How Activated Carbon Deactivates Medications Safely?
May 18, 2023 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal
How activated carbon deactivates medications safely
Every year, unused medication left in your medicine cabinet, or improperly disposed of contribute to accidental poisonings, substance misuse, and contaminate our drinking water. If we know that we can’t keep them in our homes, and we can’t flush them down the toilet, how do we dispose of them safely?
One tested and proven solution is activated carbon. An ancient resource, activated carbon has been around for tens of thousands of years and has a multitude of applications. But exactly how does it work when it comes to disposing of medication?
How is Activated Charcoal made?
Activated charcoal, activated carbon, and active carbon are all terms that can be used interchangeably. Activated charcoal is made by burning carbon rich, natural materials such as wood, coconut shells, bamboo, coal, or olive pits in low oxygen concentrations. During this process, hydrogen is extracted, along with tar and methane, which reduces its weight and leaves a black mostly carbon substance. This remaining charcoal substance is then activated by mixing with certain chemical substances or steaming at very high temperatures to eliminate remaining non carbon elements. This leaves a final material that is extremely porous and binds together different elements.
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
Activated charcoal binds to chemicals and toxins because the porosity of activated carbon allows for the adsorption of various substances. Activated carbon soaks up other elements like a sponge and can be made into various forms such as fabric or sponge material, a cube, pill, or powder.
How does ADSORPTION in activated carbon work?
With adsorption, ions, atoms or molecules from a liquid, gas, or dissolved solid are adhered to a surface. Activated charcoal works by collecting molecules that bind to the external surface, as opposed to adsorption in which elements permeate and are dissolved into a liquid or solid, the adsorbent. Activated carbon has a negative charge so that positive charged elements and toxins attach to it. Because activated charcoal binds to chemicals and toxins, it can be useful for various applications and processes. Activated carbon is widely used in healthcare, environmental cleanup, and safe drug disposal; like Rx Destroyer’s drug deactivation system.
Activated Carbon in Water Treatment
One common use of carbon for purification is in water treatment system. This technology is found not only in home water filters like LifeStraw, but also in large-scale purification systems. According to an article in Science Daily, How US sewage plants can remove medicines from wastewater, activated carbon is an effective method of wastewater treatment to remove the concentration of pharmaceuticals “including certain antibiotics and antidepressants” by more than 95%. The article references a separate study in 2017 in which high concentrations of antidepressants were found in the brains of numerous fish in the Great Lakes region of the Niagara River.
How does it deactivate medications?
Activated charcoal is an effective method of pharmaceutical waste disposal and is ideal for removing small, molecular organic compounds. Rx Destroyer drug disposal products utilize activated carbon and a solvent, which begins breaking down medications on contact. When the molecules of the broken down medications come into contact with activated carbon, those singular molecules bind to the carbon’s surface. Thus, altering the chemical state of the medication and preventing it from being available for misuse. Activated carbon is a form of chemical destruction that is recognized in DEA regulations as an approved method of disposal. The best way to reduce the risk of drug diversion and environmental harm is to utilize a product with activated charcoal, like Rx Destroyer, to destroy controlled substances.
