By RQS Editorial Team


Experienced cannabis growers and smokers will be familiar with activated charcoal, as the substance finds use both in the grow room and on the tip of a joint. Read along for everything you need to know about activated charcoal.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is not the same substance that comprises charcoal bricks. The way activated charcoal is manufactured makes it super porous, and thus highly adsorbent. This allows it to bind to molecules, ions, and atoms, removing them from dissolved substances. You may also hear activated charcoal referred to as activated carbon.

A fine, odourless black powder, activated carbon has toxin-adsorbing properties that are utilised for domestic, industrial, and medical purposes. This includes filtering water to catch pollutants, and air to remove strong odours, hence its usefulness to cannabis growers. Activated carbon also has potential therapeutic and cosmetic benefits, although not all have been scientifically proven.

How Is Activated Charcoal Created?

Materials rich in carbon, such as wood, peat, coconut shells, or sawdust, are heated to very high temperatures. This intense heat "activates" the charcoal, stripping it of any previously absorbed molecules and freeing up binding sites. The materials are placed in a tank without oxygen and subjected to 600–900°C temperatures. The carbon is exposed to different chemicals, including argon and nitrogen, and then heated again at between 600 and 1200°C while being exposed to steam and oxygen. A pore structure is created from this process, and the overall surface area is massively increased.

Incredibly, a single teaspoon of activated carbon has roughly the same surface area as a football pitch.

How Is Activated Charcoal Used?

As briefly mentioned, activated charcoal is used throughout numerous industries and for various purposes in the home. Below we highlight some of the most common or notable.

Treatment of Poisons and Overdose

The World Health Organisation has approved the use of activated charcoal for emergency treatment of poisonings or overdoses. Activated charcoal can help to clear toxins and drugs from the body. This includes NSAIDs and other OTC anti-inflammatories, sedatives, and mild stimulants such as methylxanthines. However, activated charcoal cannot bind to all classes of toxins or drugs, especially corrosive ones.

Suppose the overdose or poison has been ingested within 1–4 hours prior to diagnosis. In that case, the patient may be given a drink of powdered activated charcoal and water. Activated charcoal mixtures can also be administered via feeding tubes in the nose or mouth. By binding to the toxins, the activated powder stops them from being absorbed in the body. As the stomach cannot absorb charcoal, the toxins that attach to the charcoal leave the body via the faeces.

Other Health Complaints

Due to its effective toxin-clearing properties, advocates of activated charcoal propose it as a treatment for many conditions. Many of the over-the-counter products containing activated charcoal rely simply on the material's fundamental chemical principles as evidence. Indeed, there is some evidence to support the use of activated charcoal for the following purposes or issues:

Kidney health Intestinal gas
Diarrhoea Teeth Whitening
Skin Care Deodorant
Skin Infection

Filtering of Air and Water

Activated charcoal cleanses unwanted organic chemicals from liquid and vapor by attracting and holding onto them. VOCs (volatile organic compounds), including benzene, toluene, xylene, oils, and some chlorinated compounds, are the most common chemicals removed through activated charcoal filtration. It is a cost-effective way to remove contamination from large volumes of air or water; however, the efficiency can vary, as many variables affect carbon's capacity to bind to toxins. These include:

Molecular weight Polarity
Solubility in water Temperature of the fluid stream
Concentration in the stream

How Do Activated Charcoal Filters Work?

Suppose you know anything about growing cannabis indoors. In that case, you will undoubtedly be familiar with activated carbon filters. Carbon filters are a staple of most grow rooms. They keep telltale odours from seeping out of the growing environment and into the nostrils of your nosey neighbours. How exactly do they work, though?

What Is Adsorption?

As mentioned, activated carbon filters use "ad"-sorption, not "ab"-sorption, to remove pollutants from air or water. This chemical reaction causes pollutants to get trapped inside the pore structure of the activated charcoal. The difference between the two is that, with adsorption, contaminants stick to the outside of the carbon substrate. In contrast, with absorption, pollutants are held inside the structure.

You can determine if a material is absorbent or adsorbent by observing if there’s any change in volume. For example, a sponge expands when it has "absorbed" water, whereas there is no visual change with adsorption, as the molecules have merely attached themselves to the surface.

How do Activated Charcoal Filters Work?

How Is Activated Charcoal Useful to Cannabis Growers?

Carbon filters containing activated charcoal are the best option to remove grow room smells and emissions, such as cannabis terpenes, that may otherwise attract unwanted attention or insect pests. These filters are also the best way to ensure your plants receive a constant supply of the freshest air possible when growing.

There are short-term solutions like air purifiers, neutralising sprays, gels, and powders that mask smells. However, these measures will not remove the odour from your grow room altogether, nor will they eradicate any dust or other particles. Sprays and gels are also so strongly scented that they can taint your plants' natural terpenes and flavour.

In a grow tent, the carbon filter is typically attached to the inline duct fan or ducting, and the air circulating through the tent is pulled through the filter. All of the odour molecules, spores, allergens, and other contaminants present are adsorbed by the carbon. The freshly “scrubbed” air is then expelled from the tent through the exhaust fan with no telltale signs of odour or emissions.

How to Maintain a Carbon Filter

Carbon filters are available in various sizes, catering to the size of your grow room and the amount of filtration you're looking for. Maintain your carbon filter by cleaning it once a month. This is easy; just remove the filter from your grow room and shake out any trapped dust and debris. When the pore structure of the carbon material is full, your filter will no longer be able to trap new molecules. Carbon air filters should be changed every one to one-and-a-half years, depending on how hard you work them.

Activated Charcoal Smoking Filters

The usefulness of carbon filters does not stop at growing cannabis. Activated charcoal filters are popular in cigarettes, joints, and spliffs as a great way to adsorb any gas-phase toxins present in the plant material, such as hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and crotonaldehyde. If you are worried about the filter removing precious cannabinoids from the smoke, don't be. The activated charcoal only adsorbs harmful compounds in the smoke, bigger in size than THC and other cannabinoids.

Carbon cigarette filters look like regular filters, except they have tiny activated carbon pieces embedded in them. Research has found that while there is no proof that these filters will reduce the risk of severe respiratory illnesses, they may contribute to lessening the dangerous effects of smoking by filtering out tar. They are also reported to improve the taste of cigarettes[1] and joints, increasing smoking pleasure.

Activated Charcoal Smoking Filters

Activated Charcoal: For Cannabis Growers and Smokers

As well as being unpleasant for the senses, odours and emissions can affect how habitable your home is. At best, they can be uncomfortable, and at worst, they can be dangerous to your health. Keep your grow room contaminant-free and stop any suspicious smells from escaping by using a filter containing activated charcoal.

Likewise, if you worry about how smoking could be impacting your respiratory health, or you’re just not sure what might have been used to grow your current stash, then using a carbon filter for your joints might not be a bad idea.

External Resources:
  1. Effect of Charcoal in Cigarette Filters on Free Radicals in Mainstream Smoke https://pubs.acs.org
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: