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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] ant colonization of containers

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: David.Maxwell@dal.ca
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] ant colonization of containers
  • Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:35:57 -0300


> PS, everybody know DE is dangerous to breath?
>

I am a physician. I am not sure this statement is valid. It is certainly
harmless to
observe it, but do you know where the idea came from? I believe that
diatomaceous
earth is basically the exoskeletons of marine plankton, and is made of
calcium
carbonate, the same material that limestone or chalk is made of.
Might there be a confusion here with silicaceous materials, such as the fine
white
sand used for sandblasting (can't think of the name of it at present)?
Silicon dioxide
forms an assymetric crystal which (at least according to one theory)
interacts with the
earth's magnetic field, generating tiny electrical currents which are
responsible for its
provoking fibrosis of the lung tissue - the well known "silicosis", seen in
hard rock
miners.
Calcium carbonate neither forms asymmeric crystals like silica, nor is it
nearly as
insoluble as silica. (I suspect any inhaled limestone particles which lodged
in the
lungs would fairly rapidly be dissolved by the body)




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