A Professor of Fibre Science and Colour Chemistry at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Abayomi Adetuyi, has revealed some potential in charcoal that man can make good use of other than cooking.
He said charcoal, when activated, is a great purifier for wastewater, the human body system, and foods, among others.
Adetuyi, who is on sabbatical to the Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, shared this thought and perspective while delivering the maiden public lecture series of the university on Thursday.
The lecture was organized by the Faculty of Basic, Medical, and Applied Sciences, and the lecturer spoke on “Activated Charcoal: An Adsorbent with a Difference for Wastewater Purification.”
According to him, activated charcoal, when properly processed in an oxygen-free atmosphere that cannot support combustion, can be used for various things.
One of these, he declared, is to serve as toothpaste to brush the teeth on a regular basis.
According to him, activated charcoal sourced from wood, nutshell, and so forth, is better than most of the modern toothpaste in the market.
“Though it may look local to some people, the fact remains that it is material in use for centuries, and it makes teeth very white, prevents mouth odor, and also keeps teeth strong and healthy.
“That is what I’ have been using for many years and it has no side effect.
“This is because it’s not toxic as the carbon element in it is in the region of six to 10 and the body can tolerate it.”
Adetuyi explained further that it is not as if the normal charcoal generated from cooking in the open air cannot do the same work, but it won’t be as effective as the activated charcoal processed under a limited level of oxygen.
Even at that, he pointed out, that the only thing users of activated charcoal would need to do is to always drink plenty of clean water to flush down the body system as it is a good practice generally for everyone.
“So, I will recommend that people should start using activated charcoal to brush their teeth as doing so would not only keep their teeth white and healthy but would also reduce their expenses on factory-made toothpaste, whose prices continue to increase every other day,” he said.
Similarly, Adetuyi declared that activated or adsorbent charcoal could be used to purify water polluted by human activities, including body waste (feces and urine), food scraps, fat, laundry powder, and even industrial chemicals and so forth.
He said leaving waste water to get to the river and seas untreated would lead to the destruction of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems and also cause health problems for downstream users and the environment.
He said that was why numerous diseases are caused by contact with or consumption of contaminated water, citing the recent multiple cholera outbreaks in some states of the federation, including Lagos, as a case study.
Earlier, in her welcome address, acting dean of the Faculty of Basic, Medical and Applied Sciences, Dr. Modupe Adetunji, said the lecture series was part of the faculty’s mandates to contribute to ideas and knowledge sharing on the scientific discovery towards sustainable national development.
She commended the lecturer and expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the forum would be put to use by the academic community and relevant industry players for the benefit of mankind.
In his remark, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Kolawole Clement, thanked the lecturer for accepting the role, saying the discourse was a great eye-opener to participants.
He noted that the lecture had really exposed the hidden potentials embedded in activated charcoal and now left for the university to leverage the exposition to turn it into fortune and add value to society.
He declared that a similar opportunity would be extended to other faculties of the institution in subsequent years to make the lecture series a regular event.