Antibacterial

Silver Impregnated Activated Carbon

Q: Is silver impregnated carbon safe for drinking water?

Yes. Silver-impregnated activated carbon is widely used in POU (point-of-use) and POE (point-of-entry) drinking water systems worldwide. The silver loading is designed to suppress bacterial growth within the carbon bed without leaching silver above safe limits. Our products meet NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 requirements for drinking water contact materials.

Q: How does silver prevent bacterial growth?

Silver ions (Ag⁺) released at ultra-low concentrations disrupt bacterial cell membranes and inhibit enzyme function, preventing colonization of the carbon bed. This bacteriostatic effect means the carbon stays clean between filter changes, extending service life and preventing taste/odor issues from microbial growth.

Q: What silver loading should I specify for my filter?

Most POU/POE drinking water filters use 0.05–0.1% Ag by weight — enough to inhibit bed colonization while keeping effluent silver well below the WHO 0.1 mg/L guideline. Higher loadings (up to 0.3%) are used in specialty medical or emergency-water applications. We match Ag loading to your NSF-certified filter spec.

Q: Does the silver wash out over the filter's life?

Our wet impregnation fixes silver in a stable form bonded to the carbon surface, so leach rates stay low (typically < 0.01 mg/L in effluent) across the rated filter life. Third-party NSF/ANSI 61 extractables testing confirms the silver does not migrate above safe limits — reports are available for OEM certification.

Q: Coconut shell vs coal base for silver carbon — which do you supply?

We use coconut shell granular carbon as the base for silver impregnation. Its high micropore volume gives better chlorine, taste and odor reduction (critical for NSF/ANSI 42) than coal base, and its low ash and neutral pH suit drinking-water contact. Coal-base silver carbon is available on request for non-potable industrial uses.

Coconut shell GAC with bacteriostatic silver coating for drinking water, medical filtration, and food-grade applications. NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 compliant.

⚡ Quick Answer

Silver impregnated activated carbon is coconut-shell granular carbon loaded with 0.01–0.3% metallic silver that releases trace silver ions (Ag⁺) to stop bacteria colonizing the carbon bed. Used in POU/POE drinking-water filters, it combines chlorine, taste and odor removal with bacteriostatic protection while meeting NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 leaching limits.

Silver Loading: 0.01 – 0.3% by weight
Base Carbon: Coconut shell granular
Iodine Number: 1000 – 1200 mg/g
Certification: NSF/ANSI 42 & 61

Product Overview

Silver impregnated activated carbon uses ultra-low concentrations of metallic silver deposited on high-quality coconut shell granular carbon to provide bacteriostatic protection. The silver prevents bacterial colonization of the carbon bed, ensuring safe, clean-tasting water throughout the filter's service life.

Our silver-loaded GAC is manufactured using a proprietary wet impregnation process that ensures uniform silver distribution without blocking micropores. The result is activated carbon that retains its full adsorption capacity while gaining long-lasting antibacterial properties.

Key Applications

POU/POE drinking water filters
Refrigerator water cartridges
Medical & dental water systems
Food & beverage processing
Swimming pool & spa filters
Aquarium filtration
Household pitcher filters
Vending machine water systems

Compliance & Certification Requirements

Standard	Requirement
NSF/ANSI 42	Chlorine taste & odor reduction
NSF/ANSI 61	No harmful extractables into drinking water
WHO Ag guideline	Silver in drinking water ≤ 0.1 mg/L
Silver loading on our GAC	0.05 – 0.1% by weight
Silver leach rate (typical)	< 0.01 mg/L in effluent
Bacteriostatic test method	JIS Z 2801 / EPA protocol
Bacterial reduction (ASTM)	> 99.9% (3-log) E. coli

Third-party NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 test reports available on request for OEM filter manufacturers. We can match specific Ag loading to your NSF-certified filter spec.

Application Example

OEM Refrigerator Filter Manufacturer — 12×40 Ag-GAC, South Korea

A major appliance OEM building NSF/ANSI 42-certified refrigerator water filters sources 12×40 silver-impregnated coconut shell GAC for their cartridge fill. The 0.07% Ag loading provides bacteriostatic protection for the 6-month filter life (200 gallons rated capacity). Silver leach in effluent was verified at 0.003 mg/L — well below the WHO 0.1 mg/L guideline — during third-party NSF testing. Hojee supplies 15 MT/month under private label.

Technical Specifications

Model	HojeeAqua Ag-Series
Impregnant	Metallic Silver (Ag)
Silver Loading	0.01 – 0.3% by weight
Base Carbon	Coconut shell granular
Mesh Size	8×30 / 12×40 / 20×50
Iodine Number	1000 – 1200 mg/g
Hardness	> 97%
Ash Content	< 5%
pH	6 – 8 (neutral)
Moisture	< 5%
Bulk Density	0.48 – 0.54 g/cm³
Silver Leaching	Meets NSF/ANSI 42 & 61

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Other Impregnated Products

KOH Impregnated — H₂S →Sulfur Impregnated — Mercury →KMnO₄ Impregnated — VOC →K₂CO₃ Impregnated — Low-Corrosivity H₂S →H₃PO₄ Impregnated — Ammonia/Amines →← All Impregnated AC

Why Silver Carbon for Drinking Water

🦠

Bacteriostatic, Not Bactericidal

Silver prevents bacteria from colonizing the carbon bed — it doesn't kill bacteria in flowing water. Perfect for POU filters where re-growth between uses is the real risk.

🥥

Coconut Shell Base

Higher micropore volume vs coal base — delivers better chlorine, taste and odor performance alongside bacteriostatic protection. Critical for NSF 42 compliance.

⚗️

Controlled Ag Leach

Our wet impregnation process fixes silver in stable oxide form. Leach rate verified <0.01 mg/L — well below the WHO 0.1 mg/L drinking water guideline.

📋

OEM-Ready

Test reports for NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 available. Custom mesh sizes (8×30, 12×40, 20×50) for cartridge fill. Private label packaging supported.

Food-Grade Packaging

25 kg

Food-grade PE bags

Clean-room filled, drinking-water contact grade

20 kg

Cartridge fill pails

Sealed pails for OEM cartridge lines

500 kg

Jumbo bags + liner

Bulk, low-dust, palletized

Custom

Private label

Your brand + NSF spec on the label

Silver-impregnated GAC is filled and packed under food-grade conditions to protect drinking-water contact certification. Fill sizes and cartridge-ready pail formats are matched to OEM production lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is silver impregnated carbon safe for drinking water?

Yes. Silver-impregnated activated carbon is widely used in POU (point-of-use) and POE (point-of-entry) drinking water systems worldwide. The silver loading is designed to suppress bacterial growth within the carbon bed without leaching silver above safe limits. Our products meet NSF/ANSI 42 & 61 requirements for drinking water contact materials.

How does silver prevent bacterial growth?

Silver ions (Ag⁺) released at ultra-low concentrations disrupt bacterial cell membranes and inhibit enzyme function, preventing colonization of the carbon bed. This bacteriostatic effect means the carbon stays clean between filter changes, extending service life and preventing taste/odor issues from microbial growth.

What silver loading should I specify for my filter?

Most POU/POE drinking water filters use 0.05–0.1% Ag by weight — enough to inhibit bed colonization while keeping effluent silver well below the WHO 0.1 mg/L guideline. Higher loadings (up to 0.3%) are used in specialty medical or emergency-water applications. We match Ag loading to your NSF-certified filter spec.

Does the silver wash out over the filter's life?

Our wet impregnation fixes silver in a stable form bonded to the carbon surface, so leach rates stay low (typically < 0.01 mg/L in effluent) across the rated filter life. Third-party NSF/ANSI 61 extractables testing confirms the silver does not migrate above safe limits — reports are available for OEM certification.

Coconut shell vs coal base for silver carbon — which do you supply?

We use coconut shell granular carbon as the base for silver impregnation. Its high micropore volume gives better chlorine, taste and odor reduction (critical for NSF/ANSI 42) than coal base, and its low ash and neutral pH suit drinking-water contact. Coal-base silver carbon is available on request for non-potable industrial uses.

Drinking Water Grade Carbon

NSF-compliant silver-impregnated GAC for OEM filter manufacturers. Free samples available. MOQ 3 tons.

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