ACTIVATED CARBON IODINE VALUE iodine number Many carbons prefer to adsorb small molecules. The Iodine number is a basic measurement used to characterize activated carbon performance. It is a measure of activity level (higher numbers indicate a higher degree of activation), often measured in mg/g (common range 500-1200 mg/g). The Iodine number represents the micropore content of the activated carbon relative to the amount of iodine adsorbed from solution. Iodine Number coincides with Surface Area measurements of activated carbon between 900 m²/g and 1100 m²/g. Iodine Number is the standard measure for water/liquid applications. The Iodine number is essentially a measure of the iodine adsorbed into the pores of an activated carbon of interest, indicating the pore volume that is available. For example, GAC used for water treatment have Iodine numbers ranging from 600 to 1100mg/g.