Activated charcoal (also known as activated carbon) consists of small, black beads or a solid black porous sponge. It is used in water filters, medicines that selectively remove toxins, and chemical purification processes.
Activated Carbon Powder
Activated charcoal is carbon that has been treated with oxygen. The treatment results in highly porous charcoal. These tiny holes give the charcoal a surface area of 300-2,000 m2/g, allowing liquids or gases to pass through the charcoal and interact with the exposed carbon. The carbon adsorbs a wide range of impurities and contaminants, including chlorine, odors, and pigments. Other substances, like sodium, fluoride, and nitrates, are not as attracted to the carbon and are not filtered out.
Since adsorption works by chemically binding the impurities to the carbon, the active sites in the charcoal eventually become filled. Activated charcoal filters become less effective with use and have to be recharged or replaced.
What Activated Charcoal Will and Won’t Filter
The most common everyday use of activated charcoal is to filter water. It improves water clarity, diminishes unpleasant odors, and removes chlorine. It’s not effective for removing certain toxic organic compounds, significant levels of metals, fluoride, or pathogens. Despite persistent urban legend, activated charcoal only weakly adsorbs alcohol and it not an effective means of removal.
It will filter:
Chlorine
Chloramine
Tannins
Phenol
Some drugs
Hydrogen sulfide and some other volatile compounds that cause odors
Small amounts of metals, such as iron, mercury, and chelated copper
It won’t remove:
Ammonia
Nitrates
Nitrites
Fluoride
Sodium and most other cations
Significant amounts of heavy metals, iron, or copper
Significant amounts of hydrocarbons or petroleum distillates
Bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other microorganisms
Activated Charcoal Effectiveness
Several factors influence the effectiveness of activated charcoal. The pore size and distribution varies depending on the source of the carbon and the manufacturing process. Large organic molecules are absorbed better than smaller ones. Adsorption tends to increase as pH and temperature decrease. Contaminants are also removed more effectively if they are in contact with the activated charcoal for a longer time, so flow rate through the charcoal affects filtration.
Activated Charcoal De-Adsorption
Some people worry that activated charcoal will de-adsorb when the pores become full. While the contaminants on a full filter aren’t released back into the gas or water, used activated charcoal is not effective for further filtration. It is true that some compounds associated with certain types of activated charcoal may leach into the water. For example, some charcoal used in an aquarium might start to release phosphates into the water over time. Phosphate-free products are available.
Recharging Activated Charcoal
Whether or not you can or should recharge activated charcoal depends on its purpose. It’s possible to extend the life of an activated charcoal sponge by cutting or sanding off the outer surface to expose the interior, which might not have fully lost its ability to filter media. Also, you can heat activated charcoal beads to 200 C for 30 minutes. This will degrade the organic matter in the charcoal, which can then be rinsed away, but it won’t remove heavy metals.
For this reason, it’s generally best to just replace the charcoal. You can’t always heat a soft material that has been coated with activated charcoal because it might melt or release toxic chemicals of its own, basically contaminating the liquid or gas you want to purify. The bottom line here is that you possibly could extend the life of activated charcoal for an aquarium, but it’s inadvisable to try to recharge a filter used for drinking water.
Activated charcoal is a fine black powder made from bone char, coconut shells, peat, petroleum coke, coal, olive pits or sawdust.
The charcoal is activated by processing it at very high temperatures. The high temperatures change its internal structure, reducing the size of its pores and increasing its surface area
This results in a charcoal that is more porous than regular charcoal.
activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal shouldn’t be confused with charcoal briquettes that are used to light your barbecue.
While both can be made from the same base materials, charcoal briquettes have not been activated at high temperatures. Moreover, they contain additional substances that are toxic to humans.
Activated charcoal is sometimes used to help treat a drug overdose or a poisoning.
When you take activated charcoal, drugs and toxins can bind to it. This helps rid the body of unwanted substances.
Charcoal is made from coal, wood, or other substances. It becomes “activated charcoal” when high temperatures combine with a gas or activating agent to expand its surface area.
Activated charcoal US Brand Name
Actidose-Aqua
Charcoal
Diarrest
Di-Gon II
Donnagel
EZ-Char
Kaodene NN
Kaolinpec
Kaopectate
Kaopek
Kerr Insta-Char
Canadian Brand Name
Aqueous Charcodote Adult
Aqueous Charcodote Pediatric
Charcodote
Charcodote Pediatric
Charcodote Tfs
Charcodote Tfs Pediatric
Descriptions
Activated charcoal is used in the emergency treatment of certain kinds of poisoning. It helps prevent the poison from being absorbed from the stomach into the body. Sometimes, several doses of activated charcoal are needed to treat severe poisoning. Ordinarily, this medicine is not effective and should not be used in poisoning if corrosive agents such as alkalis (lye) and strong acids, iron, boric acid, lithium, petroleum products (e.g., cleaning fluid, coal oil, fuel oil, gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner), or alcohols have been swallowed, since it will not prevent these poisons from being absorbed into the body.
Some activated charcoal products contain sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sweetener. It also works as a laxative, for the elimination of the poison from the body.Products that contain sorbitol should be given only under the direct supervision of a doctor because severe diarrhea and vomiting may result.
Activated charcoal has not been shown to be effective in relieving diarrhea and intestinal gas.
Activated charcoal may be available without a doctor’s prescription; however, before using this medicine, call a poison control center, your doctor, or an emergency room for advice.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Suspension
Powder for Suspension
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
Activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption.
The charcoal’s porous texture has a negative electrical charge, which causes it to attract positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. This helps it trap toxins and chemicals in the gut.
Because activated charcoal is not absorbed by your body, it can carry the toxins bound to its surface out of your body in feces.
Why do people take activated charcoal?
People take activated charcoal to manage a poisoning or overdose.
When used along with other treatments, activated charcoal may be effective for an acute poisoning. But it is NOT useful in some cases, including poisoning from:
Cyanide
Lithium
Alcohol
Iron tablets
It also is not used to treat poisons such as strong acids or bases.
With a poisoning, don’t guess about the right thing to do. Call your local poison control center immediately. And get to an emergency room. You need to use activated charcoal as soon as possible if it is recommended.
Other less studied uses of activated charcoal include:
Treat a condition of pregnancy in which the normal flow of bile is affected (cholestasis)
Prevent gas
Reduce high cholesterol
Prevent a hangover
Early research about using activated charcoal to treat cholestasis of pregnancy is very limited. More studies are needed to prove its safety and effectiveness.
It’s not clear whether activated charcoal helps improve gas and cholesterol. That’s because the research results so far have been inconsistent.
As for hangover remedies with activated charcoal, there isn’t really any evidence that it works.
The activated charcoal that is used to treat a poisoning is a powder that is mixed with a liquid. Once mixed, it can be given as a drink or through a tube that has been placed through the mouth and into the stomach.
Activated charcoal is also available in tablet or capsule forms to treat gas. This form is not used to treat a poisoning.
Activated Charcoal as an Emergency Poison Treatment
Thanks to its toxin-binding properties, activated charcoal has a variety of medical uses.
For instance, activated charcoal is often used in cases of poisoning.
That’s because it can bind a wide variety of drugs, reducing their effects. In humans, activated charcoal has been used as a poison antidote since the early 1800s.
It may be used to treat prescription drugs overdoses, as well as overdoses of over-the-counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen and sedatives.
For instance, studies show that when a single dose of 50–100 grams of activated charcoal is taken within five minutes of drug ingestion, it may reduce drug absorption in adults by up to 74% .
This effect decreases to around 50% when the charcoal is taken 30 minutes after drug ingestion and 20% if it’s taken three hours after the drug overdose .
The initial dose of 50–100 grams is sometimes followed by two to six doses of 30–50 grams every two to six hours. However, this multiple dosage protocol is used less often and may only be effective in a limited number of poisoning cases .
It’s important to note that activated charcoal is not effective in all cases of poisoning. For instance, it appears to have little effect on alcohol, heavy metal, iron, lithium, potassium, acid or alkali poisonings.
What’s more, experts warn that activated charcoal shouldn’t be routinely administered in all cases of poisoning. Rather, its use should be considered on a case-by-case basis .
Activated Carbon May Promote Kidney Function
Activated charcoal may help promote kidney function by reducing the number of waste products that the kidneys have to filter.
This could be particularly beneficial in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, a condition in which the kidneys can no longer properly filter waste products.
Healthy kidneys are normally very well equipped to filter your blood without any additional help. However, patients suffering from chronic kidney disease generally have a harder time removing urea and other toxins from the body.
Activated charcoal may have the ability to bind to urea and other toxins, helping your body eliminate them.
Urea and other waste products can pass from the bloodstream into the gut through a process known as diffusion. In the gut, they become bound to activated charcoal and excreted in the feces .
In humans, activated charcoal has been shown to help improve kidney function in those suffering from chronic kidney disease.
In one study, activated charcoal supplements may have helped lower blood levels of urea and other waste products in patients with end-stage kidney disease.
That said, the current evidence is weak, and more high-quality studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Reduces Symptoms of Fish Odor Syndrome
Activated charcoal may help reduce unpleasant odors in individuals suffering from trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fish odor syndrome.
TMAU is a genetic condition in which trimethylamine (TMA), a compound with an odor similar to that of rotting fish, accumulates in the body.
Healthy individuals are usually able to convert fishy-smelling TMA into a non-smelly compound before excreting it in urine. However, people with TMAU lack the enzyme needed to perform this conversion.
This causes TMA to accumulate in the body and make its way into urine, sweat and breath, giving rise to a foul, fishy odor (13Trusted Source).
Studies show that activated charcoal’s porous surface may help bind small odorous compounds like TMA, increasing their excretion.
One small study in TMAU patients analyzed the effects of supplementing with 1.5 grams of charcoal for 10 days. It reduced TMA concentrations in the patients’ urine to levels found in healthy individuals (14Trusted Source).
These results seem promising, but more studies are needed.
May Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Activated charcoal may also help reduce cholesterol levels.
That’s because it can bind cholesterol and cholesterol-containing bile acids in the gut, preventing the body from absorbing them (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
In one study, taking 24 grams of activated charcoal per day for four weeks lowered total cholesterol by 25% and bad LDL cholesterol by 25%. Good HDL cholesterol levels also increased by 8% (17Trusted Source).
In another study, taking 4–32 grams of activated charcoal daily helped reduce total and bad LDL cholesterol by 29–41% in those with high cholesterol levels (18Trusted Source).
In this study, the larger dosages of activated charcoal seemed the most effective.
Similar results were reported in most, but not all, studies (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21).
However, it’s interesting to note that all studies related to this topic were conducted in the 1980s. More recent studies would help confirm the link.
Other Uses of Activated Carbon ?
Activated charcoal is also a popular home remedy with multiple uses, though it’s important to note that not all of these are supported by science.
Its most well-known home uses include:
Gas reduction: Some studies report that activated charcoal may help reduce gas production following a gas-producing meal. It may also help improve the odor of gas. However, not all studies observed this benefit (22, 23Trusted Source).
Water filtration: Activated charcoal is a popular way to reduce heavy metal and fluoride content in water. However, it doesn’t appear to be very effective at removing viruses, bacteria or hard water minerals (4, 24, 25Trusted Source).
Tooth whitening: Using activated charcoal to brush your teeth is anecdotally said to whiten them. It’s said to do so by absorbing plaque and other teeth-staining compounds. However, no studies could be found to support this claim.
Hangover prevention: Activated charcoal is sometimes used as a hangover cure. While consuming it with alcohol may reduce blood alcohol levels, its effects on hangovers haven’t been studied (26Trusted Source).
Skin treatment: Applying this charcoal to the skin is touted as an effective treatment for acne and insect or snake bites. However, only anecdotal reports could be found on this topic.
Can you get activated charcoal naturally from foods?
Activated charcoal is a manufactured product. You cannot find it naturally in foods.
Dosage Instructions
Those interested in trying activated charcoal can find a wide selection of it on Amazon. Make sure to follow dosage instructions similar to those used in the studies mentioned above.
In the case of drug poisoning, it’s important to seek medical help immediately.
A dosage of 50–100 grams can be administered by a medical professional, ideally within an hour of the overdose. Children normally receive a lower dose of 10–25 grams (8Trusted Source).
Dosages for other conditions range from 1.5 grams to treat fishy odor disease to 4–32 grams per day to lower cholesterol and promote kidney function in end-stage kidney disease (11Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
Activated charcoal supplements can be found in pill or powder forms. When taken as a powder, activated charcoal may be mixed with water or a non-acidic juice.
Also, increasing your water intake may help prevent symptoms of constipation.
What are the risks of taking activated charcoal?
When used to treat a poisoning or overdose, activated charcoal is usually safe, but it needs to be administered only in a health care facility.
Side effects are more likely when it is used on a long-term basis to treat conditions like excess gas.
Side effects. When you take it by mouth, activated charcoal can cause:
Black stools
Black tongue
Vomiting or diarrhea
Constipation
In more serious cases, it can cause gastrointestinal blockages.
Risks. Do not combine activated charcoal with drugs used for constipation (cathartics such as sorbitol or magnesium citrate). This can cause electrolyte imbalances and other problems.
Interactions. Activated charcoal may reduce or prevent the absorption of certain drugs. This may include drugs such as:
Acetaminophen
Digoxin
Theophylline
Tricyclic antidepressants
Do not use activated charcoal as a supplement if you take these medications. Activated charcoal may also reduce absorption of certain nutrients.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any supplement you’re taking, even if it’s natural. That way, your doctor can check on any potential side effects or interactions with medications, foods, or other herbs and supplements. They can let you know if the supplement might increase your risks.
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Activated charcoal is a sponge-like substance that is made from different carbon-containing substances of natural origin. Activated Charcoal is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen. The treatment results in a highly porous charcoal. It is made at very high temperatures and as a result, activated charcoal is a substance which is almost one hundred percent composed of carbon.
The chemical composition of charcoal is very similar to graphite. Useful properties of activated charcoal can be contributed to the huge number of pores and hence activated charcoal exhibits very high absorbent and catalytic properties.
Activated carbon is used in methane and hydrogen storage, air purification, decaffeination, gold purification, metal extraction, water purification, medicine, sewage treatment, air filters in gas masks and respirators, filters in compressed air, teeth whitening, and many other applications.
Activated carbon industrial application
One major industrial application involves use of activated carbon in metal finishing for purification of electroplating solutions. For example, it is the main purification technique for removing organic impurities from bright nickel plating solutions. A variety of organic chemicals are added to plating solutions for improving their deposit qualities and for enhancing properties like brightness, smoothness, ductility, etc. Due to passage of direct current and electrolytic reactions of anodic oxidation and cathodic reduction, organic additives generate unwanted breakdown products in solution. Their excessive build up can adversely affect plating quality and physical properties of deposited metal. Activated carbon treatment removes such impurities and restores plating performance to the desired level.
Medical uses
Main article: Activated charcoal (medication)
activated Carbons for Medical Uses
Activated charcoal for medical use
Activated carbon is used to treat poisonings and overdoses following oral ingestion. Tablets or capsules of activated carbon are used in many countries as an over-the-counter drug to treat diarrhea, indigestion, and flatulence.
However, activated charcoal shows no effect of intestinal gas and diarrhea, and is, ordinarily, medically ineffective if poisoning resulted from ingestion of corrosive agents such as alkalis and strong acids, iron, boric acid, lithium, petroleum products, or alcohol. Activated carbon will not prevent these chemicals from being absorbed into the human body.
It is particularly ineffective against poisonings of strong acids or alkali, cyanide, iron, lithium, arsenic, methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol.
Incorrect application (e.g. into the lungs) results in pulmonary aspiration, which can sometimes be fatal if immediate medical treatment is not initiated.
Activated Charcoal is a powerful tool for emergency cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract, perhaps the most effective remedy known today. It can be used in cases of poisoning from virtually any toxic substance. Activated charcoal reduces the absorption of poisonous substances up to 60%.
One teaspoon of activated charcoal has a surface area of approximately 10 000 square feet. It adsorbs and helps eliminate toxins, heavy metals, chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs, morphine, pesticides from your body.
Poisoning by various chemical substances, drugs, toxic heavy metals, alkaloids
Overall body detoxification
Food poisoning
Treating stomach pain caused by excess gas, diarrhea, or indigestion.
Body odor and bad breath
Hepatitis: chronic and acute viral
Withdrawal syndrome (as a rule, is used for drinking, not for drug addiction)
Intoxication caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Various skin ailments
Inflammation
Helps lower cholesterol, triglycerides and lipids found in the blood.
Analytical chemistry applications
Activated carbon, in 50% w/w combination with celite, is used as stationary phase in low-pressure chromatographic separation of carbohydrates (mono-, di-trisaccharides) using ethanol solutions (5–50%) as mobile phase in analytical or preparative protocols.
Environmental applications
Activated carbon is usually used in water filtration systems. In this illustration, the activated carbon is in the fourth level (counted from bottom).
Activated carbon is usually used in water filtration systems. In this illustration, the activated carbon is in the fourth level (counted from bottom).
Carbon adsorption has numerous applications in removing pollutants from air or water streams both in the field and in industrial processes such as:
Spill cleanup
Groundwater remediation
Drinking water filtration
Air purification
Volatile organic compounds capture from painting, dry cleaning, gasoline dispensing operations, and other processes.
During early implementation of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act in the US, EPA officials developed a rule that proposed requiring drinking water treatment systems to use granular activated carbon. Because of its high cost, the so-called GAC rule encountered strong opposition across the country from the water supply industry, including the largest water utilities in California. Hence, the agency set aside the rule. Activated carbon filtration is an effective water treatment method due to its multi-functional nature. There are specific types of activated carbon filtration methods and equipment that are indicated – depending upon the contaminants involved.
Activated carbon is also used for the measurement of radon concentration in air.
Agriculture uses
Activated carbon (charcoal) is an allowed substance used by organic farmers in both livestock production and wine making. In livestock production it is used as a pesticide, animal feed additive, processing aid, nonagricultural ingredient and disinfectant. In organic winemaking, activated carbon is allowed for use as a processing agent to adsorb brown color pigments from white grape concentrates.
Activated carbon has been used as a purification agent since ancient Egypt and India. It was introduced to the modern world via the sugar refineries of 1800s Europe, and its use quickly swept the globe. Rapidly evolving technology has led to its expansion ever since, and today activated carbon plays a key role in a vast number of industries, from wastewater treatment to pharmaceutical manufacturing. It is also used in agriculture to improve crop yields.
activated carbon adsorbs and removes targeted compounds along its vast surface area. Although it has been used in modern agriculture for only a decade or so, research shows that activated carbon can boost agriculture in several important ways.
Seed Protection
Fungicides and herbicides are absolutely essential to modern agriculture, preventing harmful species from taking over and destroying crops. Unfortunately, these products can also be damaging to newly planted seeds. When mixed with fertilizer or used to coat vulnerable seeds, activated carbon can ensure the survival of the vast majority of seeds. The surface chemistry of the activated carbon can even be manipulated to ensure the best pH for different types of seeds. In some cases, activated carbon can also be mixed into the soil to protect fields from accidental spills of fungicides or herbicides.
Time-Release Nutrient Delivery
Although most popular applications of activated carbon involve removing toxic or noxious compounds, activated carbon’s tremendous storage abilities also allow it to deliver helpful compounds on a timed basis. For agriculture, activated carbon can store nutrients that are essential to plant health and then release them over time. For example, activated carbon can be impregnated with ethylene, the naturally occurring hormone that causes plants to ripen. The ethylene can then be delivered to help all of the fruits in a crop ripen at the same time.
Herbicide Catalyst
Activated carbon is a powerful catalyst for oxidation, and can be used for this purpose in the production of herbicides. It is important to choose a powdered activated carbon (PAC) with strong characteristics of filtration and sedimentation. When specifically prepared for this purpose, PAC can help to create a highly effective herbicide.
Purification and Decolorization
Like any other chemical product, agrochemicals need to be pure and clean to create the desired results. Colorization also matters in consumer preferences, with homogeneously colored products being seen as more desirable. Activated carbon is used in the agrochemical industry to remove unwanted compounds and create the pure, decolorized products that consumers deserve.
Agriculture is a relative newcomer to the list of industries that have been revolutionized by the use of activated carbon. Yet research shows that it works across a wide range of agricultural applications. Activated carbon comes in many types and forms, each with its own unique characteristics. For the best results, it is important to consult with an activated carbon expert who can help you sort through the options and select just the right product to meet your needs.
Are you interested in purchasing activated carbon for a specific application? Do you require expert guidance in choosing the right impregnation for your needs? With more than 70 years of experience in the activated carbon industry, Oxbow Activated Carbon is proud to provide the most diverse line of activated carbon products on the market today. We provide both standard and custom impregnations, spent carbon disposal and reactivation, and numerous other specialized services. We pride ourselves on our individualized customer service, and we look forward to becoming your one-stop shop for all your activated carbon needs.
Distilled alcoholic beverage purification
Activated carbon filters (AC filters) can be used to filter vodka and whiskey of organic impurities which can affect color, taste, and odor. Passing an organically impure vodka through an activated carbon filter at the proper flow rate will result in vodka with an identical alcohol content and significantly increased organic purity, as judged by odor and taste.[citation needed]
Fuel storage
Research is being done testing various activated carbons’ ability to store natural gas[2][1] and hydrogen gas.[1][2] The porous material acts like a sponge for different types of gases. The gas is attracted to the carbon material via Van der Waals forces. Some carbons have been able to achieve bonding energies of 5–10 kJ per mol. The gas may then be desorbed when subjected to higher temperatures and either combusted to do work or in the case of hydrogen gas extracted for use in a hydrogen fuel cell. Gas storage in activated carbons is an appealing gas storage method because the gas can be stored in a low pressure, low mass, low volume environment that would be much more feasible than bulky on-board pressure tanks in vehicles. The United States Department of Energy has specified certain goals to be achieved in the area of research and development of nano-porous carbon materials. All of the goals are yet to be satisfied but numerous institutions, including the ALL-CRAFT program,[1][2][13]are continuing to conduct work in this promising field.
Gas purification
Filters with activated carbon are usually used in compressed air and gas purification to remove oil vapors, odor, and other hydrocarbons from the air. The most common designs use a 1-stage or 2 stage filtration principle in which activated carbon is embedded inside the filter media.
Activated carbon filters are used to retain radioactive gases within the air vacuumed from a nuclear boiling water reactor turbine condenser. The large charcoal beds adsorb these gases and retain them while they rapidly decay to non-radioactive solid species. The solids are trapped in the charcoal particles, while the filtered air passes through.
Chemical purification
Activated carbon is commonly used on the laboratory scale to purify solutions of organic molecules containing unwanted colored organic impurities.
Filtration over activated carbon is used in large scale fine chemical and pharmaceutical processes for the same purpose. The carbon is either mixed with the solution then filtered off or immobilized in a filter.
Mercury scrubbing
Activated carbon, often infused with sulfur[14] or iodine, is widely used to trap mercury emissions from coal-fired power stations, medical incinerators, and from natural gas at the wellhead. This carbon is a special product costing more than US$4.00 per kg.
Since it is often not recycled, the mercury-laden activated carbon presents a disposal dilemma. If the activated carbon contains less than 260 ppm mercury, United States federal regulations allow it to be stabilized (for example, trapped in concrete) for landfilling. However, waste containing greater than 260 ppm is considered to be in the high-mercury subcategory and is banned from landfilling (Land-Ban Rule). This material is now accumulating in warehouses and in deep abandoned mines at an estimated rate of 100 tons per year.
The problem of disposal of mercury-laden activated carbon is not unique to the United States. In the Netherlands, this mercury is largely recovered and the activated carbon is disposed of by complete burning, forming carbon dioxide (CO2).
