Cations
What is meant by a Cation Exchange?
First let us try to explain what the word ‘cation’ means.
A cation is simply the term for an ‘ion’ that has a positive electrical charge.
What is an ion?
An ion is an atom or group of atoms (molecules or particles) that have lost one or more electrons. The atoms and molecules of most heavy metals and the molecular chains of inorganic compounds of broken down from preservatives, smoking, petroleum processed products, drugs, alcohol, pesticides, paints, cleaning fluids, pollution become cations and/or free radicals once broken down within the body.
The fact that the zeolites were formed from alkaline salts has imparted in them their natural negative charge. The term ‘cation exchange’ refers to the unique ability of zeolites to exchange one cation for another. The capacity to absorb and hold different cations can be expressed as a number which is the total negative charge of the zeolite and is called the zeolite’s ‘cation exchange capacity’ or CEC. Each deposit has its own different CEC that is peculiar to that particular zeolite deposit. The natural CEC for the zeolite used by Natural Extracts is 147. This is a very high value when compared to most overseas and some other Australian zeolites.
The higher the CEC, the stronger the attraction of the zeolite to pull in the cations and the greater the ability of the zeolite to hold on to those cations it already has within it. The more cations and other positively charged molecules that can be held in the cages the more effective the zeolite. The zeolite will continue to attract and hold cations until the positive charge of the cations equals the CEC of the zeolite. At this point the zeolite will become electrochemically neutral and will not absorb any more cations.
However not all cations have the same strength of charge. The cations of most heavy metals are denser and have higher positive charges than other non-metallic elements. The strength of the charge is often shown in equations and scientific papers as a + superscript next to the symbol for the element. For example, the cations of some heavy metals are aluminium [Al+], lead [Pb2+], mercury [Hg2+],nickel [Ni2+],copper [Cu2+], iron [Fe3+], zinc [Zn2+], chromium [Cr3+] compared with larger but lighter non-metals such as sodium [Na+], potassium [K+], calcium [Ca2+] and magnesium [Mg2+].
Now why is all this technical information important?
The reason is that a zeolite’s ability to release or exchange less dense cations with lower positive charges for ones that are denser and have higher positive charges allows it to suck in some cations and release others, giving it its unique ability to purify fluids and liquids. Natural zeolites can accommodate a wide variety of cations, and many other molecules which carry a positive charge. The lighter cations Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ have a low positive charge and will be readily exchanged for the heavy metals and other inorganic compounds in any fluid or solution the zeolite is in.
This ability to preferentially adsorb certain molecules, while excluding others, has opened up a wide range of ‘molecular sieving’ applications. The term ‘molecular sieve’ refers to the particular unique property of zeolites in their ability to selectively sort molecules based primarily on their size and electrochemical charge. Sometimes it is simply a matter of the size and shape of cages controlling access into the zeolite. In other cases different types of molecules enter the zeolite, but some diffuse through its channels more quickly, leaving others stuck behind, as in the purification of para-xylene by a zeolite called silicalite. Para-xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon used to make an acid used in the manufacture of polyester and as a solvent used in the printing, rubber and leather industries.
Cation-containing zeolites are extensively used as desiccants (the ability to dry out or absorb moisture) due to their high affinity for water, and also find application in gas separation, where molecules are differentiated on the basis of their electrostatic interactions with the metal ions. Conversely, hydrophobic silica zeolites preferentially absorb organic solvents. Zeolites can thus separate molecules based on differences of size, shape and polarity (charge).
The exchange of cations is readily exploited in a major way in water softening, where alkali metals such as sodium or potassium prefer to exchange out of the zeolite, being replaced by the ‘hard’ calcium and magnesium ions from the water. Many commercial washing powders thus contain substantial amounts of zeolite. Commercial waste water containing heavy metals, and nuclear effluents containing radioactive isotopes, can also be cleaned up using zeolites.
We use this ability of the zeolite to exchange cations in our products. When we prepare our products we use a proprietary process to first sub-micronise the raw zeolite and then ‘activate’ it using filteration and cleaning solutions. To ‘activate’ means the raw zeolite is thoroughly rinse which removes any pre-existing cations that were originally absorbed by the zeolite from the time it was formed. As the cations (remember they are positively charged) are washed out of the zeolite its negative charge increases back toward its natural CEC level.
Using our proprietary process the zeolite is sterilise and thoroughly filtered and rinsed and then infused into it certain cations of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ which the body needs. Once our product is ingested, the zeolite releases these four cations as it commences to absorb other, higher charged cations (such as heavy metals) from the fluids found in the intestinal tract.
Remember the human body is composed of over 70% salt water. If this water were allowed to become diluted toward becoming freshwater, a number of body functions would start to collapse. So the salts, particularly the sodium, are very important. If one drinks more freshwater than the body can handle the electrolytes dissolve and if left for a period the body will die. This has been experienced lately in many of trackers of the Kokoda Track in New Guinea who have collapsed after seemingly to finish in good health. Of these a number who drank far more freshwater that their body could handle, unfortunately died.