Technological procedure to obtain activated carbon quality USP 30 for medical pharmaceutical use

Abstract

A technological purification procedure for obtaining a Cuban activated carbon is described. Characteristics
of the obtained charcoal are similar to those corresponding to imported materials according to the following standards:
United States Pharmacopeia 30, British Pharmacopeia (BP) and the Cuban National Standards. Results obtained during
purification of Cuban activated carbon (M1) were compared with two imported materials as reference: USPXX Norit and
RPCh. The first of these materials have been used during more than 20 years in the Cuban National Health System in
cases of medical poisoning and as raw material in the preparation of coal and pepsin tablets for digestive disorders. Besides,
the following comparative aspects were considered: physical chemical characterization, atomic absorption and ACP
-AES analysis and specific adsorption: iodine number, molasses percent, methylene blue and strychnine. Technological
procedure consists mainly of an acid leaching-base without heating, including filtration stages and very simple washings
waters, as also recirculation of liquors of the process. Comparison results were statistically processed by a multiple range
test and differences obtained were not significant (α = 0,05 %). It is an indication of the effectiveness of the purification
procedure. Economic feasibility study offers favourable results in the indexes considered: NPV, IRR, EE, ROI, estimated
price and production cost. All these results as a whole support the possibility of having in Cuba with a process and as a
result of it, with a material of sufficient quality to replace imports in the short term.