# Activated Carbon Storage and Stored-Lot Testing

- Publisher: YELI Carbon (Xiamen Yeli New Materials Co., Ltd)
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-28
- Canonical: https://www.yelicarbon.com/blog-packing.html

## Direct answer

Activated carbon has no single universal expiry date. Its condition depends on moisture exposure, contamination, packaging integrity and storage conditions. Keep bags and jumbo liners closed, raise pallets off wet floors, prevent condensation, and store under cover away from solvent or fuel vapours. Use first-in, first-out and reseal opened units promptly.

If a lot has been stored for a long period or the packaging is damaged, test a representative sample before use. Check moisture to ASTM D2867; for gold recovery carbon also verify iodine number to ASTM D4607 and ball-pan hardness to ASTM D3802. Where performance matters, run a gold adsorption loading and rate test on the plant's actual liquor. Compare the retest with the original batch COA and purchase specification.

## Storage controls

- Keep the inner PE liner closed and protect the outer bag from tears.
- Store on pallets in a dry, covered warehouse.
- Avoid floor contact, roof leaks and condensation from temperature cycling.
- Keep carbon away from solvents, fuels, strong odours and other volatile contaminants.
- Do not heat-dry damp carbon without a supplier-approved procedure.
- Record receiving date, lot number, packaging condition and storage area.
- Apply first-in, first-out stock rotation.

## When to retest

- The packaging has been torn, wetted or contaminated.
- The lot has been stored for a long period without a controlled evidence trail.
- Moisture or particle condition has visibly changed.
- The plant is about to use the lot for a critical campaign.
- A customer or internal release procedure requires objective evidence.

## Retest fields

- Moisture, ASTM D2867 or equivalent
- Particle-size distribution
- Iodine number, ASTM D4607 or equivalent
- Ball-pan hardness, ASTM D3802 or equivalent
- Gold loading and adsorption rate where required
- Comparison with the original exact-lot COA

## Evidence and next step

- [Sample batch COA](https://www.yelicarbon.com/coa-sample-gold-carbon.html)
- [Documents and packing controls](https://www.yelicarbon.com/documents.html)
- [Gold carbon specification sheet](https://www.yelicarbon.com/gold-carbon-specification-sheet.html)
- [ASTM D2867](https://www.astm.org/d2867-17.html)
- [ASTM D4607](https://www.astm.org/d4607-14r19.html)
- [ASTM D3802](https://www.astm.org/d3802-10r24.html)