# Coconut Shell Activated Carbon for Water Treatment: Iodine, Mesh, NSF 61 and PFAS Source: https://srilankaexport.com/de/coconut-shell-activated-carbon-water-treatment-guide/ By the [SriLankaExport.com Trade Desk](https://srilankaexport.com/de/our-trade-desk/) · researched & fact-checked against primary sources Water utilities, treatment system builders and filter makers buy activated carbon by specification, not by name. This guide explains the tests that appear in water treatment carbon specifications, where coconut shell carbon from Sri Lanka fits and where it does not, and what to send a supplier so the first quote is a real one. ### Coconut shell or coal: what the difference means Activated carbon is made by heating a carbon-rich raw material and then activating it with steam to open a network of pores. The raw material decides the pore structure. | Coconut shell carbon | Coal-based carbon | Pore structure | Mostly micropores (very small) | Wider mix of micro and larger pores | Hardness and dust | Very hard, low dust | Softer, varies by coal | Strong at | Small molecules: chlorine, many taste and odour compounds, some solvents | Larger molecules and colour bodies, broad-spectrum municipal use | Typical buyers | Filter makers, point-of-entry systems, dechlorination, some PFAS systems | Large municipal filter beds, many powdered carbon contracts | Many municipal bid documents are written around bituminous coal carbon. If a specification names coal, coconut carbon is not a substitute unless the engineer approves it. Ask before you quote. ### The tests on a water treatment specification - Iodine number (mg/g): an indicator of micropore volume. Coconut shell GAC is commonly supplied at around 1,000 to 1,100 mg/g, with higher grades available. - Mesh size: the particle range, such as 8×30 (coarser, lower pressure drop, common in filter beds) or 12×40 (finer, faster adsorption). Filter cartridges use finer grades still. - Apparent density: sets how many kilograms fill a vessel of a given volume. Bids priced per pound or per cubic foot depend on it. - Hardness or abrasion number: how well the granules survive backwashing and handling. - Ash and moisture: usually capped at a few percent. Acid-washed grades have lower ash. - Water-soluble ash and pH: matter for start-up water quality in new beds. In North America, granular carbon for drinking water is commonly specified to the AWWA B604 standard and must be certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for drinking water contact. In Europe the equivalent product standard is EN 12915. These listings belong to a specific product from a specific plant, so ask the supplier for the current certificate, not a statement that the carbon “meets” the standard. ### PFAS and the new demand for GAC Rules limiting PFAS (the long-lasting “forever chemicals”) in drinking water have pushed many US utilities to install or expand GAC systems, especially in the Northeast. These projects are often bought as a service: the contractor supplies the vessels, swaps spent carbon, and takes the old carbon away for reactivation. A foreign supplier rarely bids these directly. The realistic route is to supply carbon to the firms that run them, or to the makers of point-of-entry and point-of-use systems. ### What US public bids show about price Public bid results give a rough benchmark. In 2026 bid tabulations, powdered activated carbon for a Michigan city was bid at about US$0.94 to US$1.22 per pound delivered, and an Ohio city received bids from about US$1,150 to US$3,380 per ton. Granular carbon and specialty grades price higher. Delivered US prices include domestic warehousing and trucking, so they are not a like-for-like comparison with an FOB Colombo quote. ### Packing and logistics - 25 kg bags or 500 kg to 1,000 kg bulk bags; a 20 ft container holds roughly 12 to 18 tonnes depending on density and bag type. - HS code 3802.10 for activated carbon. - Ask for a certificate of analysis per lot, and third-party inspection for large orders. ### What to send for a quote - The use: municipal filter bed, point-of-entry system, cartridge or block filter, aquarium, industrial. - Mesh, iodine number, density, hardness, ash and moisture targets, or the specification sheet itself. - Any certification needed (NSF/ANSI 61, EN 12915) and whether acid washing is required. - Quantity, packing, destination port and Incoterm. Our listings: [granular activated carbon](/product/coconut-shell-granular-activated-carbon-gac/), [powdered activated carbon](/product/coconut-shell-powdered-activated-carbon-pac/), [fine-mesh carbon for filter makers](/product/coconut-shell-activated-carbon-filter-cartridge-grades/) and [aquarium packs](/product/coconut-shell-activated-carbon-aquarium-packs/). For mining, see our [gold recovery carbon guide](/gold-recovery-activated-carbon-sourcing-guide/). #### Quote coconut shell activated carbon Send your specification and we return a quote from Sri Lankan producers with lot test data. [Post a requirement →](/post-a-requirement/) SLE SriLankaExport.com Trade Desk Export specialists at Harker International (Pvt) Ltd, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Every guide is researched and verified against customs tariffs, EDB data and the relevant international standards. [Our editorial standards & team →](https://srilankaexport.com/de/our-trade-desk/)