What are the applications of adsorption?

Air pollution masks are one example of adsorption. Minerals like silica gel or activated charcoal powder act as filters. As smoke or dust are passed through them, the particles adhere to the surface of the materials via adsorption. Another application is for the purification of water. This is achieved by adding alum stone to the water. Adsorption chromatography is another application, and is utilized to separate hormones and pigments. Adsorption is also used to remove moisture and humidity. This is done using silica gel to remove moisture from the air by trapping water molecules. In the ion exchange method, hardness of water, magnesium, and calcium jobs adhere to the surface of the ion exchange resin. Adsorption is also used in metallurgy. During froth flotation used for concentrating ores, particles attach themselves onto the froth on the surface, facilitating their separation. Lastly, adsorption is used to remove color from solutions through animal charcoal, which adsorbs colored impurities.