The role of Activated carbon in Water purification

By :- Amanda Spencer

Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal is a highly absorbent substance that can attract and hold organic chemicals inside it. It can be made from bituminous coal, lignite coal, peat, coconut shell and wood. This is then produced by first burning a carbonaceous material without oxygen which makes a carbon “char”. Afterwards, the “char” is chemically or physically treated to build up a unified series of “holes” or pores inside the carbon.

The vast surface area of this internal pore network results in an exceptionally large surface area that can draw in and hold organic chemicals from vapor and liquid streams, thereby purifying discarded chemicals. It is often pursued as a cost effective approach to treat large volumes of water to remove dilute concentrations of contamination. Activated charcoal also serves as a vital element in our day to day lives on occasions where individuals gulp down chemicals or are affected by food poisoning, they are instructed to drink a small amount of activated carbon to sop up and remove the poisons from their system.

Coal based Activated carbon for water purification

Activated charcoal has the ability to ‘adsorb’. The process of absorption is whereby a sponge drenching up in water, not being limited to the surface area. On the contrary, ‘adsorption’ is a process whereby molecules stick only to the surface area. Since activated carbon has a large surface composed of porous material, the unnecessary substance sticks to the surface of the carbon particles.

Designed in the form of a column consisting activated charcoal (commonly referred to as an adsorber), it is engineered for loading fluid and purifying it. This is commonly used in filters due to its ability to trap other carbon-based contaminations ("organic" chemicals), as well as inducements like chlorine. Many other chemicals such as sodium, nitrates, etc are not at all attracted to carbon, thus they outdo themselves right through it. This implies that an activated charcoal filter possesses the capacity to remove some impurities while disregarding others.

It also means that, once all of the linking sites are crammed, an activated charcoal filter stops functioning, at which point you must replace the filter.

There are numerous kinds of activated carbon water filters and determining which filter will work best for you is not that complex. Eliminating toxins that sap your health is one of the first steps to ensure a hale and hearty life and let’s not forget that this element is believed to be the world’s oldest and trusted detoxifying remedy.

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