Aluminosilicate

An aluminosilicate is a mineral that contains aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and silica (SiO₂). Feldspar, chlorites, clay minerals, some type of pozzolan, etc. are aluminosilicates. Aluminosilicates are usually considered as derivatives of silicates due to the replacement of Si⁴⁺ ions by Al³⁺ ions, which, due to the difference in positive charges, require additional cations in order to achieve electrical neutrality.

Features

Some aluminosilicates, such as feldspars, are among the most abundant minerals in the earth's crust. Among them, aluminum replaces one in four silicon atoms, and even one in two, as occurs for example in anorthite (CaAl₂Si₂O ₈). As a consequence of erosion, the feldspas are usually transformed into lamellar-type silicates, which constitute the clays that are present in the soils. They are classified in:

• Ectosilicates, such as zeolites or philosophies such as mica.
• Tectosilicates, used for mycotoxin adsorber.

They can be of natural or synthetic origin. In Mexico there are aluminosilicate and zeolite mines in different states such as: Oaxaca, Michoacán, Veracruz and Sonora.

Composition

The chemical composition of aluminosilicates is variable, as is that of the different types of mycotoxins, therefore their mycotoxin-binding capacity will be different in each case.

Applications

Some silicates are used as raw materials in the manufacture of materials used daily, such as cement, glass, ceramics, etc. On the other hand, zeolites have been used in agriculture since the 1960s due to their cation exchange, molecular sieving, and adsorption properties. Crystalline Aluminosilicates are indicated for dust baths in the litter of rodents and birds, such as chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, among others.