Silica Gel....Where to purchase?

[Nick Zentena]

Some of the new cat litter products are actually silica gel. Try your supermarket's pet supply area or go to the local pet shop and ask there.

Cheers,
Graeme

I saw this stuff in the store. How do you use it? Can't just pour it into the camera -) Cheese cloth? Make little packets?

[glbeas]

I saw this stuff in the store. How do you use it? Can't just pour it into the camera -) Cheese cloth? Make little packets?

Pour it into a nylon stocking, maybe doubled, and tie it off. Should work fine.

[Mike Kennedy]

Just picked up 4lbs. of cat litter made with 100% silica (the blue stuff that changes color). Total cost $6.40 Cdn. Works out to be about 10 cents an ounce. The craft store wanted approx. 84 cents per ounce.
It pays to ask around.
Mike

[Graeme Hird]

A pleasure. Just don't let your cat hang around your camera too long!

[Mike Kennedy]

I sir am a dog man.Sadly my Black Lab and Golden Retriever have departed to a far,far better place then this. Where the streams run clear with HC-110 and the fields yield forth a bounty of Tri-X.
If I may quote from W.C Fields and change the word "cats" from the original term "children".

"I see you like cats.
Yes I do,if they are properly cooked".

All in jest. To each his own said the old lady as she kissed the cow.

Be Kind To Your Critters,
Mike

[PeterB]

Just picked up 4lbs. of cat litter made with 100% silica (the blue stuff that changes color)

[font=Arial][font=Verdana]Silica gel is transparent by itself. An indicator known as cobalt chloride is often added (0.5% to 1%), it is this chemical that turns from blue to pink when saturated. [/font][/font][font=Arial][font=Verdana]Make sure you don't breath the dust from this silca gel as it could be cancer causing ![/font][/font]

[font=Arial][font=Verdana]In July 2000, European Directive No67/548/EEC 'reclassified' cobalt chloride to a Category 2B (proven animal carcinogen and therefore possibly carcinogenic to humans).[/font] [/font]
http://www.envirogel.co.uk/faq.htm
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publica...gram/02-15.pdf
http://www.geejaychemicals.co.uk/cobaltchloride.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

regards
Peter

[Graeme Hird]

In July 2000, European Directive No67/548/EEC 'reclassified' cobalt chloride to a Category 2B (proven animal carcinogen and therefore possibly carcinogenic to humans

.... making blue silica gel cat litter a great place for your cat to visit regularly!

Thanks for that information Peter - I'll keep it in mind when I'm handling silica gel.

[Ara Ghajanian]

Okay, I'm sure a few people reading this post are wondering the same thing, but didn't ask in fear of appearing stupid. So I'll do it...

What exactly is the benefit of using this silical gel?

Ara

[glbeas]

It removes the ambient moisture in whatever enclosed space you put it in, say a camera bag. Lowers the risk of mildew and rust tremendously. You do have to periodically dry it in an oven to recharge it.

[billwright]

[font=Arial][font=Verdana]Silica gel is transparent by itself. An indicator known as cobalt chloride is often added (0.5% to 1%), it is this chemical that turns from blue to pink when saturated. [/font][/font][font=Arial][font=Verdana]Make sure you don't breath the dust from this silca gel as it could be cancer causing ![/font][/font]

Found this old thread while Googling, but wanted to update those about this. Blue Silica Gel is indeed something that has been shown to cause cancer and is bad for the environment. In the UK they have listed this as a Hazardous Material and should be disposed of as Hazardous material.

Now what I wanted to update is, I found a supplier (actually 2 maybe 3 now) that have replaced the "Blue" Silica Gel with a reformulated Orange Indicating Silica Gel which does NOT contain the Cobalt Chloride as is found in the Blue Silica Gel. You can read a bit more about it under question 7 at this FAQ page: http://www.silicagelpackets.com/faqs/ from a site that has the Orange Indicating Silica Gel.

So, there is at least a safe alternative out there if anyone needs.