El Caracol, Ecatepec

The Sodakonzentrationsschnecke, also called " Caracol ", is a 19 km long canal Spiral north of the former Lake Texcoco. In her soda ( sodium carbonate) and the cyanobacterium Spirulina were produced. However, it was the quality of Spirulina, which was sold as food ( supplements), very poor, which stemmed from the air and groundwater pollution in Mexico City. After the United States, therefore, stopped the import, production had to be abandoned.

Declaration of Sodabildung

Spirulina thrive from in alkaline salt lakes with pH values ​​between 9 and 11, such as the Lake Texcoco, and excrete lime. This reacts with sodium sulfide derived from volcanic rocks in the water to form calcium sulfide and sodium carbonate:

The resulting calcium sulfide reacts with water to decompose (eg to hydrogen sulfide ) on.

History

The Sodakonzentrationsschnecke is the only facility of its kind and was built from 1936. However, the construction is related to the drainage system to the northeast, which was already completed in 1900. Operator was Sosa Texcoco, based in Mexico City.