Pharmaceutical/

The global demand for virgin activated carbon istipped to rise five per cent per year to reach 1.2 million metric tonsby 2010, fuelled by increased use in the pharmaceutical sector.Activated carbon, or charcoal, is used in pharmaceutical industryprimarily as an adsorbent to remove pollutants during the drugmanufacturing process. The Asia/Pacific region presents the greatestopportunity for growth, where this market is expected to nearly doubleby 2010, led by China, which is expected to increase its share of theglobal activated carbon market to 13 per cent, according to a report bymarket research firm The Freedonia Group. Smaller emerging markets,including Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Africa/Middle Eastregion, will also record above average gains. Activated carbon is usedextensively decolourisation, deodorisation, and removal of organicimpurities in the pharma and medicine industry.