Some unusual uses of charcoal

[Michaelangelica]

This has been mentioned before but not quite in this context

Avoiding food poisoning on vacation
Dust your food with the contents of activated charcoal capsules to short-circuit intestinal bugs.
. . .
Calling activated charcoal "kind of an old-time remedy," Dr. Gittleman said it is her "favorite remedy when you think you have food poisoning."

SouthCoastToday.com: Avoiding food poisoning on vacation

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

This has been mentioned before but not quite in this context

SouthCoastToday.com: Avoiding food poisoning on vacation

That's interesting M, but it doesn't sound quite right to me. I've of course heard of using activated charcoal for chemical poisonings, but not bacterial ones. Maybe it's the same as wee beasties in condos though.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by freeztar

That's interesting M, but it doesn't sound quite right to me. I've of course heard of using activated charcoal for chemical poisonings, but not bacterial ones. Maybe it's the same as wee beasties in condos though.

MMMmmmmm
On second thought you may be right.
Although it would be nice to think you are wrong!
( I (we) had a post card from a friend who said she had caught Montezuma's Curse in S. America.
As she was A Good Catholic Girl we were a bit shocked and surprised, but it turned out to be diarrhoea-not what we had imagined )

Do we have a medico or micro-biologist to help out here?

Where is Monomer when you need him (her?)

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

MMMmmmmm
On second thought you may be right.
Although it would be nice to think you are wrong!
( I (we) had a post card from a friend who said she had caught Montezuma's Curse in S. America.
As she was A Good Catholic Girl we were a bit shocked and surprised, but it turned out to be diarrhoea-not what we had imagined )

Do we have a medico or micro-biologist to help out here?

Where is Monomer when you need him (her?)

She's a her.
I'd really like to know for sure as well because I'm travelling to Mexico in 5 months.

[Michaelangelica]

Charcoal, rain sustain trapped pig for 36 days after quake
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-23 16:47
BEIJING -- A 330-pound hog survived 36 days in the ruins of its sty, destroyed by last month's Sichuan Province earthquake, by chowing down charcoal and drinking rainwater, local media reported.
. . .
The pig ate charcoal, which although contains no nutrition, is also non-toxic and filling. The charcoal had been stored on the second story of its collapsed shelter.
. . .

The pig's rescue initially met with disbelief. "It is unbelievable that the pig was still alive after 36 days," a local vet said. "No matter how fat a pig is, it cannot live for five days without food and water."

Charcoal, rain sustain trapped pig for 36 days after quake

[Michaelangelica]

Gold Mining

Carbon in Pulp (CIP) is a technique for recovery of gold which has been liberated into a cyanide solution as part of the gold cyanidation process, a gold extraction technique.
Introduced in 1985, Carbon in Pulp is regarded as a simple and cheap process.

Currently, activated carbon acts like a sponge to aurocyanide and other complex ions in solution. Hard carbon particles (much larger than the ore particle sizes) can be mixed with the ore and cyanide solution mixture. The gold cyanide complex is adsorbed onto the carbon until it comes to an equilibrium with the gold in solution. Because the carbon particles are much larger than the ore particles, the coarse carbon can then be separated from the slurry by screening using a wire mesh.

Pharmaceutical
The Eco Carbon powder may be used in helping to clear stomach upsets, particularly poison ingestion.

Food Purification and Colouring

Eco Carbon beads can also be used in the purification and colouring of foods. There are other applications within the chemical industry too numerous to list here.

Eco Carbons Other Applications
Could the chemists please translate this gold thing for me please
Will it make me rich?

[Michaelangelica]

From an intersting article on old Dew or mist ponds.

The amount of dew collected by different materials is largely due to their nature.
W.C. Wells gives a list of materials according to their capacity for collecting dew.
By far the highest effect was found with swan's down, then flax and cotton, followed by silk, paper, straw, wool, earth, charcoal, glass-sand, river-sand, chalk powder --- a list which runs roughly parallel to the specific heats of the materials names.

Wolf Klaphake: "Practical Methods for Condensation of Water from the Atmosphere" ~ Proc. Soc. of Chemical Industry of Victoria (Australia) 37: 1093-1103 (1936)

'the specific heats of the materials names' ? what's that?

[Michaelangelica]

Building Indoor Gardens

The Importance of Carbon Air Filters

Although "hydroponics" literally means "water gardening," air purification is an important component. One of the challenges maintaining indoor hydroponic systems and indoor gardens is eliminating the many airborne contaminants that can cause your plants to sicken and even die. It's a good idea to have a blower of some kind that brings in plenty of fresh air to the space, but carbon filters are necessary in order to remove various potential toxins from the environment as well.

There's another important reason why when engaging in activities related to indoor horticulture, carbon filters are important, and that is to keep odors at a minimum.


Types of Carbon Air Filters

There are several types of carbon filters available:

- Powdered activated carbon (PAC)

- Granulated activated carbon (GAC)

- Extruded activated carbon (EAC)

- Impregnated carbon

- Polymers coated carbon

- Activated carbon fiber

Each of these has a specific use, not all of which are appropriate for hydroponic systems and indoor gardens. Indoor air filters are of the GAC type. Used on U.S. Navy submarines, granulated activated carbon filters contain a form of that element of which the granules are relatively larger than that found in powdered activated carbon air filters.


How Do Carbon Filters Work?

It is not possible to see the process by which activated carbon purifies air and water, nor even under any but the most powerful electron microscope. Carbon is activated by treating charcoal with oxygen, which opens up millions of "micropores" in the surface of the granules on the atomic level.

Building Indoor Gardens

The Benefits of Taking Activated Charcoal Supplements

By: Fabiola Castillo
Charcoal is used for removing toxins from the digestive track, alleviating digestion, and helping to treat cases of poisoning.
. . .
Some swear on charcoal effects on chronic flatulence.
However, this is still anecdotal and has not been medically proven.
Charcoal is mainly used as an absorbent of toxin in the stomach and intestinal tract. However, charcoal also absorbs some nutrients thus, weakening the effect of other food supplements. For this reason, charcoal should only be taken with the approval of your physician.

Activated charcoal lowers cholesterol level and lessens the danger of heart disease by absorbing fat.
Users also claim that charcoal cleans the body of environmental toxins, although this fact is yet to be established.

Form wise, activated charcoal comes in pills and powder. Experts advise that if you are using powdered charcoal then mix it with a tall glass of water and drink it with a straw. This will prevent your teeth from getting stained.
If your teeth do get stained, there have been some instances, then brush your teeth and rinse with water. The stains will wear off.
Do not consume activated charcoal with milk as dairy products lessen the effectiveness of charcoal.

For flatulence, mix two tablespoons of activated charcoal powder in a glass of water and drink with a straw, thirty minutes before a meal.
You may also take it by a 500 mg capsule after meals or every two hours; whichever is suitable.
Care should be taken not to ingest more than 4,000 mg within the period of 24 hours.

The Benefits of Taking Activated Charcoal Supplements

5 Effective Home Remedies to Help You Stop Sweating In Excess

2. Harness the Power of Activated Charcoal

This home-made remedy can be used to treat your problem, from the inside out. Results can be seen within two days and you can expect your sweating problems to be reduced to a significant amount. However do take note of a few precautionary measures. It is advisable to take charcoal on an empty stomach. However if it results in some undesirable conditions such as vomiting or tummy pain, change your time of intake to midday or even before you retire to bed.

5 Effective Home Remedies to Help You Stop Sweating In Excess

[Michaelangelica]

• There is evidence dating back to circa 1500 BC that the ancient Egyptians used charcoal to adsorb malodorous vapours from putrefying wounds.
• charcoal has also been found in ancient Chinese tombs, where it is thought to have been placed so as to regulate moisture in the air.
• Charcoal was used in gas masks during both world wars
• Charcoal today it is used in various commercial contexts including in the automotive industry, where it is used to help control exhaust emissions.
• Charcoal is well-known as a medicine which aids digestion and treats acute toxic poisoning.

Its properties were demonstrated in dramatic fashion by a pharmacist called P F Touery in 1831, who proved the effectiveness of charcoal in cases of poisoning by swallowing 15 grammes of strychnine (apparently, 10 times the lethal dose) and three tablespoons of charcoal.
He survived, but we don't recommend you try...
http://www.charcoalpeople.co.uk/diary

Our Products

Bamboo charcoal for water filtration (made in Japan)

* 4 piece pack (35g approx) £4.00
* 8 piece pack (70g approx) £7.80
* 12 piece pack (105g approx) £11.40
* 16 piece pack (140g approx) £14.80

How much charcoal do I need?
1 litre jug 4 pieces
1.5 litre jug 6 pieces
2 litre jug 8 pieces

(NB We recommend to use for 2 months as water filters and then to reuse around the house.)

--

Is this expensive?
It is activated
SEE

Unlike many filters, the water is not poured through the charcoal, but the charcoal remains in the water for several hours, so giving it time to filter the water fully. The difference in temperature between different parts of the jug will cause a convection current which keeps the water circulating, even though its movement may not be noticeable to the eye.

http://www.charcoalpeople.co.uk/how-it-works

Directions for Use

1. Wash the bamboo charcoal in running water until all black powder has been removed.
(NB: Do not use soap or washing-up liquid.)


2. Boil for ten minutes in a pan of water to sterilise it and let it dry completely.

3. Place in a jug and fill with tap water.


4. for best results leave for 8 hours or more.


Your water is now ready to drink!

5. Repeat 2. to re-sterilise once a week.

6. Replace your charcoal with a new piece approximately after two months.

Products

You would think they could, at least, do steps 1 and 2 for you, at that price?
What do ya reckon? Doggy?

[freeztar]

It's obviously a scam. Char is char, doesn't really matter where it comes from (if it's activated). And yes, I agree, they could at least do steps 1 and 2 for the consumer.