COCONUT ,COIR RELATED PRODUCTS and ACTIVATED CARBON
Coconut products
Plants serve as primary sources of essential nutrients, food, and everyday commodities. Coconuts, in particular, are renowned for their nutritional richness, eco-friendliness, absence of chemicals, and suitability for consumption. They come in various forms, such as fresh or dried, mature or young, and are utilized in the production of tender coconuts, matured coconuts, activated carbon, coco peat, coir pith, and coco fiber.
Coconut shell-activated carbon is a byproduct of waste valorization. Nowadays, activated carbon is derived from various sources, but coconut shells are favored for their high hardness and low dust content. The cosmetic industry heavily relies on activated charcoal for production due to its natural properties and minimal side effects. Through controlled oxidation, activated charcoal develops a porous structure, enhancing its ability to adsorb a wide range of compounds owing to its extensive surface area and high pore volume capacity. Commercially, activated carbon is available in granular and powder forms.
To produce granular activated carbon, coconut shells are heated to 900°C under anaerobic conditions and treated with chemicals and gases like argon and nitrogen. Subsequently, the carbon undergoes superheating between 600 – 1200°C. The resulting carbon is crushed and sieved to produce powder and granular forms of activated carbon. Micropores in activated carbon contribute to its widespread use in industries and households.
Activated carbon
Powdered activated carbon, in particular, boasts a large surface-to-volume ratio and short diffusion distance, further enhancing its efficacy.Coconut shell-activated carbon is both environmentally friendly and readily accessible, offering efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Its wide-ranging applications span food processing, waste management, water and air purification, and the medicinal field. Primarily, it serves to eliminate toxins and impurities from water and air sources. Additionally, it is pivotal in beverage production, notably alcohol, and essential for enhancing the quality of food products by decolorizing, deodorizing, and purifying them. Furthermore, its significance extends to the cosmetic industry, where it is utilized in products like face washes and masks to cleanse pores and promote skin health.
Tender coconut
Tender coconut is renowned as an exceptional natural beverage, boasting low-fat content and high nutrient levels. Freshly consumed for hydration, it effectively revitalizes body cells and restores electrolyte balance. Moreover, it offers health benefits such as enhancing digestion and supporting kidney health, thanks to its rich array of nutrients including potassium, magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin C. The tender coconut’s flesh finds versatile culinary applications, being utilized in milkshakes, desserts, smoothies, and salads.
Coconut
Tender coconut is renowned as an exceptional natural beverage, boasting low-fat content and high nutrient levels. Freshly consumed for hydration, it effectively revitalizes body cells and restores electrolyte balance. Moreover, it offers health benefits such as enhancing digestion and supporting kidney health, thanks to its rich array of nutrients including potassium, magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin C. The tender coconut’s flesh finds versatile culinary applications, being utilized in milkshakes, desserts, smoothies, and salads.
Kopara
Furthermore, highly mature coconut meat, known as kopara, is essential for oil extraction. This coconut oil serves both culinary and moisturizing purposes, playing a crucial role in hydrating, maintaining hair texture, and fostering healthy growth.
In summary, tender coconut provides a wide array of applications, spanning from culinary to skincare and medicinal uses, underscoring its significance as a versatile and invaluable natural resource.
Coir pith
Coir pith, derived from the coconut husk, is a sponge-like fibrous material that serves as an environmentally friendly, renewable, and cost-effective medium for plant growth. Its notable water retention capacity enhances soil aeration, fostering optimal conditions for plant health. Coir pith finds extensive use as a substrate in soilless cultivation methods like hydroponics, hanging gardens, and indoor gardening. When incorporated into soil, it enhances soil structure, aeration, and water drainage, thereby facilitating robust root development and overall plant vitality. Beyond agriculture, coir pith is also employed in erosion control and landscaping applications due to its versatility and beneficial properties.
Coir Pith Bricks
Coir pith, also known as coir dust or coco peat, is compressed into brick-shaped blocks. These bricks are lightweight, absorbent, and have excellent water retention properties. They are commonly used as a soil amendment in gardening and agriculture to improve soil structure, aeration, and moisture retention.
Coir Pith Rolls
Coir pith is also formed into rolls, typically used as erosion control mats or as a medium for growing plants. These rolls are easy to handle and install, providing a natural, biodegradable solution for erosion control. They are often used on slopes, riverbanks, and other areas prone to soil erosion.
Coconut fiber
Coconut fiber, a naturally robust fiber extracted from the husk of coconuts, possesses superior moisture retention capabilities and is characterized by its thickness, strength, and reduced flexibility. It is categorized into two distinct types: brown and white coir fiber. Brown coir, sourced from mature coconuts, is thicker and stronger, whereas white coir, obtained from younger, green coconuts, is finer and softer. These two variations offer diverse applications owing to their unique properties.
The wet-milling method is employed to produce brown fiber, which finds application in crafting brushes, doormats, mattresses, and sacking materials, with a small portion utilized for twine production. Pads of curled brown coir fiber, shaped through needle-felting machinery, are tailored for mattress filling and erosion control measures on riverbanks and hillsides.
A significant portion of brown coir pads undergo a process where they are sprayed with rubber latex, forming rubberized coir, which serves as upholstery padding for the automotive industry in Europe, besides being utilized for insulation and packaging purposes. On the other hand, white fiber is derived through the retting method and spun into yarn, primarily used in rope manufacturing. Mats woven from finer grades of bristle and white fiber, achieved through hand or mechanical looms, are among the prominent applications of white coir.