Application of Colloids
Applications of Colloids | Colloids play a very important role in nature, in our daily life and in industry. Some of the important applications of colloids are discussed below.
1. Food stuffs and medicines: Many of our food stuffs are colloidal in nature. Milk, butter, whipped cream, fruit jellies, ice cream, bread etc. are all colloidal in nature. For example, milk is an emulsion of butter fat in water, stabilized by milk protein (casein). Ice cream is a dispersion of colloidal ice particles in cream. Similarly, bread consists of air dispersed in baked dough.
Colloidal medicines are more effective and are easily absorbed by the body system. Therefore a large number of pharmaceutical preparations are emulsions. Halibut-liver oil, cod-liver oil, skin ointments etc. are emulsions. Antibiotics such as penicillin, streptomycin etc. are usually injected in the body in colloidal form. Several metal sols are also used as medicines.
2. Purification of water: In water works, water is usually purified by the addition of certain electrolytes such as potash alum, aluminium sulphate etc. This involves the phenomenon of coagulation. The impure water usually contains dispersed colloidal particles which cannot be removed by filtration. When potash alum is added to impure water, the negatively charged colloidal particles of impurities get coagulated by the action of Al3+ ions furnished by the alum and can be removed by filtration or decantation.
3. Sewage disposal: Sewage water contains particles of dirt, mud etc. which are colloidal in nature and carry some electrical charge. These particles may be removed by using the phenomenon of electrophoresis. The sewage water is passed through a tunnel fitted with metallic electrodes and maintained at a high potential difference. The colloidal particles present in the sewage water migrate to the oppositely charged electrodes and get coagulated. This solves the problem of sewage disposal. Moreover, the rubbish matter
1. Food stuffs and medicines: Many of our food stuffs are colloidal in nature. Milk, butter, whipped cream, fruit jellies, ice cream, bread etc. are all colloidal in nature. For example, milk is an emulsion of butter fat in water, stabilized by milk protein (casein). Ice cream is a dispersion of colloidal ice particles in cream. Similarly, bread consists of air dispersed in baked dough.
Colloidal medicines are more effective and are easily absorbed by the body system. Therefore a large number of pharmaceutical preparations are emulsions. Halibut-liver oil, cod-liver oil, skin ointments etc. are emulsions. Antibiotics such as penicillin, streptomycin etc. are usually injected in the body in colloidal form. Several metal sols are also used as medicines.
2. Purification of water: In water works, water is usually purified by the addition of certain electrolytes such as potash alum, aluminium sulphate etc. This involves the phenomenon of coagulation. The impure water usually contains dispersed colloidal particles which cannot be removed by filtration. When potash alum is added to impure water, the negatively charged colloidal particles of impurities get coagulated by the action of Al3+ ions furnished by the alum and can be removed by filtration or decantation.
3. Sewage disposal: Sewage water contains particles of dirt, mud etc. which are colloidal in nature and carry some electrical charge. These particles may be removed by using the phenomenon of electrophoresis. The sewage water is passed through a tunnel fitted with metallic electrodes and maintained at a high potential difference. The colloidal particles present in the sewage water migrate to the oppositely charged electrodes and get coagulated. This solves the problem of sewage disposal. Moreover, the rubbish matter