Mention an important use of table salt
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Salt, or sodium chloride, is a mineral that naturally occurs in the seas and in underground deposits. It is an ionic chemical compound with the formula NaCl. This means that for every gram of salt, almost 40 per cent (39.337%) is sodium (Na) and over 60 per cent (60.663%) is chlorine (Cl).
Where does our salt come from?
Salt is harvested directly either from seawater or natural brine, or from rock salt deposits. In Europe, many rock salt deposits were formed over 200 to 250 million years ago as a result of the evaporation of earlier seas, including a basin that covered large parts of Europe but that has dried up since. There are three types of salt extraction: solar evaporation, rock salt mining and solution mining. Each one involves specific technology and salt producers select the most appropriate technique depending upon the particular topographic and socio-economic conditions in their area of operation.
The salt on the table
The most familiar use of salt undoubtedly is as an element for the cooking and preparing of food. The human body is not capable of producing its own salt, so the body depends upon the various sources of salt in food to ensure the necessary daily intake. Salt also has an important technological role in the manufacture of many foods. In addition to its well-known function as a preserver and a flavor enhancer, it is also fundamental to the consistency and texture of lots of foods such as bread and cheese. In Europe, only about 7% of all salt produced is food grade salt.
Salt, an essential building block in the chemical industry
Probably less known is that the chemical industry is by far the largest consumer of salt. Salt is the raw material for the production of chlorine and caustic soda; they are produced by the electrolysis of salt in the form of brine. Chlorine is an extremely effective disinfectant and an essential component in the chemical manufacture of thousands of products used every day. Other applications within the chemical industry include:
• Pulp and paper industry: for pulping and neutralization, washing and bleaching and processing of waste paper
• Textiles: leather tanning, finishing of wool and cotton, dyeing and bleaching
• Petroleum additives
• Dyes
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