Please can one tell me the chemical structure of charcoal and its reactions with water.?

Question

The exact structure of charcoal and its chemical reaction with water. If any other forms for purification is available and any other known and proven aspects of charcoal.

Answer 1

Pure charcoal would be primarily carbon.

Carbon bonds with many compounds very readily.

Carbon does not bond well with H2O.

When passing water through a carbon (charcoal) medium, the impurities in the water will bond to the carbon, and the purified H20 will pass right through.

There are many forms of water purification, and many uses for charcoal as well, as simple as a fuel source (burning) or a filter for other things than water such as diesel exhaust.

Answer 2

Kind of hard, since charcoal is a mixture of different compounds, though mostly carbon. It is primarily produced by burning wood or vegetable matter in the absence of oxygen; this burns off water and other volatile substances and leaves an impure form of carbon. Pouring water on unburnt charcoal won't really do anything, but since you mention purification, I assume you really mean activated charcoal, which has been finely ground and either steamed or treated with acids to improve its porosity. Each particle of activated charcoal has a lot of nooks and crannies in it, which capture chemical contaminants and some organic compounds when water is passed through it.

As for other proven aspects of charcoal, it still has to do with the porosity. It is used in metals extraction, wastewater treatment, chemical spill cleanups, and even to detoxify people who have ingested certain poisons.