Application of mass transfer coefficient approach for ranking of active carbons designed for hemoperfusion Original Research Article

Samples of six different active carbons, representing hemoadsorbents designed for rapid toxin removal during medical hemoperfusion treatment, were investigated in the same experimental conditions in regard to adsorption of four selected markers. Mass transfer rates for salicylate, phenobarbital, opipramol and vitamin B12 were, generally, higher for spherical active carbons from synthetic polymers than for active carbons from natural raw materials. On the other hand, mass transfer coefficient values, averaged over the selected markers for each adsorbent, were similar for all investigated active carbons, in the range between 0.06 and 0.11 cm/min. It is concluded that the applied model of mass transfer and determination of mass transfer coefficients for solutes with different molecular weights yields an insight into mechanism of adsorption on the investigated active carbons.