Properties of Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is charred wood or vegetable matter, which has been processed to make it more absorbent. Typically, one or more substances such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, steam, sulfuric acid, zinc chloride or phosphoric acid are use to activate the charcoal. Impurities are removed through the activation process, and the carbon particle size is reduced, thereby providing more surface area for absorption. Most commonly, activated charcoal is used to remove toxins or impurities in medical, commercial or home applications.

History

• Charcoal has been known to civilization for centuries. Ancient Egyptians used it to reduce the smell of rotting flesh, and Hindu texts from 450 B.C. show that sand and charcoal filters were used to purify water. It was used by Hippocrates to treat epilepsy, cholorosis and anthrax. In the 19th century, a pharmacist demonstrated the absorptive qualities of charcoal by ingesting several times the deadly dose of strychnine with the same amount of charcoal. He survived.

Water Purification

• Home water purification systems use activated charcoal or activated carbon, the active element in charcoal, to filter organic compounds through the absorption principle. Residual disinfectants such as chlorine and chloramines are eliminated through the process of catalytic reduction, a process where negatively charged contaminant ions are attracted to the positively charged activated charcoal. Home water purification systems may often be attached directly to the kitchen tap. They can remove objectionable smells and tastes from the water, as well as many organic contaminants in municipal water systems.

Medical Emergencies

• Activated charcoal has proved useful in the treatment of various types of poisonings. It is especially useful as an antidote in emergency situations. In fact, it is the antidote of choice when treating for most all drugs and chemicals, except mineral acids, alkalines and substances insoluble in aqueous acid solution. Activated charcoal may be administered as an oral solution or, if necessary, through the means of a nasogastric tube with airway protection.

Other Applications

• Activated charcoal, when administered in capsule form, is used to alleviate the discomfort of abdominal gas and flatulence. For use as an antiflatulent, the patient takes up to 975 mg after meals or at the first sign of discomfort. In addition, a study comparing the treatment and reduction of bacterial infection in wounds, where no clinical signs of infection were found, showed that activated charcoal silver dressings control infection and reduce healing time.