Zeolite

Zeolites are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals commonly used as commercial absorbents.  The term zeolite was originally coined in 1756 by Swedish mineralogist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, who observed that upon rapidly heating the material stilbite, it produced large amounts of steam from water that had been absorbed by the material.  Based on this, he called the material zeolite, from the Greek ζέω (zeō), meaning "boil" and λίθος (lithos), meaning "stone".

As of January 2008, 175 unique zeolite frameworks have been identified, and over 40 naturally occurring frameworks are known.

Zeolite-based oxygen concentrator systems are widely used to produce medical-grade oxygen.  The zeolite is used as a molecular sieve to create purified oxygen from air using its ability to trap impurities, in a process involving the absorption of nitrogen, leaving highly purified oxygen and up to 5% argon.

QuickClot brand hemostatic agent, which is used to stop severe bleeding, contains a calcium-loaded form of zeolite.

Bio-medical applications of zeolites include their use as detoxicants and decontaminants, as vaccine adjuvants, and as antibacterial agents.  They are also used for delayed release drug delivery, as antitumor adjuvants, as antidiarrheal agents, in hemodialysis, to improve bone formation, and in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Zeolite are used in the treatment of Lyme disease, as a detoxifier.

Zeolites are used as nutritional supplements.  Some clinoptilolite-based dietary supplements have demonstrated antioxidant activity in humans.