Desiccants such as silica gel or calcium sulphate find widespread application in a number of sectors including construction, manufacturing, and food & beverage among others, owing to either their superior physical or chemical absorption properties.
As per a recent study conducted by Future Market Insights on the global desiccant market, the food and beverage, and medical industries in particular make extensive use of desiccants for safeguarding their products from the adverse effects of moisture. The study also states that these desiccants also find use in insulating construction materials such as windows and ducts, to minimize the adverse effects that condensation of atmospheric moisture has on the overall condition of the building.
As per the report, the inherent moisture absorbing qualities of desiccant materials have made them very popular in industrial applications where the presence of moisture can cause damage to either the end products, or the operational processes. Some of these industries include food, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and shipping of perishable goods. The extremely strict regulations relevant to quality control are the primary influencers behind the extensive usage of desiccants in manufacturing facilities for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Furthermore, desiccants are also increasingly being used in the production of chemicals and air conditioning refrigerants. According to the study, physical desiccants such as silica are relatively inexpensive in comparison to the chemical desiccants, which has generated a higher demand for these products in end use industries, despite being relatively inefficient in comparison to the chemical alternative. Moreover, the moisture absorption processes of physical desiccants are reversible, while it is irreversible for chemical desiccants.
Desiccant materials can present health risks to humans if exposure is made without due precaution. These risks have resulted in the implementation of rules and regulations that can restrict the ease of use of such materials, reducing the scope of application.
Calcium Sulphate Witnesses High Adoption as Low Cost Desiccant for Food Industry; Applications Geared Towards Laboratory Use
Calcium sulphate can be broadly divided on the terms of end applications, as either food & pharmaceutical grade or technical grade calcium sulphate. Of these technical grade variants of calcium sulphate is anticipated to witness maximum demand owing to the rapidly rising activity of urbanization and industrialization across the world, and the high amounts of calcium sulphate needed to fulfill the requirements of these sectors.
Calcium sulphate is usually produced through a controlled dehydration process on pure gypsum. It is widely used as a desiccant in the food industry as owing to its non-toxic, non-corrosive, and stable nature, in addition to its nutritive property as a calcium additive. Moreover, it displays higher levels of absorption in higher ambient temperatures, and is relatively inexpensive in comparison to most other desiccants available in the market.
On the other hand, calcium sulphate can only absorb moisture equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of its weight, and also displays capabilities of regeneration, which makes it unpopular as a desiccant in relation to other counterparts.
The calcium sulphate market is anticipated to witness strong growth, particularly in the Asia Pacific countries. This can be largely attributed to the high presence of international and regional calcium sulphate manufacturers in the region, in addition to the presence of numerous businesses in end use industries such as paint, chemical and cement manufacturing industries.
This FMI report provides details on the key competitors of market players who play an active role in the global calcium sulphate market, in addition to potential growth opportunities in the field. For more information on the same, click here.
