Chapter 21 Biomedical Applications of Carbon Adsorbents

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) has a long history of use for medical applications due to its very high adsorption capacity and ability to adsorb a large range of substances. Recent advances in carbon materials science have produced a new generation of ACs with improved mechanical properties and porous structure, in a range of forms and with a breadth of applications in oral medicine, hemoperfusion devices, and wound care beyond that of traditional usage. The history and progressive development of AC for these applications are described including more recent developments in synthetic resin-based materials with optimized porosity to bind high molecular-weight and protein-bound biological toxins poorly removed by current systems. These highly optimized materials open up a range of treatment strategies with great potential to reduce healthcare cost burden and target improved acute and chronic disease treatment regimes.