Impuphu yomhlaba ye-diatomaceous iyinto emangalisayo etholakala ezinsaleleni ze-diatoms ezifakwe emafossil, eziyi-algae eneseli elilodwa. Lawa ma-diatoms achuma emanzini afana nolwandle, amachibi, nemifula eminyakeni eyizigidi edlule. Njengoba efa, izindonga zawo zamangqamuzana ezicebile nge-silica zanqwabelana phansi, kancane kancane zakha ama-sedimentary deposits angumthombo womhlaba we-diatomaceous.

Esinye sezici ezivelele kakhulu ze-diatomaceous earth powder uhlobo lwayo olunezimbobo eziningi. Ngokwe-microscopic, yembula inethiwekhi eyinkimbinkimbi yama-pores amancane, axhumene. Lawa ma-pores ayahlukahluka ngobukhulu, ngokuvamile asukela kuma-nanometer ambalwa kuya kuma-micrometer amaningana. Lo mbobo unikeza i-powder indawo enkulu kakhulu ebusweni nge-unit mass, okubalulekile ekusetshenzisweni kwayo okuningi. Isibonelo, ezinqubweni zokuhlunga, ama-pores angabamba izinhlayiya zobukhulu obuhlukahlukene, asebenze njengesihlungi semvelo.

I-Diatomaceous earth powder isetshenziswa embonini yezimonyo kanye nokunakekelwa komuntu siqu. Isetshenziswa ekukhuhleni ubuso kanye nemikhiqizo yokukhipha amabala ngenxa yezakhiwo zayo ezithambile zokukhuhla. Ingasiza ekususeni amangqamuzana esikhumba afile, ishiye isikhumba sibushelelezi futhi sivuselelwe. Kwezinye izinhlobo zamazinyo, ifakwa njengesikhuhla esithambile ukusiza ukuhlanza amazinyo nokususa i-plaque ngaphandle kokubangela umonakalo omkhulu ku-enamel yamazinyo.

Embonini, i-diatomaceous earth powder isetshenziswa njengesigcwalisi emikhiqizweni efana nepulasitiki, irabha, kanye nopende. Kumapulasitiki, ingathuthukisa izakhiwo zemishini ze-matrix yepulasitiki, njengokwandisa amandla ayo nokuqina kwayo. Kurabha, ingathuthukisa ukuqina nokumelana nokuguguleka kwemikhiqizo yerabha. Kumapende, isebenza njenge-matting agent, inciphisa ukukhanya kobuso bopende futhi inikeze ukuqeda oku-matte kakhulu. Iphinde isetshenziswe ekukhiqizweni kwe-dynamite njengengxenye yokuzinza, isiza ukulawula ukusabela okuqhumayo.