Application of activated carbon

The application possibilities or fields of activated carbon are extremely variegated.



It is used, for example:
- As an odor remover in room and exhaust fans
- In nuclear power stations to reduce radioactive gases
- For the exhaust and sewage purification in factories
- As colorant in the food industry (e.g. for marmalades, candies,…)
- For the industrial cleaning of cooking oil, soap and alcohol
- For the treatment of swimming pool water
- In kitchen exhaust hoods
- As a pollen and air filter in cars
- As a filter in cigarettes, pipes and lately also for water pipes (bongs)
- In gasmasks
- For the plant cultivation. To this sector belongs also indoor growing, that developed increasingly in the past years. Activated carbon filters are applied here to neutralize obtrusive odors of exotic, and sometimes also illegal plants, as for example marihuana
- In aquarium or pond filters
- To remove fermentation by-products from beer
- To eliminate odors from shoes (insole)
- In the medicine field, especially to remove toxins from the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. for diarrhea). But also for the blood purification (dialysis) of people with kidney ailment
- As fleece for overalls, air filters and chemical analytical apparatuses

Partially activated carbon also gets a chemical treatment (impregnated). This generates an improved separation effect and the carbon can be used for special application purposes. Respiration filters of gasmasks for example, are treated with special salts to improve the absorption of chemical toxins.

Also for the recycling of metal and fluorescent tubes impregnated (with sulfur or sulfuric) carbon is used to eliminate mercury vapor from the air. Further sectors where laminated carbon is used, are for example the purification of biogas and natural gasoline, the exhaust filtration of sewage plants, as well as pump stations.

In the field of gas and air purification, activated carbon filters are used for example:
- In industrial factories for the air purification to minimize the exposure for the employees
- In waste and sewage plants, restaurant kitchens, hospitals toilettes, crematories, slaughterhouses, as well as in the food and chemical industry to remove unpleasant odor
- For exhaust fans in gas stations to eliminate petrol fumes
- For the rehabilitation of contaminated soil. Thereby the ground air gets sucked off and the containing solvent concentration absorbed
- In factories that produce gas, to remove mercury that is responsible for the corrosion at the heat exchangers
- In biogas stations, where it eliminates hydrogen sulfide that attacks the exhaust-gas catalytic convertor and causes corrosions of facility components
- For the recycling of evaporated solvents in the printing industry, in painter’s shops, as well as chemical cleaning
- In waste incinerating plants for the flue gas cleaning to bind dioxins and heavy metal
- For the production of biogas motors. Since many catalyzers jar with sulfur dioxide, it has to be removed prior to the combustion in the motor
- For the application of exhaust-gas catalytic convertors against formaldehyde