| Industrial First Aid & Medical - Electrolyte Tablets |
|
Product,
Shipping & Return Policies |
Help! |
Custom Labeling |
First Aid Catalog |
First Aid
Order Form |
Comments or Questions about this site
First Aid Home Page Kit Buyer's Guide First Aid Guide Links Contact Us Help!
Copyright © 2001 - 2008 First-Aid- Product.com, a division of American CPR, all rights reserved
888-228-6694 CALL US TOLL FREE!
Looking for a special deal on Electrolytes? Whether you spell it eletrolite or electrolyte, our electrolyte tabs come in many sizes and quantities...great for hiking, sports, medical needs, and more! We are your source for first aid and safety kits, soft first aid bags, all purpose first aid kits, and general first aid and cpr supplies - Wholesale to the Public Manufacturer Direct Safety Product Sales since 1993
elec·tro·lyte
Pronunciation: \i-lek-trə-līt\
Function:noun Date:1834
Electrolyte Information From Wikipedia:
An electrolyte is any substance
containing free ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium. Because
they generally consist of ions in solution, electrolytes are also known as ionic
solutions, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible.
They are sometimes referred to in abbreviated jargon as lytes.
Principles
Electrolytes commonly exist as solutions of acids, bases or salts. Furthermore,
some gases may act as electrolytes under conditions of high temperature or low
pressure. Electrolyte solutions can also result from the dissolution of some
biological (e.g. DNA, polypeptides) and synthetic polymers (e.g. polystyrene
sulfonate), termed polyelectrolytes, which contain multiple charged moieties.
Electrolyte solutions are normally formed when a salt is placed into a solvent
such as water and the individual components dissociate due to the thermodynamic
interactions between solvent and solute molecules, in a process called solvation.
For example, when table salt, NaCl, is placed in water, the following occurs:
NaCl(s) → Na+ + Cl−
In simple terms, the electrolyte is a material that dissolves in water to give a
solution that conducts an electric current.
An electrolyte in a solution may be described as concentrated if it has a high
concentration of ions, or dilute if it has a low concentration. If a high
proportion of the solute dissociates to form free ions, the electrolyte is
strong; if most of the solute does not dissociate, the electrolyte is weak. The
properties of electrolytes may be exploited using electrolysis to extract
constituent elements and compounds contained within the solution.
Physiological importance
In physiology, the primary ions of electrolytes are sodium (Na+), potassium
(K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl-), phosphate (PO43-), and
hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-). The electric charge symbols of plus (+) and minus
(-) indicate that the substance in question is ionic in nature and has an
imbalanced distribution of electrons. This is the result of chemical
dissociation.
All higher lifeforms require a subtle and complex electrolyte balance between
the intracellular and extracellular milieu. In particular, the maintenance of
precise osmotic gradients of electrolytes is important. Such gradients affect
and regulate the hydration of the body, blood pH, and are critical for nerve and
muscle function. Various mechanisms have evolved in living species that keep the
concentrations of different electrolytes under tight control.
Both muscle tissue and neurons are considered electric tissues of the body.
Muscles and neurons are activated by electrolyte activity between the
extracellular fluid or interstitial fluid, and intracellular fluid. Electrolytes
may enter or leave the cell membrane through specialized protein structures
embedded in the plasma membrane called ion channels. For example, muscle
contraction is dependent upon the presence of calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and
potassium (K+). Without sufficient levels of these key electrolytes, muscle
weakness or severe muscle contractions may occur.
Electrolyte balance is maintained by oral, or in emergencies, intravenous (IV)
intake of electrolyte-containing substances, and is regulated by hormones,
generally with the kidneys flushing out excess levels. In humans, electrolyte
homeostasis is regulated by hormones such as antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone
and parathyroid hormone. Serious electrolyte disturbances, such as dehydration
and overhydration, may lead to cardiac and neurological complications and,
unless they are rapidly resolved, will result in a medical emergency.
Measurement
Measurement of electrolytes is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure,
performed via blood testing with ion selective electrodes or urinalysis by
medical technologists. The interpretation of these values is somewhat
meaningless without analysis of the clinical history and is often impossible
without parallel measurement of renal function. Electrolytes measured most often
are sodium and potassium. Chloride levels are rarely measured except for
arterial blood gas interpretation since they are inherently linked to sodium
levels. One important test conducted on urine is the specific gravity test to
determine the occurrence of electrolyte imbalance.
Sports drinks
Electrolytes are commonly found in sports drinks. In oral rehydration therapy,
electrolyte drinks containing sodium and potassium salts replenish the body's
water and electrolyte levels after dehydration caused by exercise, diaphoresis,
diarrhea, vomiting or starvation. These drinks are, however, only necessary
after truly Herculean efforts, such as marathons and biathlons, have been
performed. People exercising in a normal way (for example cycling for one hour)
can also drink pure water.
It is unnecessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes
during exercise since it is unlikely that a significant depletion the body's
stores of these minerals will occur during normal training. However, in extreme
exercising conditions over 5 or 6 hours (an Ironman or ultramarathon, for
example) the consumption of a complex sports drink with electrolytes is
recommended. Athletes who do not consume electrolytes under these conditions
risk overhydration (or hyponatremia). [1]
Because sports drinks typically contain very high levels of sugar, they are not
recommended for regular use by children. Water is considered the only essential
beverage for children during exercise. Sports drinks are also not appropriate
for replacing the fluid lost during diarrhea. Medicinal rehydration sachets and
drinks are available to replace the key electrolyte ions lost. Dentists
recommend that regular consumers of sports drinks observe precautions against
tooth decay.
Electrolyte and sports drinks can be home-made by using the correct proportions
of sugar, salt and water. [2]
Electrochemistry
Main article: electrolysis
When electrodes are placed in an electrolyte and a voltage is applied, the
electrolyte will conduct electricity. Lone electrons normally cannot pass
through the electrolyte; instead, a chemical reaction occurs at the cathode
consuming electrons from the cathode, and another reaction occurs at the anode
producing electrons to be taken up by the anode. As a result, a negative charge
cloud develops in the electrolyte around the cathode, and a positive charge
develops around the anode. The ions in the electrolyte move to neutralize these
charges so that the reactions can continue and the electrons can keep flowing.
For example, in a solution of ordinary salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) in water,
the cathode reaction will be
2H2O + 2e− → 2OH− + H2
and hydrogen gas will bubble up; the anode reaction is
2H2O → O2 + 4H+ + 4e−
and oxygen gas will be liberated. The positively charged sodium ions Na+ will
move towards the cathode neutralizing the negative charge of OH− there, and the
negatively charged chlorine ions Cl− will move towards the anode neutralizing
the positive charge of H+ there. Without the ions from the electrolyte, the
charges around the electrode would slow down continued electron flow; diffusion
of H+ and OH− through water to the other electrode takes longer than movement of
the much more prevalent salt ions.
In other systems, the electrode reactions can involve the metals of the
electrodes as well as the ions of the electrolyte.
Electrolytic conductors are used in electronic devices where the chemical
reaction at a metal/electrolyte interface yields useful effects.
* In batteries, two metals with different electron affinities are used as
electrodes; electrons flow from one electrode to the other outside of the
battery, while inside the battery the circuit is closed by the electrolyte's
ions. Here the electrode reactions slowly use up the chemical energy stored in
the electrolyte.
* In some fuel cells, a solid electrolyte or proton conductor connects the
plates electrically while keeping the hydrogen and oxygen fuel gases separated.
* In electroplating tanks, the electrolyte simultaneously deposits metal onto
the object to be plated, and electrically connects that object in the circuit.
* In operation-hours gauges, two thin columns of mercury are separated by a
small electrolyte-filled gap, and, as charge is passed through the device, the
metal dissolves on one side and plates out on the other, causing the visible gap
to slowly move along.
* In electrolytic capacitors the chemical effect is used to produce an extremely
thin 'dielectric' or insulating coating, while the electrolyte layer behaves as
one capacitor plate.
* In some hygrometers the humidity of air is sensed by measuring the
conductivity of a nearly dry electrolyte.
* Hot, softened glass is an electrolytic conductor, and some glass manufacturers
keep the glass molten by passing a large current through it.
