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Deutsches Arzteblatt International May 2019In 2016, according to the German Federal Statistical Office, 178 425 cases of intoxication (poisoning) were treated in German hospitals. The poison control centers in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In 2016, according to the German Federal Statistical Office, 178 425 cases of intoxication (poisoning) were treated in German hospitals. The poison control centers in the German-speaking countries gave advice in a total of 268 787 instances of poisoning in that year, and use of activated charcoal was recommended in 4.37% of cases. The application of activated charcoal plays a major role in both primary and secondary detoxification. This article serves as an overview of the mechanism of action, indications, contraindications, modes of application, and dosing of activated charcoal.
METHODS
This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed. The opinions of experts from the poison control centers in the German-speaking countries were considered in the interpretation of the data.
RESULTS
The administration of activated charcoal is indicated to treat moderately severe to life-threatening intoxication. It should be carried out as soon as possible, within the first hour of the ingestion; timed-release preparations can be given up to 6 hours after the ingestion. An important contraindication is impaired consciousness with the danger of aspiration in a patient whose air- way has not yet been secured. Activated charcoal is ineffective or inadequately effective in cases of poisoning with acids or bases, alcohols, organic solvents, inorganic salts, or metals. The proper dosage consists of an amount that is 10 to 40 times as much as that of the intoxicating substance, or else 0.5-1 g/kg body weight in children or 50 g in adults. Repeated application is indicated for intoxications with agents that persist for a longer time in the stomach and for intoxications with timed-release drugs or drugs with a marked enterohepatic or entero-enteric circulation. The routine combination of activated charcoal with a laxative is not recommended.
CONCLUSION
Even though intoxications are common, there is still no internationally valid guideline concerning the administration of activated charcoal. A precise analysis of the risks and benefits is needed for each administration, and a poison control center should be consulted for this purpose.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Ambulatory Care; Charcoal; Child; Humans; Poison Control Centers; Poisoning; Young Adult
PubMed: 31219028
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0311 -
Journal of Medical Toxicology :... Jan 2022Aspirin overdose causes acid-base disturbances and organ dysfunction. Management is guided by research reported over 50 years ago when chronic aspirin toxicity was...
INTRODUCTION
Aspirin overdose causes acid-base disturbances and organ dysfunction. Management is guided by research reported over 50 years ago when chronic aspirin toxicity was common and accounted for significant morbidity. We investigate our experience of aspirin overdose and the effectiveness of charcoal and bicarbonate administration over 20 years.
METHODS
This is a retrospective series of acute aspirin overdose from two toxicology units from January 2000 to September 2019. Acute aspirin ingestions > 3000 mg were identified in each unit's database. Excluded were cases of chronic exposure, hospital presentation > 24 hours after ingestion, and cases without a salicylate concentration. Included in our analysis was demographic data, clinical effects, investigations, complications, and treatment.
RESULTS
There were 132 presentations in 108 patients (79 females (73%)). The median age was 28 years (range: 13-93 years). The median dose ingested was 7750 mg (IQR: 6000-14,400 mg). There were 44 aspirin-only ingestions. Mild toxicity (nausea, vomiting, tinnitus or hyperventilation) occurred in 22 with a median dose of 160 mg/kg. Moderate toxicity (acid-base disturbance, confusion) occurred in 16 with a median ingested dose of 297 mg/kg. There were no cases of severe toxicity (coma or seizures) due to aspirin alone. The median peak salicylate concentration was 276 mg/L (IQR: 175-400 mg/L, range: 14-814 mg/L). There was a moderate association between dose ingested and peak concentration (Pearson r = 0.58; 95% CI 0.45-0.68). Activated charcoal was administered in 36 (27%) cases, which decreased the median peak salicylate concentration (34.2 to 24.8 mg/L/g (difference: 9.4, 95% CI: 1.0-13.1)). Bicarbonate was administered in 34 (26%) presentations, decreasing the median apparent elimination half-life from 13.4 to 9.3 h (difference: 4.2 h, 95% CI: 1.0-6.5 h).
CONCLUSIONS
Acute aspirin overdose caused only mild to moderate effects in this series. Early administration of activated charcoal decreased absorption and use of bicarbonate enhanced elimination.
Topics: Adult; Aspirin; Bicarbonates; Charcoal; Female; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Salicylates
PubMed: 34845647
DOI: 10.1007/s13181-021-00865-0 -
International Journal of Dental Hygiene Feb 2023Very little data are known about charcoal toothpastes. The aim of this study was to counteract the missing data by determining the relative dentin abrasivity (RDA) and...
OBJECTIVES
Very little data are known about charcoal toothpastes. The aim of this study was to counteract the missing data by determining the relative dentin abrasivity (RDA) and relative enamel abrasivity (REA) values of charcoal toothpastes.
METHODS
Radioactively charged dentin and enamel samples were randomly divided into groups of eight specimens. Each group was brushed with two of total 12 charcoal toothpaste slurries and with a standard abrasive with a known RDA and REA value. The measured radioactivity in counts per minute within the slurries corresponds to the amount of dentin or enamel abraded. RDA and REA values of the charcoal toothpastes were expressed relative to the known value of the standard slurry.
RESULTS
The RDA and REA values of the charcoal toothpastes have a broad range of 24-166 and 0-14, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The RDA and REA values do not differ significantly from previously tested commercially available toothpastes. However, the lack of fluoride compounds in many of the investigated charcoal toothpastes can have a less beneficial effect for the consumers. It is very important to educate patients accordingly.
Topics: Humans; Toothpastes; Charcoal; Tooth Abrasion; Toothbrushing; Dentin; Dental Enamel
PubMed: 36303293
DOI: 10.1111/idh.12634 -
The Western Journal of Medicine Oct 1986Poisoned patients were first treated with charcoal more than 150 years ago. Despite its almost universal acceptance today, activated charcoal's role has been... (Review)
Review
Poisoned patients were first treated with charcoal more than 150 years ago. Despite its almost universal acceptance today, activated charcoal's role has been overshadowed by the emphasis on treating poisoned patients first with gastric emptying. We review the current use of activated charcoal and recent studies that suggest that activated charcoal may be the single most effective treatment in many types of poisoning. New explanations for the mechanisms of action include "back diffusion" and disruption of enterohepatic loops. Clinical data endorse a new and aggressive role for activated charcoal in the management of poisoned and overdosed patients.
Topics: Adsorption; Animals; Charcoal; Combined Modality Therapy; Enterohepatic Circulation; Gastric Emptying; Humans; Poisoning; Vomiting
PubMed: 3538661
DOI: No ID Found -
Scientific Reports Oct 2022Charcoal is a popular form of biofuel embraced for domestic and industrial purposes. However, the use of Charcoal has some associated challenges, such as the required...
Charcoal is a popular form of biofuel embraced for domestic and industrial purposes. However, the use of Charcoal has some associated challenges, such as the required charcoal pot and setting it into the fire at first by using Charcoal-Ignition-Aiders (CIA) (e.g. discarded paper, nylon, rubber, plastics, petrol, the residue of processed palm oil, maise cob, wood, and kerosene). Coupled with the chemical properties of Charcoal, the resulting gases from CIA are capable of polluting the environment with perceived Adverse-Health-Implications (AHI) on the ecosystem. Therefore, this study conducted a safety assessment of charcoal biofuel usage and the effects of common CIA on combustion indices. This study followed standard methods and the use of peculiar equipment. This study established that Charcoal is commonly used in the studied area because it is cheap, readily available and requires less technical know-how. Considering the combustion indices, using paper as a CIA generated the lowest carbon monoxide (CO) value, 28.1 ppm, with 3,434.54 ppm volatile organic compound, VOC. Compared with the ACGIH standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 30 ppm, the paper gave a lesser CO value of 28.10 ppm among all the CIA. At the same time, all the CIA recorded higher VOC compared with EPA standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 15 ppm. ANOVA analysis conducted on the socio-demographic profile of the respondents, cooking attributes of the respondents, and use of charcoal pot types by the respondents in Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3 gave p-values of 0.032, 0.028, and 0.039, respectively. These imply significant differences within the zones in each of the indices. The average energy content reported for charcoals sourced from oak trees, afara, obeche, mahogany, and iroko woods is 3,2149 kJ/kg compared to the lower ones. Therefore, this study recommended using these charcoals alongside discarded paper as CIA because they are a better combination to reduce AHI.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Biofuels; Carbon Monoxide; Charcoal; Ecosystem; Gases; Kerosene; Nylons; Palm Oil; Rubber; Volatile Organic Compounds
PubMed: 36209226
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21059-w -
Pharmaceutical Biology Dec 2019Charcoal of Chinese drugs is a kind of special processing product in Chinese medicine and used for treatment of haemoptysis, hematemesis and haemorrhage in the clinic... (Review)
Review
Charcoal of Chinese drugs is a kind of special processing product in Chinese medicine and used for treatment of haemoptysis, hematemesis and haemorrhage in the clinic during ancient times. During carbonizing, significant changes occur in chemical constituents and the efficacy of haemostasis will be enhanced. But the quality control standard of 'carbonizing retains characteristics' should be followed. This review introduces the typical methods of carbonizing, which highlight current research progress on haemostatic substances of charcoal drugs so as to provide a reasonable explanation for the theory of haemostasis treated by charcoal medicine. English and Chinese literature from 2004 to 2019 was collected from databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier and CNKI (Chinese). Charcoal drug, chemical constituents, processing, haemostasis and carbon dots were used as the key words. Charcoal drugs mainly play a haemostatic role and the effect can be classified into four types to stop bleeding: removing blood stasis, cooling blood, warming meridians and astringing. Changes in composition lead to changes in pharmacodynamics. Carbonizing methods and basic research on haemostasis material in charcoal drugs have also been summarized. This review summarizes the classification of charcoal drugs and highlights the possible material bases for the haemostatic effect of charcoal drugs in recent years, providing new insights to future research.
Topics: Charcoal; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Hemorrhage; Hemostasis; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Quality Control
PubMed: 31401925
DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2019.1645700 -
Brazilian Oral Research 2023This study aimed to evaluate surface roughness (Sa), roughness profile (Rv), and enamel wear after brushing with different whitening toothpastes and charcoal powders....
This study aimed to evaluate surface roughness (Sa), roughness profile (Rv), and enamel wear after brushing with different whitening toothpastes and charcoal powders. Sixty (n = 10) bovine enamel blocks (6 × 6 × 3 mm) were randomly distributed into six groups according to toothpaste type: regular toothpaste (CONT), toothpaste containing 2% hydrogen peroxide (HP), toothpaste containing titanium dioxide (TiO2), toothpaste containing charcoal (COAL), toothpaste containing charcoal and TiO2 (COAL+TiO2), and activated charcoal powder (COAL_PWD). Each block was subjected to 30,000 reciprocal cycles at a 1:3 proportion slurry. After brushing, the blocks were analyzed using an optical profilometer to determine Sa, Rv, and enamel wear. In addition, representative 3D images of each group and wear profiles were obtained. Sa was analyzed using generalized linear models followed by Bonferroni correction, whereas Rv was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. After brushing, COAL and COAL+TiO2 showed higher Sa values than COAL_PWD. However, no significant difference was observed in Sa between whitening toothpaste and COAL_PWD, and CONT (p > 0.05). In addition, no differences were observed among the groups in Rv (p > 0.05). Conversely, enamel wear was higher for TiO2, COAL, COAL+TiO2, and COAL_PWD than for CONT. CONT showed the least enamel wear, whereas HP showed intermediate values. Representative 3D images and line profiles showed lower step-height and lower mean surface losses for the CONT and HP groups than for the other groups. Whitening toothpastes and COAL_PWD did not increase Sa or Rv compared with CONT, while CONT demonstrated lower enamel wear.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Charcoal; Dental Enamel; Hydrogen Peroxide; Powders; Toothbrushing; Toothpastes
PubMed: 38055513
DOI: 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2023.vol37.0092 -
Academic Emergency Medicine : Official... Mar 1997
Topics: Antidotes; Charcoal; Humans; Poisoning
PubMed: 9063538
DOI: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.1997.tb03731.x -
The Science of the Total Environment Mar 2024Biochar can be used for multifunctional applications including the improvement of soil health and carbon storage, remediation of contaminated soil and water resources,... (Review)
Review
Biochar can be used for multifunctional applications including the improvement of soil health and carbon storage, remediation of contaminated soil and water resources, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and odorous compounds, and feed supplementation to improve animal health. A healthy soil preserves microbial biodiversity that is effective in supressing plant pathogens and pests, recycling nutrients for plant growth, promoting positive symbiotic associations with plant roots, improving soil structure to supply water and nutrients, and ultimately enhancing soil productivity and plant growth. As a soil amendment, biochar assures soil biological health through different processes. First, biochar supports habitats for microorganisms due to its porous nature and by promoting the formation of stable soil micro-aggregates. Biochar also serves as a carbon and nutrient source. Biochar alters soil physical and chemical properties, creating optimum soil conditions for microbial diversity. Biochar can also immobilize soil pollutants and reduce their bioavailability that would otherwise inhibit microbial growth. However, depending on the pyrolysis settings and feedstock resources, biochar can be comprised of contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and potentially toxic elements that can inhibit microbial activity, thereby impacting soil health.
Topics: Soil; Charcoal; Carbon; Environmental Pollution; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 38157897
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169585 -
Biotechnology Advances Oct 2023The sustainable utilization of biochar produced from biomass waste could substantially promote the development of carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Due to their... (Review)
Review
The sustainable utilization of biochar produced from biomass waste could substantially promote the development of carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Due to their cost-effectiveness, multiple functionalities, tailorable porous structure, and thermal stability, biochar-based catalysts play a vital role in sustainable biorefineries and environmental protection, contributing to a positive, planet-level impact. This review provides an overview of emerging synthesis routes for multifunctional biochar-based catalysts. It discusses recent advances in biorefinery and pollutant degradation in air, soil, and water, providing deeper and more comprehensive information of the catalysts, such as physicochemical properties and surface chemistry. The catalytic performance and deactivation mechanisms under different catalytic systems were critically reviewed, providing new insights into developing efficient and practical biochar-based catalysts for large-scale use in various applications. Machine learning (ML)-based predictions and inverse design have addressed the innovation of biochar-based catalysts with high-performance applications, as ML efficiently predicts the properties and performance of biochar, interprets the underlying mechanisms and complicated relationships, and guides biochar synthesis. Finally, environmental benefit and economic feasibility assessments are proposed for science-based guidelines for industries and policymakers. With concerted effort, upgrading biomass waste into high-performance catalysts for biorefinery and environmental protection could reduce environmental pollution, increase energy safety, and achieve sustainable biomass management, all of which are beneficial for attaining several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).
Topics: Charcoal; Carbon; Soil; Biomass
PubMed: 37268152
DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108181