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Diatoms are a large group of algae classified as Bacillariophyceae. They are free-living,unicellular or form colonies of varying shapes and sizes. The cell wall of Diatoms is called frustule,consisting of upper Epitheca and lower Hypotheca, two thin overlapping shells that fit into each other.Their walls are made up of silica. When the diatoms die, the silica in their cell walls gets deposited in the form of diatomaceous earth which is very soft,quite inert and used in filteration of oils, sugars, and for other industrial purposes.

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