Does Activated Carbon Remove Ammonia
Activated carbon is a widely used filtration material, yet its natural form has poor efficiency in ammonia removal. Ordinary granular activated carbon relies on physical adsorption to trap contaminants. Since ammonia molecules are highly polar and soluble in water, they easily bypass the common micropores of untreated carbon. It only delivers negligible effects in eliminating ammonia from aquarium water, domestic tap water and conventional sewage.
Modified activated carbon solves this problem perfectly. Through acid impregnation and chemical modification, it adds acidic functional groups to its porous surface. These groups chemically react with ammonia to form stable ammonium compounds, firmly locking pollutants inside the carbon structure. This upgraded carbon is suitable for aquaculture purification, industrial wastewater treatment and malodorous air filtration. Regular replacement is essential because saturated carbon will completely lose its adsorption capacity.