Hi Fibernetters. I would like to inject a little elementary chemistry into the lime with betel nuts discussion.
First off, the lime chewed along with betel nuts isn't the green little fruit. Such limes are acid from the citric acid in them. The chewers of betel nuts want an alkaline additive to release the "narcotic" elements in the nuts. OK, lime once over time..... Abbreviations are Calcium Ca, Carbon C, and Oxygen O. In old fashioned chemical terms lime is a compound made of one atom of calcium and one of oxygen or multiples thereof. CaO is the chemical formula for it. It is made by heating limestone, coral, seashells, or other materials made of one atom of calcium, one of carbon and three of oxygen - CaC3O3. aka Ca(CO)3 A product from heating Ca(CO)3 to drive off the CO2 (carbon dioxide gas) is called burnt lime or quick lime. It is strongly alkaline, and will burn the skin. It us used to dissolve flesh to destroy dead animals in places like municipal dumps. You would not want to chew it along with a betel nut - to say the least. CaO will react readily with water to give slaked lime The CaO and water (H2O) combine to give Ca(OH)2. This is the stuff used to make whitewash and sometimes sprinkled of straw bedding in barns. It is the kind of "lime" the betel chewers prefer. It creates an alkaline saliva to help release the active drug in the nuts. Very little is used. Seemingly, even plain CaCO3 can be used if the slaked lime isn't available Some fibers, such as wool can be damaged by alkaline solutions, so beware and test a small sample. Confused? I hope not. Ron Parker - Fibernet list mom with Susanne rbpar...@swipnet.se
