Uses of Iodine
The medical industry especially pharmacy are always looking for crude iodine suppliers around the world. This is because of the many benefits of using iodine to treat different problems in the medical industry as well as protect people from ailments.
The medical industry however is not the only one that you will find looking for crude iodine suppliers. Our first use of iodine surprises many because they would never guess that it can be used in that way.
Iodine is Used in LCD
Whether you are reading this on a tablet or off a desktop computer or you have a smartwatch, the LCD screen on these devices utilizes silver iodine. This practice dates back to the time when we used films in cameras. Silver iodine would be added to the film in order to help in the formation of an image.
Today, iodine is still used information of images but these images are digital and appear on LCD screens. These screens have liquid crystals that are sandwiched between 2 films. Iodine is added to a stretched polyvinyl surface that is alcohol-based. The entire process of creating an image over an LCD screen is very similar to the old way of developing a still photo using iodine only that there is the involvement of digitized formation of images.
Protection from Radiation
In case of a nuclear accident, radioactive iodine may be inhaled or consumed and this poses a danger to human beings since the thyroid glands will fail to recognize that radioactive iodine is harmful to the body. To prevent this risk, potassium iodine is used to block the absorption of radioactive iodine into the thyroid glands. The potassium iodide provides the body with the needed dosage of iodine so that the radioactive one will be secreted in the urine instead of being absorbed. This will lower the risk of developing thyroid cancer caused by absorbing radioactive iodine.
It is important that this is only done under the supervision of a medical person and when there is an actual risk of radiation exposure.
Managing Foot Ulcers
Foot ulcers particularly in diabetic patients are a common problem. Research has shown that applying iodine to the sores is beneficial in the management of sores. Some antibiotics are known to impede the healing of wounds so they cannot be put on sores of someone with diabetes. Povidone-iodine however can act as an antiseptic but will not prevent the healing of the ulcers. It has actually been proved to aid in the healing of wounds. It is promoted as a highly effective way to manage ulcers.
Treating Pinkeye in Children
Eye drops that contain iodine have been studied as a possible prevention of pinkeye in newborn babies. The test results showed that these eye drops are highly effective when used on newborns. They can even be used for adults although there are other alternatives that may be more potent when used by adults to prevent as well as treat pinkeye.
Dealing with Mouth Sores
Mouth sores can cause severe discomfort and for some people, they may keep on occurring and making it hard for them to eat or drink. There are different treatments that doctors may prescribe and among the treatments is the use of iodine-based mouthwash. Repeatedly using iodine in mouth wash can aid the healing of sores in the mouth and it can reduce the frequency of these sores appearing. Remember though that sores in the mouth can be an indication of poor dieting or lower immunity so following advice from a doctor to deal with the problem is encouraged.
Nutrition
The most common use of iodine is for nutrition. This is both for humans and animals as cattle also benefit from iodine in their diet which is why they are given some salts. In humans, iodine is known to prevent the development of goiter. The body is unable to produce iodine on its own using other foods and so table salt is usually iodized to provide the needed iodine in the body. Most processed foods can also provide a fair amount of iodine since salt is added to them. The problems associated with reduced iodine in the body affect women more than men. For example, it can cause infertility, mental retardation for babies, and autoimmune disease. Iodine is therefore deliberately added to salt for nutritional purposes.
Iodine is a mineral that has been around for ages and has been used in several ways. Demand for it within the technology world is just as potent as in the medical world which is why finding suppliers for it is important. It is also important to preserve the environment in which iodine develops. Seaweed was first the main source of iodine but other sources within the sea have been discovered and countries are taking stock of their crude iodine reserves to ensure they can keep on providing the mineral whenever it is needed.