Dryers remove moisture from substances. Silica packets are commonly used in consumer packaging to keep food fresh and prevent mold on clothing and electronics. Dryer machines are used in laboratories and industrial applications to dry objects without heating them. They can be small or large and use a desiccant or vacuum to remove moisture. Silica is not poisonous, but ingesting it can be dangerous.
Dryers are chemicals or appliances that remove moisture from a substance. The first type is common in the consumer industry and generally takes the form of small packets of silica often found in certain types of food packaging such as beef jerky, vitamins and dietary supplement tablets. Sometimes they are also found in the packaging of clothes or shoes. There are also machines used in laboratory and industrial applications that are also known as dryers and perform essentially the same function, but could work actively or passively like silica packets do.
Small white packets of silica are often used in various types of consumer packaging to absorb moisture in the air in sealed food packages. These dryers help keep foods fresher by keeping the air in the package as dry as possible. Foods such as jerky and freeze-dried foods often have a small packet of this material included to extend shelf life.
They are also sometimes found in clothing packages and shoe boxes, because excessive moisture can cause mold or mildew to grow on these consumer goods. Electronics also commonly include these packages as a way to keep their sensitive components as free from moisture as possible. Iron oxide is another common ingredient in dryers.
Many people mistakenly believe that silica is poisonous. Silica is actually a mineral, silicon dioxide, and is a common component of many rocks and soils. It is one of the main components of sand. Silica itself is inert, but ingesting it can be dangerous because it can cause stomach upset and intestinal blockages. The silica found in dryer packets could also be coated with a potentially carcinogenic chemical called cobalt chloride which is used as a moisture indicator, and ingesting this would be discouraged at best.
There are also machines called dryers which perform essentially the same function, but use mechanical means, often by the use of a vacuum, to remove moisture from the things placed within them. These machines are common in laboratories and industrial applications where it is desirable to dry the object or product without heating it. They are commonly used to make dry or powdered food products such as powdered milk, dried fruit and many other foods.
These machines can be very large. They are common in laboratories and often used in experiments when the scientist or technician wants to dry something quickly without heating it. They are also used to store materials that react with water or are damaged by moisture.
These units are often benchtop appliances, but larger machines of this type are also common. Laboratory desiccators are often simply heavy, sealed glass containers with a compartment that contains a desiccant such as silica that absorbs moisture. They could also be designed to evacuate the air inside the container and these types are called vacuum dryers.
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