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Silica gel packets absorb moisture and are often packaged with electronics, but some contain poisonous dyes like cobalt dichloride. Ingesting the gel itself is generally not harmful, but choking is a risk. Non-toxic moisture indicators are available. Inhaling the beads can cause irritation, but not silicosis.
Silica gel packets are designed to absorb moisture and are often packaged with electronics and other miscellaneous products. They typically work as a sort of desiccant and absorb moisture that could otherwise damage the product they are packaged with. It may seem like a dangerous thing to ingest, although it’s not necessarily the moisture-wicking nature of these packets that can make them dangerous. The potential danger typically lies in the poisonous dopants that are sometimes used to dye some or all of the silica beads inside the packets. One such dopant is cobalt dichloride, which is a blue substance that turns pink in the presence of moisture. If a packet of silica gel contains poisonous dyes like these, they can be dangerous.
Conventional wisdom may indicate that ingesting a moisture-absorbing substance could be quite dangerous, but the amount contained in typical silica packets is generally not enough to do harm to humans or pets. Silica gel itself is non-toxic, and if a child or pet ingests it, it will often be fine. Silica gel packets may present a choking hazard, so close observation should be maintained and medical assistance sought if choking occurs. Otherwise, the main danger comes mainly from poisonous additives.
For the packets to be most effective, it can often be helpful to know if the silica gel has absorbed any moisture. To this end, dyes that change color in the presence of moisture are often added to some or all of the silica beads. One of the common dyes, cobalt dichloride, is a carcinogen that should not be ingested. If you suspect that a child or pet has ingested a large amount of sodium dichloride, it may be wise to contact poison control or other health professionals immediately.
Silica gel packets can use non-toxic moisture indicator. While cobalt dichloride is a blue substance that will turn a rose, or pink, in the presence of moisture, other nontoxic agents typically start out orange and turn green after absorbing moisture. Ingesting silica gel that has been dyed with additives like these may be inherently less dangerous, although it may still be a good idea to alert poison control.
Silicosis is a condition that can be caused by inhaling silica dust, but this is not a concern typically associated with silica gel packets. The beads in the packets generally have a different physical construction from the type of powder that causes silicosis. So while inhaling beads from a silica gel packet can often produce irritation and require medical attention, there is little or no danger of contracting this condition.
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