FAQ
What is activated carbon?
Activated carbon is referred to porous carbon that undergoes through a process called activation. Activation process involves high temperature treating of already pyrolyzed carbon (often referred as char) using so called activating agents such as carbon dioxide, steam, potassium hydroxide, etc. Activated carbon has great adsorption capabilities for which it is used in liquid or vapor phase filtration media. Activated carbon has surface area greater than 1,000 m2/g.
When was activated carbon first used in medical application?
Use of activated carbon has been known for many centuries. In 1550BC, an Egyptian Papyrus referred to its use in medicinal treatment for food poisoning. In 1813 French chemist M. Bertrand swallowed a lethal dose of arsenic mixed with activated carbon and survived. In 1831, in an event organized by the French Academy of Medicine, Prof. Touery swallowed a lethal dose of strychnine mixed with activated carbon and survived. Ever since, activated charcoal has been used increasingly in hospitals around the world for poisoning.
Is activated carbon currently used in medical applications?
Yes. Activated carbon is the treatment of choice worldwide for most emergency care poisoning and drug overdose patients. It is considered to be the most effective single agent available. It is used after a person swallows or absorbs almost any toxic drug or chemical.
Are all activated carbon safe for medical use?
Conventional activated carbons are prepared from a range of carbonaceous materials like wood, coal, coconut shells, etc. The raw material is converted in to char by a process called pyrolysis and activated by agents such as carbon dioxide, steam, potassium hydroxide, etc. This multi-step process introduces impurities in the final product. As a result, not all activated carbons are safe for medical use. The activated carbon is usually purified by washing in acid solutions. USP (U. S. Pharmacopoeia) certification is required to qualify activated carbon as medical grade carbon.
How is EnterosorbU different from conventional sorbents?
The EnterosorbU technology allows us to tune the properties of carbon sorbent for specific applications. The conventional activated carbon manufacturing processes allow little control over the pore structure. Most pores in activated carbons are micropores, i.e. below 2 nm, which limits their performance in many applications, including adsorption of large biomolecules. This is because in microporous carbon only surface adsorption takes place, whereas, EnterosorbU which is mesoporous, the adsorption takes place in the entire bulk of the carbon. Our technology enables us not only to tune the physical but also the surface properties of carbon. EnterosorbU can be manufactured with various degrees of surface hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity and can be further functionalized to provide the most efficient surface conditions for adsorption of specific molecules. EnterosorbU can also be produced in a bactericidal form.
What are the applications of EnterosorbU?
Hemofiltration, enterosorbent, wound healing bandages, drug overdose and poisoning treatment.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a medical term for blood poisoning by an infectious agent. This causes the body to produce an array of biologically and immunologically active molecules called cytokines, which play a major role in causing life threatening systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and subsequent Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS). Laboratory data and clinical observations support the concept that these molecules participate in the pathogenesis of organ injury and that their blood levels correlate with the severity of illness and outcome. Sepsis kills around 500,000 annually. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. There are more than 1,000,000 cases of sepsis each year in the U.S., with mortality rate of approximately 20%. Sepsis accounts for nearly $17 billion and €5.8-7.6 billion in annual healthcare expenditures in the United States and in Europe, respectively. Annually 18 million cases of severe sepsis occur worldwide, killing 1400 patients each day. The incidence of sepsis is expected to further increase by 1.5% every year, resulting in an additional 1 million cases per year by 2020.
What are the benefit of hemoadsorption over other treatments?
Hemoadsorption's benefits over existing sepsis and autoimmune treatments include lower cost, more efficient and effective treatment, and improved patient comfort during and after the treatments. Unlike dialysis, filtration, and drug-based therapy, hemoadsorption can remove toxins without introducing any other substances into the blood.
Where can I buy EnterosorbU?
EnterosorbU is currently available for research and development purposes only. Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us  for additional information.
I want to use EnterosorbU for adsorption of certain molecule(s). Can you develop specific sorbent for my application? Will that be medical grade carbon?
Our technology allows us to manufacture EnterosorbU with properties optimized for adsorption of specific molecule(s). We have the sorbents specifically developed for hemofiltration and enterosorbent application. Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us for further information. We believe that the specific carbon that we develop for you will be complaint to Codex standard. Once you test and it peforms to your need, we can get the specific carbon certified as medical grade (as per Codex standard) within 2-4 weeks.

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