mineral ions become active determine its classification as alive. Living bodies are able to grow and change their form and size by taking within them lifeless material of certain kinds, and by transforming it into a part of themselves. No dead body can adsorb. It is physically impossible.
Absorption
Absorption is a much more slow and involved process than adsorption. Here, the clay acts more like a sponge, drawing substances into its internal structure. In order for absorption to occur, the substance must undergo a chemical change to penetrate the medium's barrier. Once it has done that, it enters between the unit layers of the structure. Instead of the toxins, for instance, sticking only to the surface, they are actually pulled inside the clay. This is the reason why absorptive clays are labeled expandable clays. The more substances the clay absorbs into its internal structure, the more it expands and its layers swell.
Any clay mineral with an inner layer charge is an absorbent. Having an inner layer charge means having charged ions, sitting between layers, that are surrounded by water molecules. In this way, the clay will expand as the substance to be absorbed fills the spaces between the stacked silicate layers. Some clays are more gentle in their absorption, whereas others are definitely more radical. Absorption takes place with clay when the clay draws particulates into its internals layered structure, much like a sponge. Clay minerals have an inner layer charge that acts like an absorbent and can absorb and bond with many elements that are toxic, both man-made and natural.
The smaller the particle size of clay, the more platelets there are per given cubic centimeter of volume or unit of weight and the larger the total surface area is. Their absorbent and adsorbent capacity increases with the numbers of clay platelets per given unit of measure. The natural parent size of clay particles as created by nature is fixed. The industrial process of crushing, grinding, milling, etc, will not change the parent particle size once created. They do clump or bond together many times making them larger in size, however processing it mechanically can make them no smaller than nature originally created.
Clays are like people, there are no two alike. Each clay deposit on earth has its own fingerprint. This unique identity is comprised of its particular composition of the elements on the periodic table, different ratios to one another, different ionic electrical charge, different particle size, different purity, different exposure for a different amount of time, to mention a few of the differences. As a result of some of these differences, they react accordingly different when applied or utilized. Some clays “work”, while others do not or at least, not very well for the intended purpose, depending on what that purpose is. Examples of such purposes that the beneficial effects clay provides are: industrial manufacturing, cosmetic and paint base, paper coating, cleansing/ detoxifying, polymer resin nanotechnology, agriculture, aquaculture, nutritional supplement for people and animals, ponds and waterways flocculation cleanup, and much more. As a result of the many various uses of this simple but yet very complex compound, the net effective difference between clays has a direct relationship to cost.
Since the beginning of our company, it has been our passion to provide the best all natural product by using only the finest ingredients, regardless of cost. Our promise to you is that we'll continue to use and seek out the best ingredients from around the world to make exquisite all natural skin care product, with the intent of having you as a loyal customer for life.