Analysis and comparison of inertinite-derived adsorbent with conventional adsorbents.

UNLABELLED: To increase U.S. petroleum energy-independence, the University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) has developed a coal liquefaction process that uses a hydrogenated solvent and a proprietary catalyst to convert lignite coal to crude oil. This paper reports on part of the environmental evaluation of the liquefaction process: the evaluation of the solid residual from liquefying the coal, called inertinite, as a potential adsorbent for air and water purification. Inertinite samples derived from Arkansas and Texas lignite coals were used as test samples. In the activated carbon creation process, inertinite samples were heated in a tube furnace (Lindberg, Type 55035, Arlington, UT) at temperatures ranging between 300 and 850 degrees C for time spans of 60, 90, and 120 min, using steam and carbon dioxide as oxidizing gases. Activated inertinite samples were then characterized by ultra-high-purity nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K using a high-speed surface area and pore size analyzer (Quantachrome, Nova 2200e, Kingsville, TX). Surface area and total pore volume were determined using the Brunauer Emmet, and Teller method, for the inertinite samples, as well as for four commercially available activated carbons (gas-phase adsorbents Calgon Fluepac-B and BPL 4 x 6; liquid-phase adsorbents Filtrasorb 200 and Carbsorb 30). In addition, adsorption isotherms were developed for inertinite and the two commercially available gas-phase carbons, using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as an example compound. Adsorption capacity was measured gravimetrically with a symmetric vapor sorption analyzer (VTI, Inc., Model SGA-100, Kingsville, TX). Also, liquid-phase adsorption experiments were conducted using methyl orange as an example organic compound. The study showed that using inertinite from coal can be beneficially reused as an adsorbent for air or water pollution control, although its surface area and adsorption capacity are not as high as those for commercially available activated carbons. IMPLICATIONS: The United States currently imports two-thirds of its crude oil, leaving its transportation system especially vulnerable to disruptions in international crude supplies. UT Arlington has developed a liquefaction process that converts coal, abundant in the United States, to crude oil. This work demonstrated that the undissolvable solid coal residual from the liquefaction process, called inertinite, can be converted to an activated carbon adsorbent. Although its surface area and adsorption capacity are not as high as those for commercially available carbons, the inertinite source material would be available at no cost, and its beneficial reuse would avoid the need for disposal.

Charcoal burning and maternal filicide-suicide trends in Taiwan: the impact of accessibility of lethal methods.

Charcoal burning has emerged as a novel suicide method in Taiwan and its impact on maternal filicide-suicide (MFS) remains unexplored. Using official national mortality data and reports of MFS cases from electronic newspaper archives, the authors aimed to examine whether the newly available charcoal burning was associated with an increase in MFS incidents during the period from 1999 to 2006. The trends for changes in age/gender/method-specific suicide rates and MFS incidence were analyzed and then correlated with each other. The results indicated that charcoal burning was the leading method of filicide in reported MFS incidents. The increase in MFS incidents paralleled that of charcoal burning-specific suicide rates in females aged 25-44 years, while suicide rates by other methods did not change significantly. Easy accessibility and perceived painlessness as conveyed by the media might account for the choices of charcoal burning for MFS. Restricting access to charcoal burning should therefore be prioritized for further prevention strategies.

Prevalence of sorbitol in multiple-dose activated charcoal regimens in emergency departments.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the availability and use of premixed activated charcoal in sorbitol preparations during multiple-dose activated charcoal therapy in the emergency department. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective telephone survey of all 911 receiving hospitals within the catchment area of one poison center. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Hospital pharmacy supervisors and ED charge nurses. INTERVENTION: Hospital pharmacy supervisors were surveyed about the available preparations of activated charcoal on their hospital's formulary, and ED charge nurses in these same hospitals were surveyed about the prevalence of sorbitol use in multiple-dose activated charcoal regimens. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eleven hospitals (16%) stocked only activated charcoal in sorbitol preparations. Twenty-one hospitals (31%) had both activated charcoal in sorbitol preparations and activated charcoal without sorbitol preparations, and 35 hospitals (52%) had only activated charcoal without sorbitol preparations. Repeat dosing of sorbitol during multiple-dose activated charcoal therapy occurred in 33 of 67 (49%) of the EDs surveyed. CONCLUSION: Sorbitol dosing is often repeated with activated charcoal during multiple-dose activated charcoal therapy in the ED because of the ready availability (and sometimes exclusive availability) of premixed activated charcoal in sorbitol preparations.