WHAT IS ACTIVATED CARBON?

Each grain of activated carbon or charcoal is, in effect, a molecular sponge with a tremendous
area of internal surface in passageways so small that they cannot be seen by an optical
microscope. It is this surface that adsorbs and retains the odors, vapors, and gases. Even though
the deposit of adsorbed contaminant is only one or a few molecules deep, the amount of material
adsorbed can be surprisingly large because of the great internal surface. The grains in one pound
of activated carbon have an internal surface of about five million square feet.

It has been known since ancient times that carbon has the power to purify air and water.
Ordinarily carbon, as normally produced, possesses to a slight degree the power to adsorb and
hold contaminating materials. But by high temperature steam activation, the process employed
in the manufacture of activated carbon, the adsorption capacity is increased a hundredfold or
more. New important methods of utilization as a total purification treatment or as part of a
treating system have been developed. Activated carbon types are now available which have low
air resistance, high adsorptive capacity, and other characteristics especially suited to the
treatment of industrial waste gases. For many problems, standard commercially available
activated carbon filter cells provide effective and economical solutions.

Everyone has had some contact with activated carbon. Its use in gas masks, for water
purification, and for deodorization is well known. The public is now learning about activated
carbon through some of its new personal and household uses. Many are using filter tip cigarettes
which contain activated carbon. Disposable activated carbon filters are being widely used in
forced air furnaces and air conditioners. The public knows from popular articles that activated
carbon helps the atomic submarines to stay under water for weeks or months and manned space
capsules to stay in orbit for many days. Many have had contact with activated carbon in its
industrial applications, and know of the beneficial ways it can be used.

ACTIVATED CARBON

ACTIVATED CARBON IS LIKE A MOLECULAR MAGNET. It is a form of carbon in which

we create millions of tiny holes, which form an internal structure of interconnected capillary
passages not much larger than the molecules that it adsorbs. Although activated carbon can be
made from a variety of raw materials and by different methods of processing, we carefully select
the material and processes that produce the combination of properties required for maximum
effectiveness in each of its many applications.

Adsorption is commercially useful, because it can be used to remove impurities from air, gas and
liquid mixtures even though the contaminants are present only in trace amounts.

ADSORPTION

Adsorption is a physical action based on molecular forces. When an air, gas or liquid containing
impurities is brought into contact with it, the activated carbon attracts and holds the impurities on
its internal surfaces. The degree of adsorption depends on the relationship between the carbon
pore structures and the size and shape of the contaminating molecules.
A tremendous surface area is contained within a small volume of activated carbon. For example,
the area in one quart (about one pound) of some types of carbon is as high as 9 million square
feet. This makes absorption practical and one of the most effective methods of positive air
purification known. Air purified with activated carbon is actually purer than much of the outside
air we normally consider fresh and sweet.

PURIFICATION

Gas – Air and gases are purified by removing organic and inorganic contaminants in high and
very low concentrations as small as one per billion.
Liquid – Activated carbon removes unwanted tastes, odors, colors, chlorine, and a wide range of
contaminants from water and other liquids. Washed grades are available for high purity
requirements of medicinal, food and beverage applications.

RECOVERY

Air – Contaminated air is recovered and recirculated at less cost than heating or cooling outside
air. This improves indoor environment, stops pollution by exhaust air, improves neighborhood
relations.
Solvents – Valuable solvents are recovered from the air at a fraction of their original cost. This
helps improve products by making the best solvents economical to use.
Reclamation – Dry cleaning solutions, plating baths and degreasing solvents are reclaimed for
reuse. By-product liquids, gases and waste products are recovered for resale, reuse of simplified
disposal.

CATALYSIS

Catalyst – Activated carbon is used to catalyze a variety of specific chemical reactions.

Activated carbon will decrease in catalytic activity only when exposed to large quantities of high
molecular weight materials and is not readily poisoned by the usual contaminants.
Catalyst Support – Activated carbon’s high adsorption capacity holds more metallic salts than
other supports. Its large internal structure also effectively concentrates reactants and promotes
catalysis.

SEPARATION

Concentration – The high adsorptive capacity of activated carbon is used for concentrating many
types of substances present in dilute form in gases and liquids. Carbon adsorption is often faster
and more economical than concentration by evaporation, chemical reaction, ion exchange and
other methods.
Fractionation – Activated carbons have adsorbent capacity for a wide range of molecular sizes
and shapes. By proper selection of carbon types and operation of adsorptive equipment, it is
possible to fractionate molecules, thereby separating one type or size from another. In specific
cases, adsorption or chromatographic techniques will achieve a degree of separation usually not
possible with other methods.
 ADSORPTION EQUIPMENT FOR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

Adsorption is a physical phenomenon which permits the removal of contaminants from gases
and liquids. These contaminants can be reduces to as low a level as desired. The molecules of
the contaminant are trapped and held by the internal surface of the adsorbent. A number of
commercial materials have the property of adsorption, including activated carbon, silica gel,
activated alumina, molecular sieves, and certain clays.

This discussion relates primarily to activated carbon since it is the best known and most effective
adsorbent for air pollution control.

MANUFACTURE AND SELECTION OF ACTIVATED CARBON

Activated carbon is prepared from nut shells, wood, coal, or other carbonaceous material, and
activated by the use of steam at high temperature to burn away part of the carbon substance in a
definite pattern to give a large amount of internal surface, thereby imparting to the carbon the
property of adsorption. We start with a crude carbon which has only a few pores or holes, due to
the original structure of the carbonaceous material. The rest of the carbon is relatively solid.
During activation, the black grains become lighter in weight and acquire an internal pore
structure having a large surface. The more highly activated the carbon, the greater the surface
and pore volume.

The selection of the right grade to use depends on such factors as general class of application,
type and concentration of contaminants, efficiency required, resistance to liquid or gas flow, heat
transfer, thickness of bed used, method of support for carbon bed, and operating conditions. The
final selection to determine the best type and mesh size to use is ordinarily based on laboratory
tests. It may be necessary to compare several grades. We can help you make the selection.

HOW ACTIVATED CARBON IS USED FOR POLLUTION ELIMINATION

The basic principle for using activated carbon in the solution of adsorption problems is simple.
Either move the fluid (gas or liquid) through the carbon or move the carbon through the fluid.
The carbon can be used in either a fixed or moving bed. It can be contained in standard filter
cells or packed into adsorber vessels or towers.

The pollutants are adsorbed by the carbon grains which increase in weight by the amount they
adsorb. This continues until the capacity of the carbon is reached and then the pollutants are no
longer adsorbed but are passed through the bed. At this point or before, the carbon must be
replaced or reactivated. Activated carbon saturated with pollutants can be reconditioned in high
temperature steam reactivating furnaces similar to those employed in the original manufacture of
the carbon. In some cases, it is technically possible and economically feasible to desorb all or
part of the pollutants with steam, direct heat, or solvent washing as part of the
adsorption/desorption process (Solvent Recovery).
At ordinary temperatures the so-called permanent gases are adsorbed to a minor extent compared
with those which have boiling points at room temperature or above. The high molecular weight
materials under certain conditions will displace smaller molecules which were already adsorbed
in activated carbon. Suppose, for example, we pass air containing butane, pentane, and hexane
through a bed of activated carbon. The carbon will remove all three of the hydrocarbons until a
breakthrough is reached, at which point some of the butane starts to come through, but the other
hydrocarbons are completely adsorbed. If the adsorption is carried on for a sufficiently long
time, the carbon will contain mainly hexane with only small amounts of butane and pentane.

The initial efficiency of a fixed bed is a function of particle geometry and contact time. For our
purposes, contact time is the bed volume in feet divided by the CFM; times 60. This is a
standard concept of contact time and is useful for our purposes. As a rule-of-thumb, when the
contact time is doubled, the loss (100 minus the efficiency) through the carbon bed is cut to one-
tenth. Suppose we have a carbon bed with a volume of a 8 f^3, CFM of 200, and an initial
efficiency of 99%. The contact time is 2.4 seconds. If we double the contact time, making it 4.8
seconds, by either cutting the CFM in half or by doubling the depth, we will reduce the loss from
1% to a tenth of 1%, making the initial efficiency 99.9%. If, on the other hand, we cut the
contact time in half (to 1.2 seconds), by either doubling the CFM or cutting the thickness in half,
we increase the loss from 1% to 10%, making the efficiency 90%. In general, contact time for
gas treatment operations vary from 1/10 to 10 seconds.

The initial efficiency does not measure the capacity of the ed to break-through or saturation.
These depends on the rate of contaminant flow, the mass of the carbon, and adsorption
characteristics of the carbon. The lower the amount of contaminants to be removed per minute,
the greater the weight or volume of the carbon, and the higher the adsorption capacity of the
carbon; the longer will be the service life of the bed.

For fixed bed installations, which handle large quantities of gas or liquid, and where then carbon
layers can be used because a short contact time is suitable, an arrangement of vertical beds
between screens or cylindrical beds may be used to advantage. For the continuous operation of
fixed bed systems, two or more vessels are required together with the necessary interconnecting
valves to switch the flow of material being treated and, in some cases, the flow of the desorbing
fluid.

Contact with oxygen, chlorine, and certain other gases at high temperatures should be avoided.
Carbon is combustible, but not easily ignited. In the absence of a blast of air, hot activated
carbon supports combustion with difficulty and under some conditions will go out on its own
accord. Activated carbon is not ignited by high velocity air at temperatures of 300˚F or less.
With low air velocities, somewhat higher temperatures can be employed.

In problems where combustible materials are adsorbed from air, it is generally advisable to
handle mixtures that are below the lower explosive limit. If they are more concentrated, it may
be desirable to dilute them with additional air of inert gas. This adds to the size of the system,
but makes it safer.
If the concentration of contaminant is high, it may be best to remove it in several adsorption
stages. For example, if a contaminant is present in a concentration of one part per million and it
is desired to reduce it to less than one part per billion, treatment by passing through a bed of
activated carbon two or three feet thick may suffice. If, however, the contaminant is present in a
1% concentration and it is desired to reduce it to less than one part per billion, it might be well to
do this in two separate stages.

Activated carbon is generally used as a concentration method so that vapors can be disposed of
in a concentrated form by other means such as burning or reuse in a process. There are a few
exceptions where activated carbon is the carrier for disposal by dumping in the solid form or by
flushing down the sewer, or where the carbon destroys the contaminant by catalysis.

From an operating cost point of view the contaminants should be eliminated either as close as
possible to the polluting source or as close as possible to where the air is used. By treating the
air close to the source, it is purified in the most concentrated form and the total load of waste
materials can be eliminated with the least expense. If the air is treated close to the use, it is
necessary to purify only that portion actually used (removing only a small total amount of
impurities), but the surrounding atmosphere is contaminated. To do anything in between these
two extremes would mean purifying thousands of cubic yards of the atmosphere and in most
cases would be impossible. Activated carbon is an excellent means of removing contaminants
either at the source where they are concentrated or at the point of use where they may be dilute.

The continued success of an adsorption system depends on the regeneration of recharging the
system. This can be done several ways as follows:

1) Remove carbon in bulk

a) reprocess on site
b) return to factory
c) throw away and replace with new

2) Remove all cells

a) refill on site
b) return to factory for refill and servicing
c) use throwaway type cells

3) Regenerate in-place
a) steam, direct heat, recirculating vapor
b) reduce pressure
c) extract with solvent

VERSATILITY OF ACTIVATED CARBON

Activated carbon is a universal absorbent. It has the ability to remove from air or gas and hold
within its capillary pores almost all types of objectionable gases and vapors. They are taken up
because of the property of adsorption; the carbon removes and retains within its microscopic
porous structure almost all volatile materials, whether they are chemicals, solvents, or mixtures
of odor-causing substances. The only gaseous materials which it will not adsorb well are low
molecular weight gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Even
in this range, some compounds such as ammonia are adsorbed in reasonable quantities and
adsorption is a satisfactory way of eliminating them if they do not constitute the major
contaminating load. For some low molecular weight reactive gases impregnated carbon can be
used to combine adsorption and chemical reaction.

The type of application where activated carbon gives the most outstanding performance is the
removal of organic vapors with boiling points above room temperature. These include the
essential oils, solvents, organic intermediates, organic waste materials, in fact most of the odors
that exist. Of these, activated carbon takes up a quantity equal to about one-third of its own
weight and will adsorb the vapors completely from concentrations varying from pure vapor
down to a level so low that it can be neither smelled nor measured.

Activated carbon performs efficiently whether the contaminant concentration is high, low, or
variable. No other elimination method will work with high efficiency on concentrations which
may be as low as a fraction of one part per million or billion. The same simple system can be
used for hundreds of such problems.

Complete treatment with carbon is a widely used process method. Pass almost any exhaust
mixture through a deep bed of activated carbon and everything of an obnoxious nature is
removed. You don’t necessarily have to know what the pollutant is to remove it with activated
carbon; it just does the job. For example, we do not know exactly what Los Angeles smog is, but
activated carbon eliminates it completely. If plant operating conditions should change, or if
something unexpected should happen in the process, a carbon adsorption system can be relied
upon to purify the exhaust. By doing a 100% purification job, the air can be returned to the
building or process gas can be sent back to manufacturing process.

Activated carbon can be used to remove particulate material in conjunction with gas or liquid
adsorption in certain instances. For this purpose it is necessary to use a rather deep bed
compared with that required for adsorption only. This procedure is used in removing oil from
compressed air, part of it is present as vapor and part as smoke. Both can be removed if a deep
bed of carbon is used. In the brewing industry, it is common practice to use activated carbon to
completely decontaminate air, that is, remove all vapors and harmful particulate matter,
including bacteria. In such a case, a very deep carbon bed is employed (about 10 feet) and
experience has shown that this does a good job of complete purification.

Because of its simplicity, activated carbon adsorption can be used separately on each of a battery
of fume emitting sources. This saves piping and other expenses. For example, carbon can be
used in convenient adsorption traps to eliminate contaminants being discharged from tank vents;
there are no moving parts and the trap can breathe freely in either direction. In addition to
preventing contaminants from leaving the tank to the atmosphere, it prevents the contamination
of the tank contents from impurities which may be in the air.

With this type of venting, tanks can be placed inside of buildings in cases where it would be
more convenient. On submarines, the tanks which hold waste materials are equipped with
carbon vents. If this were not done, there would be a serious odor problem. Also, on
submarines, especially the atomic subs, carbon is used to purify the air used from ventilation.
This permits the submarines to stay down for more than a month using the same air over and
over. The CO2 is removed by usual methods, oxygen is added, and the carbon takes out the
other contaminants.

ACTIVATED CARBON IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER PURIFICATION SYSTEMS

Although activated carbon will remove from exhaust air almost every type of contaminating
substance, there are cases where the cost of operation can be reduced by removing part of the
load ahead of the carbon beds by filtering or scrubbing. For example, it may be feasible to
remove a major portion of the heavy contaminating load by scrubbing the air with water in a
packed tower. This may save carbon cost, and result in more economical operation of the
system.

Activated carbon may be used as a final purification step in conjunction with a system already
installed. For example, if a company is using electrostatic precipitation and a caustic scrub to
clean up its exhaust gases, and if the efficiency of the system is not 100%, it may be possible to
complete the job adding carbon filters.

An excellent combination treatment method consists of two basic steps, scrubbing the gas with
water and activated carbon adsorption. The water removes particulate matter, some of the vapor
if the concentration is high, and cools the gas if it’s hot. The carbon removes any remaining
vapors. Additional non-contaminated air is added to the stream after the water scrubber so that
the air entering the carbon absorber is not completely saturated. This method is a logical answer
to many pollution problems.

PERFORMANCE AND COST

Depending on the type of service, an activated carbon bed may be from ½” thick with 30 to 50
feet per minute face velocity to several feet in thickness with velocity in the range of 30 to 200
feet per minute. A carbon filter might last for a year or more in dilute and intermittent service, or
might have to be desorbed as often as once an hour where contaminants are being recovered.
The capacity of activated carbon for repeated adsorption and desorption is tremendous. When
removing easily desorbed compounds it can operate on one hour cycles for years. The
installation cost of activated carbon treatment may vary from about $60.00 per thousand cfm to
$25,000 per thousand cfm. In the higher brackets, part of the cost may be in-place desorption
equipment which produces values that offset the cost of treatment. The operating cost per pound
of contaminants removed may vary from a fraction of a cent per pound for intermittent standby
service on dilute concentrations. These are wide limits, but activated carbon has wide
application.

Activated carbon should be considered either as a complete solution or as a treatment step for
most pollution control problems. Although it will not be the best solution in all cases, it will
often be the best alternative. Its use is increasing as its amazing capabilities become more
widely known.
 NEW EMPHASIS ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY
ACTIVATED CARBON AIR PURIFICATION FOR HEALTH BENEFITS

Activated carbon adsorbs smog and organic vapors from polluted air. Wherever gaseous air
contaminants produce irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, or lungs, proper use of the adsorbent
may relieve such ailments in many individuals. Where irritations or allergic reactions are of
concern, activated carbon is useful in removing odors that may arise in spaces that are shut
tightly to keep out the particles.

Activated carbon effectively removes odors and “stuffiness”, which may produce headaches and
psychic distress in some individuals. It is also useful in hospitals and sick rooms to remove
odors caused by diseases, incontinence, and medication.

Activated carbon removes from air practically all contaminants present in the form of gas or
vapor, including odor, smog and toxic gases. The airstream passes through an activated carbon
filter, where the contaminants are removed and the air with all of its oxygen is recovered in pure
form. To remove dust and pollen, one of the standard dust-arresting filters can be used on
conjunction with activated carbon. The combination of activated carbon and dust filters is used
wherever the removal of both vapors and particles is desired.

People who suffer from irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, have reported relief through
the use of activated carbon. Whether the irritant is an odor, vapor, smog, smoke or a
combination, activated carbon equipment may give complete or partial relief.

Activated carbon has been used for years in hospitals. It effectively removes the odors of
disinfectants, medicines, and chemicals, as well as other odors found in hospitals, doctor’s
offices, and morgues.

Contamination of air in a living or working area can come from the outside or inside. Outside air
contains smoke, smog, industrial waste products, automobile exhaust fumes, dust and pollen.
Indoor contamination can come from patients, personnel, cooking, pets, tobacco, perfumes, and
cleaning compounds. All of these odors can be effectively removed with activated carbon
equipment.

Smog can be completely removed by activated carbon. The irritant vapors in cigarette smoke
can be taken from the air by carbon adsorption. Activated carbon is not a cure-all, but
experience shows that in a high percentage of cases where there are definite irritants, positive
benefits have been achieved.

BUILDING CODE REGULATIONS OF RECIRCULATION OF AIR

THROUGH ACTIVATED CARBON

Most municipal building codes require minimum amounts of outside air for ventilation of
occupied spaces. However, some also provide for the elimination of all or part of such
requirements wherever room air is recirculated through properly installed and maintained odor-
removing devices using activated carbon. An increasing number of local authorities allow the
substitution of activated carbon purified air for outside air, even though not provided for in their
codes, by interpreting purified room air to be the equivalent of outside air for ventilation
purposes.

Public health authorities long ago decided that building codes should provide for minimum
standards of ventilation. To this end, they usually specified, often by an arbitrary rule of thumb,
a minimum window area per occupant or per unit of floor area. As engineers developed
mechanical means of ventilation, architects sought to use it in lieu of windows and other
openings. At first, the codes were not changed. Buildings had to have so many windows,
whether they were actually used or not. Eventually, the codes were altered to allow mechanical
supply of a specified amount of air from outside.

In order to make the minimum requirements less arbitrary, health authorities conducted tests to
determine how much fresh air people really need. It was found that discomfort could be caused
by excessive temperature, air stillness, humidity, smoke, dust and odors. Therefore, recirculation
of room air through filters and control of temperatures and humidity could reduce the
requirements for outside air, a certain amount of which was still considered necessary to supply
oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide and odors.

Next, it was found that plenty of oxygen and low enough concentrations of carbon dioxide would
exist in all but the most tightly sealed spaces, owing to normal infiltration of air through doors
and building joints. The ultimate limit in the reduction of outside air requirements was thus
dictated by the need to eliminate odors from human occupancy. New minimums were drawn up
that were based upon the amount of outside air needed to dilute odors to their threshold level, or
at least to a level that would not produce general discomfort.

ODOR REMOVAL BY ADSORPTION: We can now remove odors by adsorption with

activated carbon and eliminate mechanically supplied outside air. The technical capability of
doing this has been proven. The only limiting factor is rigid interpretation of antiquated building
and health codes.

As was often the case with other forms of air treatment, activated carbon purification was first
installed not so much to eliminate outside air as to improve upon conditions. (The code
requirements are conservative, as far as health is concerned, but they may permit odor conditions
that are less than ideal.

COMMUNITIES ACCEPTING ODOR ADSORPTION: The demand for reducing or

eliminating the requirements for outside air has been strongest where the cost savings could be
the greatest, generally where the climate may be hot or cold. The quickest changing of the codes
has been in those places and, also, in localities where the air out of doors may be obviously
inferior to the air inside a conditioned space. In some smog-ridden areas, codes now permit 100
percent recirculation. Where new codes have not been adopted, inspectors sometimes rule that
air recirculated through properly installed and maintained filters of activated carbon, is in effect,
outside air (as far as interpretation of the code is concerned). Where inasmuch as other sections
of the code require a minimum number of doors, fire exits, special vents.
Many localities have accepted the recommendation of the International Conference of Building
Officials, which allows 100 percent recirculation, or the Chicago code, which allows up to 85
percent recirculation. In some cases, conformance with existing codes may be required, insofar
as design and installation of the air conditioning system is concerned, but 100 percent
recirculation may be allowed in actual operation of the equipment.

Where the use of activated carbon is contemplated and the situation is properly explained to the
code enforcement authorities, the requirement for outside air is usually waived. Members of the
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers usually accept the
principle of odor adsorption as giving in the ASHRAE Guide and Data Books.

ACTIVATED CARBON AIR PURIFICATION

CLEAN ROOMS

Modern technology requires many production facilities that must be free of virtually all dust, lint,
smoke particles, and corrosive or otherwise contaminating gases and vapors. Such facilities are
often called “clean rooms” or “white rooms”. They may be required for the production, testing,
or use of such delicate or sensitive equipment as missile guidance packages, electronic
computers, micro chemical balances, optical devices, and space vehicle components.

INCREASE IN CLEAN ROOMS: More and more attention is being given to contamination
control for at least five reasons (1) the precision and sensitivity of the products needs to be
greater (2) the reliability required is much greater (3) smaller and lighter products are needed (4)
more items of that type are being manufactured (5) air pollution is increasing.

PARTICLES, TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY

The initial objectives for clean rooms were the exclusion of particulate matter and the control of
humidity and temperature. Particulate matter may be abrasive and may clog small openings and
delicate electrical contacts. High or variable humidity may promote rusting and corrosion of
metals, plus swelling, cracking and distortion in other materials. Variations in temperature may
throw both the product and the tools for its manufacture out of alignment or balance.

GASES AND VAPORS

Recently, contamination from corrosive, toxic, and reactive gases and vapors has been
recognized as a growing problem; therefore, activated carbon is being used increasingly in
contamination controlled facilities. Some authorities believe they cannot have a real clean room
without it. Activated carbon adsorbs most of the gases and vapors that may interfere with clean
room operations. In addition, it can be used to reduce the cost of other types of air treatment for
clean rooms by permitting as much as 100% recirculation of the expensive, treated air. The
gases that may cause corrosion include sulfur oxides, hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, nitrogen
oxides, hydrochloric acid, salt spray, halogen vapors, refinery gases, smelting gases and smog.
Other gases and vapors also may interfere with clean room operations under special conditions.
Some products can be contaminated by ordinary odors and may have to be rejected on that
account. In some cases, activated carbon is used when it is not known what the troublesome
contaminants are. Activated carbon removes all organic gases and vapors and many inorganic
types and is an excellent safety precaution to eliminate any extraneous compounds which might
affect the work being done.

CARBON EFFICIENCY AND CAPACITY

Activated carbon has high efficiency for the removal of all such gases and vapors. It also has
high capacity for most of them, including asphalt fumes, carbon didulfide, chlorinated
hydrocarbons, tobacco smoke vapor, smog and odors. The gases and vapors for which activated
carbon has a low capacity may need special consideration. They include some freons, formic
acid, sulfur dioxide, some amines, some mercaptans, arsine, stibine, carbon dioxide, nitric acid,
ammonia and formaldehyde. Standard carbon filters may be employed directly for their removal
if the total amount of contaminant is small, that is, if they are found either in low concentrations
or in moderate concentrations for a limited period of time. Special techniques, such as
impregnation of the carbon with additives, increase absorptive capacity for some contaminants.
Another technique that can be used in some cases is in-place regeneration of the carbon.
 HOW WELL WILL ACTIVATED CARBON WORK FOR YOU?
Acetaldehyde 2 Decane 4 Irritants 4 Perchloroethylene 4
Acetic acid 4 Decaying Substances 4 Isophorone 4 Perfumes, cosmetics 4
Acetic anhydride 4 Deodorants 4 Isoprene 3 Persistant odors 4
Acetone 3 Detergents 4 Isopropyl acetate 4 Perspirations 4
Acetylene 1 Dibromethane 4 4 Isopropyl alcohol 4 Pet odors 4
Acrolein 3 Dichlorobenzene 4 Isopropyl ether 4 Phenol 4
Acrylic acid 4 Dichlorodifluoromethane 4 Kerosene 4 Phoagene 3
Acrylonitrile 4 Dichloroethane 4 Kitchen odors 4 Pitch 4
Adhesives 4 Dichloroethyl ether 4 Lactic acid 4 Plastics 4
Air-Wick 4 Dichloroethylene 4 Lingering odors 4 Pollen 3
Alcoholic beverages 4 Dichloromonofluormenthane 3 Liquid fuels 4 Popcorn and candy 4
Amines 2 Dichloronitroethane 4 Liquor odors 4 Poultry odors 4
Ammonia 2 Dichloropropane 4 Lodotorn 4 Propane 2
Amyl alcohol 4 Dichloroterafluoroethane 4 Lubricating oils and greases 4 Propionaldehyde 3
Amyl ether 4 Diesel funes fumeodor 4 Lysol 4 Propionic acid 4
Amylacetate 4 Diethyl ketone 4 Masking agents 4 Propyl alcohol 4
Anesthetics 3 Diethylamine 3 Medical odors 4 Propyl chloride 4
Aniline 4 Dimethylaniline 4 Melons 4 Propyl ether 4
Animal odors 3 Dimethylsulfate 4 Menthol 4 Propylacetate 4
Antiseptics 4 Dioxane 4 Mercaptans 4 Propylene 2
Asphalt fumes 4 Dipropyl ketone 4 Mesityl oxide 4 Propylmercaptan 4
Automobile exhaust 3 Disinfectants 4 Methane 1 Propyne 1
Bathroom smells 4 Elhane 1 Methycyclohexanol 4 Putrefying substance 3
Bleaching solutions 3 Embalming odors 4 Methyl acrylate 4 Putrescine 4
Body odors 4 Essential oils 4 Methyl alcohol 3 Pyridine 4
Borane 3 Ether 3 Methyl bromide 3 Radiation products 2
Bromine 4 Ethyl acetate 4 Methyl buty ketone 4 Rancid oils 4
Burned flesh 4 Ethyl acrylic 4 Methyl cellosolve 4 Reodorants 4
Burned food 4 Ethyl alcohol 4 Methyl cellosolve acetate 4 Resins 4
Burning fat 4 Ethyl amine 3 Methyl chloride 3 Ripening fruits 4
Butadiene 3 Ethyl benzene 4 Methyl chloroform 3 Rubber 4
Butane 2 Ethyl bromide 4 Methyl ether 3 Sauerkraut 4
Butonone 4 Ethyl chloride 3 Methyl ethy ketone 4 Sewer odors 4
Buty acetate 4 Ethyl ether 3 Methyl formate 3 Skatole 4
Butyl alcohol 4 Ethyl formate 3 Methyl isobuty ketone 4 Slaughtering odors 3
Butyl ether 4 Ethyl mercaptan 3 Methyl mercaptan 4 Smog 4
Butyle cellsolve 4 Ethyl silicate 4 Methylacetate 3 Smoke 4
Butyle chloride 4 Ethylene 1 Methylcychlohexane 4 Soaps 4
Butylene 2 Ethylene chlorhydrin 4 Methylcyclohexanone 4 Solvents 3
Butyne 2 Ethylene dichloride 4 Methylene chloride 4 Sour milks 4
Butyraldehyde 3 Ethylene oxide 3 Mildew 3 Spoiled food stuff 4
Butyric acid 4 Eucalyptole 4 Mixed odors 4 Stale odors 4
Camphor 4 Exhause fumes 3 Monochlorbenzene 4 Stoddard solvent 4
Caprylic acid 4 Film Processing Odors 3 Monofluorotrichloromethane 4 Stuffiness 4
Carbon dioxide 1 Fish odors 4 Moth balls 4 Styrene monomer 4
Carbon disulfide 4 Floral scents 4 Naphthalene 4 Sulfur dioxide 2
Carbon monoxide 1 Fluorotrichloromethane 3 Naptha (coal tar) 4 Sulfur trioxide 3
Carbon tetrachloride 4 Food aromas 4 Naptha (petroleum) 4 Sulfuric acid 4
Carbonic acid 4 Formaldehyde 2 Nicotine 4 Tar 4
Cellosolve 4 Formic acid 3 Nitric acid 3 Tarniching gases 3
Cellosolve acetate 4 Fuel gases 2 Nitro benzenes 4 Tetrachlorethylene 4
Charred Materials 4 Fumes 3 Nitroethane 4 Tetrachloroethane 4
Chclohexene 4 Gangrene 4 Nitrogen dioxide 2 Theatrical makeup odors 4
Cheese 4 Garlic 4 Nitroglycerine 4 Tobacco smoke odor 4
Chlorine 3 Gasoline 4 Nitromethane 4 Toilet odors 4
Chlorobenzene 4 Heptane 4 Nitropropane 4 Toludine 4
Chlorobutadiene 4 Hexana 3 Nonane 4 Toluonn 4
Chloroform 4 Hexylene 4 Octailene 4 Trichlorethylene 4
Chloronitropopane 4 Hexyne 3 Octane 4 Trichloroethane 4
Chloropicrine 4 Hoptylene 4 Odorants 4 Turpentine 4
Cigarette smoke odor 4 Hospital odors 4 Omons 4 Urea 4
Citrus and other fruits 4 Household smells 4 Organic chemicals 4 Uric acid 4
Cleaning compounds 4 Hydrogen 1 Ozone 4 Valeric acid 4
Combustion odors 3 Hydrogen bromide 2 Packing house odors 4 Valericaldehyde 4
Cooking odors 4 Hydrogen chloride 2 Paint and redecorating odors 4 Varnish fumes 4
Corosive gases 3 Hydrogen cyanide 2 Palmitic acid 4 Vinegar 4
Creosote 4 Hydrogen iodide 3 Paper deteriorations 4 Vinyl chloride 3
Cresol 4 Hydrogen selenide 2 Paradichlorobenzene 4 Waste products 3
Crontonaldehyde 4 Hydrogen sulfine 3 Paste and glue 4 Wood alcohol 3
Cyclohexane 4 Incense 4 Pentane 3 Xylene 4
Cyclohexanol 4 Indole 4 Pentanone 4
Cyclohexanone 4 Industrial wastes 3 Pentylene 3
Dead animals 4 Iodine 4 Pentyne 3

Index # Meaning
4. Carbon works at High Capacity for all materials in this category.
3. Carbon works at satisfactory capacity for all materials in this category.
2. Carbon may or may not give satisfactory capacity for these materials.
1. Carbon absorption is low for these materials. Activated carbon cannot normally be used to remove these materials.