Re: Risk Assessment of activated charcoal in IAQ & charcoal waste...

[Guest guest]

I am not sure what the application is and what grade of activated carbon you are proposing to use. It has been documented that inhalation of activated carbon particulate can cause brochiolitis obliterans. This would be of varying significance if you were using granular or powder activated carbon.

When handling the material for any extended time, it would be a good idea to have at least a half-mask with P-100 filters. But as far as handling the material, most of the companies that supply the carbon will come and switch it out once it is saturated or near saturation. They then transport and regenerate the carbon so this may limit your "risk" and could have some value for your proposal. But there's so many uses and processes activated carbon is used for I'm not usre if this is any value.

Good Luck,

McCaffrey, CIH, CHMM

Re: Risk Assessment of activated charcoal in IAQ & charcoal waste...To: iequality Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 4:26 PM

There is an apparent disconnect between the different forms of carbon and associated attached contaminants and their health risk. There is diesel particulate, candle soot, laser toner, carbon black, carbon nano-particles, etc., etc. They are all really bad for you. Smaller particle size is a major factor with respect to the particle being more deeply respired and potentially bloodborne. The attached chemicals on the carbonaceous particles (on diesel particulate, for example) of any size are also a major determinant of health risk.I can see where any information specifically on "charcoal dust" from a filter might be hard to come by.Steve TemesIn a message dated 11/19/2008 4:29:40 PM Eastern Standard Time, paulrobertsgenesisa iryahoo (DOT) com writes:

I have a tight dead line to put together some information on this subject for some engineers. And am having difficulties finding anything on the Internet. I know what most of the risks are but I am trying to document some of these. Any thoughts or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Genesis Air, Inc.www.genesisair. come-mail: paul.roberts@ genesisair. com

[Guest guest]

,

I found your comment that activated carbon can cause bronchiolitis

obliterans very interesting. I could not find a reference to this.

Do you have one?

Bob

Bronchiolitis obliterans has many possible causes, including: collagen

vascular disease, transplant rejection in organ transplant patients,

viral infection (RSV, adenovirus, PCP, HIV, CMV), drug reaction,

aspiration and complications of prematurity (bronchopulmonary

dysplasia), and exposure to toxic fumes, including: diacetyl, sulfur

dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, chlorine, thionyl chloride, methyl

isocyanate, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride,

hydrogen sulfide, phosgene, polyamide-amine dyes, and ozone.

Additionally, the disorder may be idiopathic (without known cause).

[1][2][3]

1. Brant & Helms (1999). Fundamentals of Diagnostic Radiology.

2. Webb, et al (2000). High Resolution CT of the Lung, 3rd Edition.

3. Colby, T.V. " Bronchiolitis, Pathologic Considerations " . Am J Clin

Pathology 1998;109:101-9

[Guest guest]

This is news to me, and I am sure many other people. You are right.

Thank you for posting this. I just found this:

Chest. 1989 Sep;96(3):672-4.

Charcoal lung. Bronchiolitis obliterans after aspiration of

activated charcoal.

Elliott CG, Colby TV, TM, Hicks HG.

Department of Medicine, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City 84143.

Activated charcoal usually provides effective and safe treatment

for drug overdose. We describe a patient who developed bronchiolitis

obliterans and respiratory failure following aspiration of activated

charcoal. This patient had a markedly reduced vital capacity with

roentgenographic evidence of airtrapping. Chest roentgenograms did not

demonstrate the large amount of charcoal identified at postmortem

examination.

PMID: 2766830 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related articles fetches more..

I am sure that the many companes that use it in air cleaners have

tested their own particular applications, but there are products that

use activated charcoal that don't have filters post-charcoal..

Thank you for letting those of us who didn't know this, know it.

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 11:57 AM, McCaffrey

wrote:

> I am not sure what the application is and what grade of activated carbon you

> are proposing to use. It has been documented that inhalation of activated

> carbon particulate can cause brochiolitis obliterans. This would be of

> varying significance if you were using granular or powder activated carbon.

>

> When handling the material for any extended time, it would be a good idea to

> have at least a half-mask with P-100 filters. But as far as handling the

> material, most of the companies that supply the carbon will come and switch

> it out once it is saturated or near saturation. They then transport and

> regenerate the carbon so this may limit your " risk " and could have some

> value for your proposal. But there's so many uses and processes activated

> carbon is used for I'm not usre if this is any value.

>

[Guest guest]

Bob, I had known of this study that Live Simply has supplied below with an account of a incidence in Salt Lake City that resulted in a fatality. So there is a reference available. I also believe that activated carbon is listed in several knowledge texts as one of the possible causes or aggravators of bronchiolitis obliterans. I don't believe there has been a large amount of research and epidemiological study around activated carbon in particular. Low solubility particles with similar size, yes. I would consider that the cause is some particles are small enough to reach the alveolar sacs and cause irritation in conjunction with an immune response. In addition, due to size, orientation, and shape, the carbon particles are not conducive to pulmonary clearing via the mucoscillary elevator. Another aspect is that the carbon particles may have small amounts of adsorbed agents that cause bronchiolitis obliterans desorb when in the lung and this is another variable. Casarett and Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons probably has additional information. Not sure if I added anything useful. But if I come across another solid reference I will send it along to you. Good Luck, McCaffrey, CIH, CHMM -----Original Message-----From: iequality [mailto:iequality ]On Behalf Of LiveSimplySent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 2:38 PMTo: iequality Subject: Re: Risk Assessment of activated charcoal in IAQ & charcoal waste...This is news to me, and I am sure many other people. You are right.Thank you for posting this. I just found this:Chest. 1989 Sep;96(3):672-4.Charcoal lung. Bronchiolitis obliterans after aspiration ofactivated charcoal.Elliott CG, Colby TV, TM, Hicks HG.Department of Medicine, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City 84143.Activated charcoal usually provides effective and safe treatmentfor drug overdose. We describe a patient who developed bronchiolitisobliterans and respiratory failure following aspiration of activatedcharcoal. This patient had a markedly reduced vital capacity withroentgenographic evidence of airtrapping. Chest roentgenograms did notdemonstrate the large amount of charcoal identified at postmortemexamination.PMID: 2766830 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles fetches more..I am sure that the many companes that use it in air cleaners havetested their own particular applications, but there are products thatuse activated charcoal that don't have filters post-charcoal..Thank you for letting those of us who didn't know this, know it.On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 11:57 AM, McCaffrey<mmccaffreyweavertown> wrote:> I am not sure what the application is and what grade of activated carbon you> are proposing to use. It has been documented that inhalation of activated> carbon particulate can cause brochiolitis obliterans. This would be of> varying significance if you were using granular or powder activated carbon.>> When handling the material for any extended time, it would be a good idea to> have at least a half-mask with P-100 filters. But as far as handling the> material, most of the companies that supply the carbon will come and switch> it out once it is saturated or near saturation. They then transport and> regenerate the carbon so this may limit your "risk" and could have some> value for your proposal. But there's so many uses and processes activated> carbon is used for I'm not usre if this is any value.>

[Guest guest]

This citation is for medical grade activated charcoal. These are HUGH

particles. Probably 100 micron or bigger. They would not be airborne

dust charcoal particles.

There is probably was a lot more going on in this situation from an

antibody attach or something else that caused this condition due to a

foreign body.

I doubt that these charcoal particle dissolved the bronchi, like occurs

in other BO cases.

Bob

[Guest guest]

I've seen papers on both ultrafine carbon black and carbon

nanostructures causing serious health problems when inhaled, but not

activated charcoal. In the context of the others, though it definitely

makes sense.

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 6:08 PM, McCaffrey

wrote:

> Bob,

>

> I had known of this study that Live Simply has supplied below with an

> account of a incidence in Salt Lake City that resulted in a fatality. So

> there is a reference available. I also believe that activated carbon is

> listed in several knowledge texts as one of the possible causes or

> aggravators of bronchiolitis obliterans. I don't believe there has been a

> large amount of research and epidemiological study around activated carbon

> in particular. Low solubility particles with similar size, yes.

>

> I would consider that the cause is some particles are small enough to reach

> the alveolar sacs and cause irritation in conjunction with an immune

> response. In addition, due to size, orientation, and shape, the carbon

> particles are not conducive to pulmonary clearing via the mucoscillary

> elevator. Another aspect is that the carbon particles may have small

> amounts of adsorbed agents that cause bronchiolitis obliterans desorb when

> in the lung and this is another variable. Casarett and Doull's Toxicology:

> The Basic Science of Poisons probably has additional information. Not sure

> if I added anything useful. But if I come across another solid reference I

> will send it along to you.

>

> Good Luck,

>

> McCaffrey, CIH, CHMM

>

>

>

> Re: Risk Assessment of activated charcoal in IAQ &

> charcoal waste...

>

> This is news to me, and I am sure many other people. You are right.

>

> Thank you for posting this. I just found this:

>

> Chest. 1989 Sep;96(3):672-4.

> Charcoal lung. Bronchiolitis obliterans after aspiration of

> activated charcoal.

> Elliott CG, Colby TV, TM, Hicks HG.

>

> Department of Medicine, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City 84143.

>

> Activated charcoal usually provides effective and safe treatment

> for drug overdose. We describe a patient who developed bronchiolitis

> obliterans and respiratory failure following aspiration of activated

> charcoal. This patient had a markedly reduced vital capacity with

> roentgenographic evidence of airtrapping. Chest roentgenograms did not

> demonstrate the large amount of charcoal identified at postmortem

> examination.

>

> PMID: 2766830 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> Related articles fetches more..

>

> I am sure that the many companes that use it in air cleaners have

> tested their own particular applications, but there are products that

> use activated charcoal that don't have filters post-charcoal..

>

> Thank you for letting those of us who didn't know this, know it.

>

> On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 11:57 AM, McCaffrey

> wrote:

>> I am not sure what the application is and what grade of activated carbon

>> you

>> are proposing to use. It has been documented that inhalation of activated

>> carbon particulate can cause brochiolitis obliterans. This would be of

>> varying significance if you were using granular or powder activated

>> carbon.

>>

>> When handling the material for any extended time, it would be a good idea

>> to

>> have at least a half-mask with P-100 filters. But as far as handling the

>> material, most of the companies that supply the carbon will come and

>> switch

>> it out once it is saturated or near saturation. They then transport and

>> regenerate the carbon so this may limit your " risk " and could have some

>> value for your proposal. But there's so many uses and processes activated

>> carbon is used for I'm not usre if this is any value.

>>

>

>