An activated carbon impregnated with elementary iodine (I2), named IodAC, characterized by oxidation capability, was developed and applied to oxidize arsenite, As(III), to arsenate, As(V), in arsenic-rich waters. Batch and column experiments were conducted to test the oxidation ability of the material. Comparisons with the oxidizing agents usually used in arsenic treatment systems were also conducted. In addition, the material has been tested coupled with an iron-based arsenic sorbent, in order to verify its suitability for the dearsenication of drinking waters. IodAC exhibited a high and lasting oxidation potential, since the column tests executed on water spiked with 50 mg/L of arsenic (100% arsenite) showed that 1 cc of IodAC (30 wt% I2) can oxidize about 25 mg of As(III) (0.33 mmol) before showing a dwindling in the oxidation ability. Moreover, an improvement of the arsenic sorption capability of the tested sorbent was also proved. The results confirmed that IodAC is suitable for implementation in water dearsenication plants, in place of the commonly used oxidizing agents, such as sodium hypochlorite or potassium permanganate, and in association with arsenic sorbents. In addition, the well-known antibacterial ability of iodine makes IodAC particularly suitable in areas (such developing countries) where the sanitation of water is a critical topic.

An iodine-doped activated carbon (named IodAC) was developed by adsorbing molecular iodine (I2) on commercially available activated carbon (AC). Iodine was selected with the purpose to add its well-known antibacterial and antiviral properties to the AC and in order to produce an innovative material for environmental pathogens control and for healthcare-related applications. The impregnation method achieved the goal of strongly adsorbing iodine on the AC surface, since both volatility and water solubility resulted to be negligible, and therefore it did not affect the stability of the material. An antibacterial test (on Escherichia coli) and an antiviral test (on an avian influenza strain) were conducted, showing the effectiveness of IodAC against the pathogens. In addition, IodAC was also compared to slaked lime (a material widely used for disinfection of outdoor spaces and livestock farming areas). The data proved the performance of IodAC against virus and bacteria and also evidenced a more stable and long-lasting disinfecting power of IodAC compared to slaked lime, the later reacting with carbon dioxide and suffering a gradually decrease of its disinfectant power; such drawback does not affect IodAC. Overall, the presented results show that IodAC can be used for a wide range of applications, including as a granular disinfectant for public spaces, for water disinfection, zoonotic diseases countermeasures (e.g., as an animal feed additive for avian influenza control), post-harvest food storage, and sanitization. Its characteristics also indicate its potential to be used for medical treatments, such as for blood, intestinal (for HIV, sepsis, irritable syndrome, ulcerative colitis therapy), and medical supplies (antibacterial bandages, gauze, cotton, etc.) sterilization.