Activated Carbon Filters

[Daffy420]

Hi everyone,

i had a discussion yesterday with a friend about Activated Carbon Filters.

I use a activated carbon filter on the outside of my growtent, so the filtered air is comming in the room. So now he told me that activated carbon has carcinogen fibres.

Can anybody tell me if it is safe to put the filter outside the tent ?
The problem is i don't have the option to let the air outside my tent.

Thnx !

 

[tru-smoker]

yea you wanna use a hepa filter on your intake to filter air comin in and carbon filter on the exhaust to clean the smell on the way out.

 

[love?]

SECTION VI - TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Toxicity:No Toxicity data are available. Physical and chemical properties of activated carbon are used for the health hazard assessment.

Carcinogenicity: Activated carbon is not listed in the National Toxicology program (NTP) Annual report on carcinogens nor has it been found to be a potential carcinogen in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) monographs or by OSHA.

Skin Contact: This material is not likely to be a primary irritant on human skin; it has a low potential for sensitization after skin contact.

Skin Absorption: This product is not known to be absorbed through the human skin.

Eye Contact: This material will probably cause some mild physical irritation if contact is made with human eyes.

Inhalation: Acute toxic effects are not likely to develop after inhalation from this material.

Ingestion: The acute oral LD50 values are not available. Relative to other materials, a single dose of this product is relatively harmless by ingestion. Hodge, H. C. and Sterner, J. H., American Industrial Hygiene Association Quarterly, 10:4, 93, Dec. 1949.

Exposure Limits: No adverse clinical effects have been associated with exposures to this material.

Source: http://www.aquascapeinc.com/upload/ACTIVATED_CARBON.pdf

 

[Daffy420]

Thnx for the replys !

Seems to be not that dangerous, what i experiences with the filter is
that on every first run there is some dust comming out of it.

After that it's not there (so far i can see)

To bad i don't have a possibility to let the air out of the house, is there
a other option i don't know about ?

Thanks

 

[love?]

Well the other option would be an ozone generator.

But I wouldn't go down that route if you're worried about your health... Here's what the US Environmental Protection Agency has to say about ozone:

Health Effects
Potential risk of experiencing:
Decreases in lung function
Aggravation of asthma
Throat irritation and cough
Chest pain and shortness of breath
Inflammation of lung tissue
Higher susceptibility to respiratory infection

In fact, maybe an ozone generator is what your friend was talking about instead of an activated carbon filter?

 

[Daffy420]

No he wass talking about the carbon filters, he told me that the fibres
in it could effect the body the same as asbestos.

Hope he is wrong

 

[love?]

Hehe well if he is right and has some evidence to back it up I think he should contact NTP, IARC and OSHA as soon as possible...

 

[Daffy420]

He just gave me this :

Potential Health Effects
Acute
Swallowed Normally non-hazardous
Eye Dust may cause irritation or discomfort due to abrasiveness
Skin Normally non-hazardous Inhaled The product is light and has a
tendency to generate dust during handling. This dust can cause some
discomfort to the respiratory tract if exposure is excessive. Under normal
circumstances it may be regarded as a non-hazardous general nuisance
dust.​

​

​

Chronic
Activated carbon and activated carbon dusts are normally non-hazardous,
howeverthey are abrasive and may cause some discomfort to the eyes,
nose and throat.​

Prolonged and repeated exposure to high concentrations of dust may lead
to somerespiratory impairment.Silica Crystalline silica is a known cause of
lung fibrosis (silicosis). It has also has been classified as a human
carcinogen. (International Agency For Research on Cancer). Activated
Carbon dust may contain a small amount of quartz, and precautions​

should be taken to avoid inhaling the dust.


Source: http://www.iluka.com/_uploads/documents/Datasheets/Iluka Char MSDS Nov 06 Aust.pdf

But yeah in what concentrations is the question hehe

 

[love?]

Hmm ok so the problem was small amounts of silica in the dust. I wouldn't worry about that too much... Silica is the most abundant mineral on earth and I bet we're inhaling it all the time anyway.