INFORMATION SHEET 

73-001-IS 

Oct 2007

Adsorptive Capacity for Vapor Contaminants

In general, vapor contaminants can be categorized in terms of how well they are adsorbed by activated carbon. 

Adsorptive capacity is a function of the carbon’s affinity for a specific type of contaminant, such as ketones, aliphatics, 

aromatics, and sulfur compounds. Additionally, the adsorptive capacity and removal efficiency may be affected by: 

• The concentration of the contaminant(s) 

• Humidity of the air or gas stream 

• Temperature of the vapor laden air stream 

• Carbon bed contact time with vapor laden air 

• Superficial velocity through the carbon filter 

• Particle size of activated carbon 

• Grade of activated carbon used

To assist in estimating the activated carbon’s ability to remove certain compounds, a reference chart and index of 

commonly encountered contaminants are presented below. 

Category Rating Adsorptive Capacity, % wt. Average Adsorptive Capacity, % 

1 High 20 to 50% 35 

2 Good 10 to 20% 16 

3 Moderate Less than 15% 8 

4 Low Usually too low to be effective* 

 *Impregnated carbon may be required if applicable 

In addition to the specific compounds mentioned below some types of odors, which are hard to categorize, are also 

effectively removed with activated carbon.

Category 1 

Acetic anhydride 

Acrylic acid 

Acrylonitrile 

Adhesives 

Allyl chloride 

Amyl acetate 

Amyl alcohol 

Amyl ether 

Aniline 

Antiseptics 

Asphalt fumes 

Benzene 

Bromine 

Butanone 

Butyl acetate 

Butyl alcohol 

Butyl cellosolve 

Butyl chloride 

Butyl ether 

Butyric acid 

Camphor 

Caprylic acid 

Carbolic acid 

Carbon disulfide 

Carbon tetrachloride 

Cellosolve acetate 

Chlorobenzene 

Chlorobutadiene 

Chloroform 

Chloronitropropane 

Chloropicrin 

Cigarette smoke 

Creosote 

Cresol 

Cyclohexane 

Cyclohexanol 

Cyclohexanone 

Cyclohexene 

Decane 

Dibromoethane 

Dichlorobenzene 

Dichlorodifluoromethane 

Dichloroethane 

Dichloroethylene 

Dichloroethyl ether 

Dichloronitroethane 

Dichloropropane 

Dichlorotetrafluoroethane 

Dicyclopentadiene 

Diesel fumes 

Diethyl ketone 

Dimethylaniline 

Dimethyl sulfate 

Dioxane 

Diproply ketone 

Epichlorhydrin 

Ethyl acetate 

Ethyl acrylate 

Ethyl benzene 

Ethyl bromide 

Ethylene chlorhydrin 

Ethylene dichloride 

Ethyl silicate 

Freon 11, 12, 114 

Gasoline 

Heptane 

Heptylene 

Iodine 

Iodoform 

Isopropyl acetate 

Isopropyl alcohol 

Isopropyl chloride 

Isopropyl ether 

Kerosene 

Krypton delay 

Lactic acid 

Liquid fuel 

Lubricating oils and 

 greases 

Lysol 

Menthol 

Mercaptans (large 

 chain) 

Mesityl oxide 

Methyl acrylate 

Methyl butyl ketone 

Methyl cellosolve 

Methyl chloroform 

Methyl cyclohexane 

Methyl cyclohexanol 

Methyl cyclohexanone 

Methylene chloride 

Methyl ethyl ketone 

Methyl glycol 

Methyl isobutyl ketone 

Methyl methacrylate 

 ester 

Monochlorobenzene 

Naphtha 

Naphthalene 

Nicotine 

Nitrobenzene 

Nitroethane 

Nitroglycerine 

Nitropropane 

Nitrotoluene 

Nonane 

Octane 

Octene 

Ozone 

Palmitic acid 

Para-dichlorobenzene 

Pentanone 

Perchloroethylene 

Phenol 

Propionic acid 

Propyl acetate 

Propyl alcohol 

Propyl chloride 

Propyl ether 

Propyl mercaptan 

Styrene monomer 

Tar 

Tetrachloroethane 

Tetrachloroethylene 

Tetrahydrofuran 

Thiophene 

Toluene 

Toluene – 2,4,-

 diisocyanate 

Trichloroethane 

Trichloroethylene 

Trichlorofluoromethane 

Turpentine 

Urea 

Uric acid 

Valeric acid 

Valeric aldehyde 

Varnish fumes 

Vinegar 

Vinyl acetate 

Vinyl chloride monomer 

Xenon delay 

Xylene 

Norit Americas Inc. • 3200 West University Avenue • PO Box 790 • Marshall, TX 75671 USA 

Telephone +1 903 923 1000 • +1 800 641 9245 • FAX +1 903 923 1003 

www.norit-americas.com • info@norit-americas.com
INFORMATION SHEET 

Norit Americas Inc. • 3200 West University Avenue • PO Box 790 • Marshall, TX 75671 USA 

Telephone +1 903 923 1000 • +1 800 641 9245 • FAX +1 903 923 1003 

www.norit-americas.com • info@norit-americas.com

73-001-IS 

Oct 2007

Category 2 

Acetic acid 

Acetone 

Acrolein 

Butadiene 

Butyraldehyde 

Chlorine 

Combustion odors 

Dichloromonofluoro-

 methane (Freon 21) 

Dimethyl sulfide 

Ether 

Ethyl alcohol 

Ethyl chloride 

Ethyl formate 

*Ethyl mercaptan 

Hexane 

Hexene 

Hexyne 

*Hydrogen iodide 

*Hydrogen sulfide 

Methyl acetate 

Methyl bromide 

Methyl chloride 

Methyl ether 

Methyl formate 

Nitromethane 

Pentane 

Pentylene 

Pentyne 

Phosgene 

Propionaldehyde 

Rubber fumes 

*Sewage odors 

Category 3 

Acetaldehyde 

Acetonitrile 

Acetylene 

*Amines 

Butane 

Butylene 

Carbon dioxide 

Ethylene oxide 

*Formaldehyde 

*Formic acid 

*Hydrogen bromide 

*Hydrogen chloride 

*Hydrogen fluoride 

*Hydrogen selenide 

Methyl alcohol 

*Methyl mercaptan 

*Nitric acid 

*Nitrogen dioxide 

Propane 

*Sulfur dioxide 

*Sulfuric acid 

*Sulfurtrioxide 

Category 4 

*Ammonia 

Carbon monoxide 

Ethane 

Ethylene 

Hydrogen 

*Hydrogen cyanide 

*Mercury vapors 

Methane 

*Materials marked with an asterisk may require an impregnated carbon to achieve desired removal efficiencies. 

For more information on the capabilities of Norit activated carbons, please contact us at: 

Norit Americas Inc. 

3200 West University Avenue 

Marshall, TX 75670 

+1 800 641 9245 

Phone: +1 903 923 1000 

FAX: +1 903 923 1003 

Email: info@norit-americas.com