Activated charcoal is produced from charcoal using steam or air at high temperatures. It has a large surface area and small pore size, allowing it to adsorb thousands of times its own weight in toxins and poisons. Activated charcoal is used as an antidote for drug and chemical overdoses, poisonings, and to treat conditions like ulcers or infections by binding toxins in the digestive system. It works by adsorbing substances through chemical bonding to its carbon surface. Activated charcoal can be administered orally or topically and is considered safe, with no serious side effects.

1. USES AND MODE OF ACTION OF ACTIVATED
CHARCOAL
SEMINAR PRESENTED
BY
ONASANYA, IDOWU FRANCIS
MATRIC NO: 115042086
SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
(HND II ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY)
SUPERVISED BY:
MRS. V.T SANYAOLU

2. OUTLINE
 Introduction
 Objective
 Uses of activated charcoal
 General characteristics of activated charcoal
 Mode of action of activated charcoal
 Mechanism of absorption
 Substances absorb by activated charcoal
 Forms of activated charcoal
 Mode of Administration
 Safety of activated charcoal
 Conclusion
 Recommendation
 References

3. INTRODUCTION
Activated charcoal is a dark grey residue consisting of carbon
and ash obtained by slow pyrolysis. (Timber, 2012)
Activated charcoal is not the same as the regular charcoal.
Activated charcoal is produced using steam or air at high
temperature to oxidize charcoal in a controlled environment.
(NHR, 2012)

4. Activated charcoal can adsorb thousands of its own weight in
gases, toxic metals, poisons and other chemicals, thus making them
ineffective or harmless. (Thrash et al, 1998)
Today, Activated charcoal has been recommended by the poison
control centers of America, including the animal poison control
center because of its high value as a universal antidote (Bradberry
and Vale, 1995)

5. OBJECTIVE
 To discuss the uses and mode of action of activated
charcoal.

6. USES OF ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
TREATMENT OF AILMENTS SUCH AS
•LIVER CANCER
•HEART BURN stomach acid and irritating sub from food
•PEPTIC ULCER(stomach acid(gastrin) )
•DENTAL INFECTION
 TREATMENT OF WOUNDS (INJURY)

7. ANTIDOTE AGAINST;
• POISON (PLANT TOXINS)
• DRUG OVERDOSE (ASPIRIN,PARACETAMOL, COCAINE)
• BEE STING
• SNAKE BITE (VENOM)
WATER PURIFICATION

8. PLATE 1: Red colobus monkeys eating activated charcoal.
(Struhsaker et al, 1997)

9. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
LARGE SURFACE AREA
SMALL PORE SIZE
HIGH ADSORPTION ABILITY
Robert et al, 2012

10. PLATE 2:
MECHANISM FOR ADSORTION IN ACTIVATED CHARCOAL (FRANCIS,2012)
Activated charcoal is subjected to steam
and oxygen, small pores are created. This
pores are active at trapping chemicals,
especially those that are not attracted to
water such as organic compound.
MODE OF ACTION OF ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

11. MECHANISM OF ABSORPTION
Most xenobiotics are carbon based that may adhere to
carbon compounds by chemical forces.
 By supplying a large area of carbon surrounding the
xenobiotics, are attracted to the carbon and the
xenobiotics bind at a number of sites, effectively
sticking to the charcoal.
(American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, 1997)

12. SUBSTANCES ADSORBED BY ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Aspirin, Atropine, Chloroquine, Carbon dioxide, Congesprin,
Dalmane, Darvon, Dilantin, Gasoline, Hemlock, Imipramine,
Iodine, Ipecac, Kerosine, Lead Acetate, Malathion, Mercury,
Methylene, Blue, Morphine, Multivitamins, Muscarin, Nacotics,
Nacotine, Opium, Parathion, Penicillin, Pesticides, Phenol,
Potassium Permanganate, Quinidine, Quinacrine, Radioactive
substances, Herbicides. E.t.c
Total Health Newsletter, 1998

13. FORMS OFACTIVATED CHARCOAL
FRANCIS, 2013
PLATE 3:

14. PLATE: 4 ACTIVATED CHARCOAL FOR INDIGESTION
FRANCIS,2013

15. MODE OF ADMINISTRATION
ORAL
TOPICAL

16. SCHEMATICDIAGRAMOFACTIVATEDCHARCOALGISYSTEMSHOWING
XENOBIOTICSTRANSPORTSYSTEM
Hill Healthcare publication, 1987
When activated charcoal is taken orally, it
is dispersed throughout the digestive
system, as it passes naturally through
the digestive system. Substance are
bound to the particles of activated
charcoal forming complex.
A large portion of the substance are
adsorbed directly from the digestive
system or blood vessel surrounding or
supporting the digestive system, this
process may occur by migration,
secretion or diffusion.
PLATE 5:

17. SAFETY OF ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Activated charcoal is simple to use and is a time-tested natural
remedy that has many valuable uses
 It has no dangerous side effects or contraindications,
It is a very efficient cleaner of the body when taken orally and
it also helps to purify the blood. (Kaufman, 2005)
It is an odourless, tasteless, flavourless, powder but it texture
is less appealing. (Medical world news, 1967)

18. CONCLUSION
 Activated charcoal is an old natural remedy of medical
proof.

19. RECOMMENDATION
I join the pediatrician to recommend that every household
should have some activated charcoal in their chest for first
aid measure

20. REFRENCES
 Richard C. Kaufman, Ph.D. THE UNIVERSAL ANTIDOTE AND DETOXIFIER THAT EXTENDS LIFE:
ACTIVATED , Mega Health Society - July 1989.
 Thrash, Agatha & Calvin Rx: Charcoal, New Lifestyle Books, 1998.
 Tom Harrelson (Revised 4/17/08)An Article by HHR's Charles L. Church Published in Countryside
Magazine
 Donovan (1987) McGraw- Hill Healthcare publication
 Palatnick W, Tenenbein M. Activated charcoal in the treatment of drug overdose. An update. Drug Safety
1992;7:3-7.

Bradberry SM, Vale JA. Multiple-dose activated charcoal: a review of relevant clinical studies. Journal of
Toxicology - Clinical Toxicology 1995;33:407-416.
 Chyka PA, Seger D. Position statement: single-dose activated charcoal. American Academy of Clinical
Toxicology; European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol
1997; 35(7):721-741.
 Position statement and practice guidelines on the use of multi-dose activated charcoal in the treatment of
acute poisoning. American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, European Association of Poisons Centres and
Clinical Toxicologists. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1999; 37(6):731-751.
 Bond GR. The role of activated charcoal and gastric emptying in gastrointestinal decontamination: a state-
of-the-art review. Ann Emerg Med 2002; 39(3):273-286.

21. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL
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