Activated Coconuts

Go to any health or wellness store and you will see a new trend. Black toothpaste, face creams, soap, and many other household products. This new aesthetic is not just a marketing gimmick. Companies are increasingly adding activated carbon into their products promising anything from whiter teeth to full body detox. As with any new wellness trend, there are many questions as to their legitimacy. We all remember drinking raw apple cider vinegar or trying the whole gluten free diet within the last couple of years. This is not to say that either of those are ineffective. But, after all, they are trends and regardless of their usefulness, interest in them comes and goes. Activated carbon, however, is a different story. Although it has been thrust into the wellness spotlight, its use has been in the mainstream for quite some time. Activated carbon has incredible absorption capabilities. This is due to a high surface area that is compacted into just a small amount of black powder. What does this mean? Toxins can be very effectively absorbed by this substance making it an ideal filter. In other words, it is a powerful molecular sponge that has a wide variety of applications from treating drug overdoses to environmental cleanups. Coconut shells are an ideal candidate to produce activated carbon. They are a byproduct of an existing process that would otherwise be disposed. But how are coconut shells converted into a black powder? This is possible thanks to a process known as pyrolysis. In short, any organic material or “biomass” can be heated to a high temperature in an environment that has reduced oxygen. This breaks down the biomass without allowing it to burn. The result, if done properly, is charcoal. This charcoal is then “activated” by soaking it in a solution of either Calcium Chloride (a compound used in wastewater treatment) or Citric Acid (lemon juice). This activation, without going into any complex chemistry, gives the charcoal its large molecular surface area and the resulting product is activated carbon. Coconuts are particularly useful in creating this substance because compared to other recycled biomass, such as lumber used for construction, there are typically no chemical additives creating a safer and more eco friendly product. Many cultures around the world have been using coconut charcoal for both heating and traditional medicine for many generations. The many uses of coconut charcoal and activated carbon are a tribute to the broad range of applications that coconut shells as a waste product can provide.