Transition to new Charcoal Media – Update

In November 2017, we announced that we would begin transitioning to a new charcoal media for all of our charcoal- based badges. This change was made necessary because the manufacturer of the carbon material we have used for the last 10 years or so, decided they would no longer produce the carbon/PTFE material. Knowing that people do not like change in the industrial hygiene arena, all avenues were exhausted with the supplier, but they refused to manufacture any more.

We performed a search for another company that could provide an equivalent product, however, the high ratio of carbon to PTFE proved to be too challenging for company after company. After a few years of searching, we found and entered into a contract with an expert in the field.  Together, we developed a process to generate an equivalent material in the Assay Technology facility in California. Representative background, sampling rates, and desorption efficiencies (at mid level values) were all evaluated. The sampling rates were unchanged. The backgrounds were similar.  The desorption efficiencies for many chemicals were the same, but there is a difference for more polar chemicals.  (ie alcohols, ketones, etc)   For laboratories, click here for some helpful hints. 

Please see the table below.  All the badges listed use the charcoal, either treated or untreated.