Barilla (Noun)
Meaning 1
Algerian plant formerly burned to obtain calcium carbonate.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Historically Algerian farmers grew barilla on land unsuitable for more valuable crops, allowing them to recover the soil's productivity while generating a small income.
- The name barilla was also sometimes given to the plant's ashes after calcination and addition of water to produce calcium carbonate.
- In earlier times barilla was also used for the plant whose ashes provided the calcium carbonate or as sodium carbonate for soap and glass manufacturing in southern Europe.
- Production of barilla decreased after discovery of the Solvay process to produce sodium carbonate in the late 1800s and other sources of calcium carbonate became more cost effective.
- Calcium and sodium compounds were also extracted from naturally occurring barilla for use in ceramics and for sodium-based products.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Bushy plant of Old World salt marshes and sea beaches having prickly leaves; burned to produce a crude soda ash.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The coastal area is home to large quantities of barilla, which is harvested locally for use as a source of sodium carbonate.
- Glassmakers in medieval Venice imported large amounts of barilla from Egypt and Syria to create their glass.
- For centuries barilla has been collected from salt marshes to provide a primary source of sodium carbonate, which can then be converted into washing soda.
- The local population long burned barilla plants to make a crude form of soda ash or sodium carbonate.
- Commercial production of sodium carbonate often started with the collection and burning of large quantities of the barilla plant.