Water Filtration

The use of an activated charcoal water filtration purifier as part of your filter system is an effective way to clear unwanted material from your water prior to using it to drink, cook, or bathe. Highly absorbent activated charcoal is a commonly used material for removing impurities from water. Because of its effectiveness and relative simplicity of function, any system you purchase should include charcoal/carbon filtration as one of its processes of water purification.

Activated carbon can be found in everything from aquarium filtration systems to pitcher-style drinking water filters to larger home systems. However, the best quality systems will employ a multi-stage filtration process, with an activated charcoal water filtration purifier as the first step of the treatment.

The process works by absorbing certain contaminants in water. Activated charcoal is simply carbon that has been chemically infused with oxygen to create pores that absorb contaminants, and it has been found to be highly effective in removing foreign chemicals and microorganisms from water. A water filter that uses the process of reverse osmosis will not be as effective in removing synthetic chemicals, like the ones that originate in herbicides and pesticides, as activated carbon water filtration systems are.

These systems are especially good at filtering other organic impurities including carbon-based chemicals and chlorine, which is often added to water to kill biological contaminants. In fact, the technology is so good, that the U.S. EPA has recognized activated carbon as the best way to remove contaminants from water. Of course, technology will continue to bring us updated means for purifying our water, but the systems that employ this method are considered highly effective in removing a wide range of unwanted substances from water.

Water filters using activated carbon or any other technology should be installed on all faucets that are used in your home for drinking or bathing in water. Some people’s homes offer filtered water in the kitchen only, but occupants of the home often use bathroom sinks for drinking water, so this water should be filtered as well.

Although few of us drink our shower water, we are exposed to contaminants through the absorption of the water into our skin and through our breathing of water vapor that can contain chemicals harmful for us to inhale. For this reason, you should plan to install an activated charcoal water filtration purifier on every shower head in your home.

Activated carbon water filtration systems are effective, but their filters do not last forever. Once the pores of activated charcoal are full of the contaminants they’ve absorbed, the filters should be replaced. Prices on new filters and frequency of needed replacements vary. Information on the packaging of your water filter or on the manufacturer’s website will tell you how often you should plan to replace the filter in your system.

An Ezine article

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/599735

If you take a look at the label on any bottled water container, you will probably get the impression that the water comes from a mountain spring in some beautiful nature preserve. However, the truth is that the water is either from the tap or another questionable source. But is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores? This is a question many consumers wonder about. Here are 5 facts you ought to be aware of.

1. 60 to 70 percent of the water you buy in bottles is exempt from federal standards. This is because federal regulations don’t apply unless the bottled water is transported across state lines. Many companies that sell water in bottles skirt the law by bottling and selling water within the same state.

So is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores? It’s safe to say that at the very least, most water purchased in bottles is merely tap water in a bottle. Millions of dollars are spent in advertising to make you believe otherwise but the truth shall be known.

2. Tap water must be filtered and disinfected by law. On the other hand, no such law applies to the water you buy in bottles. So is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores? It’s safe to say yes.

3. Tap water cannot contain any E-coli or fecal coliform bacteria. The same prohibition does not apply to the water purchased in bottles. In fact, a certain amount of fecal coliform bacteria is allowed in bottled water.

4. Tap water has to be tested for cryptosporidium and giardia but FDA regulations do not require the same for water purchased in bottles. These common water pathogens can cause diarrhea and intestinal problems yet the water you buy in bottles at the store can contain them legally!

5. Tap water has to meet certain standards for cancer-causing chemicals and toxins. Companies that sell water in bottles are exempt from testing for these chemicals. Phthalate is a chemical that leaches from plastic, including the plastic bottles used for water. It can lead to illness yet there are no regulations surrounding its use.

So is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores? It might sound unbelievable but yes. At best, the water you buy in bottles is the same as tap water. Consumers pay $1 to $4 per gallon for the perception that they are getting safer, cleaner water when in reality they are getting water that is more dangerous than tap water.

Instead of wasting money on water sold in bottles, consider an option that will give you cleaner water, guaranteed. Carbon water filters are very effective and produce water that is free of all synthetic and organic chemicals. Best of all, carbon filters do not remove the beneficial trace minerals from tap water.

Another great aspect of carbon water filters is that they are highly affordable. At less than 10 cents per gallon, you can get up to 30 gallons of clean water per hour. So get out there and purchase a carbon water filter for your home.

Is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores? Yes, but tap water itself is still not safe for consumption. Use a carbon filter to make it safe enough to drink.

An Ezine article

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1832045

The need for proper Home Water Filtration Systems becomes apparent, since we have to face a disconcerting development: current water treatment facilities are timeworn and municipal city water sources contaminated with pollutants. Which water treatment solution / water filter system makes the most sense to ensure pure, clean and healthy water for the family? The examination of two common water filtration & purification methods throws light on this question.

Reverse Osmosis Water Systems Lack Efficiency

In a reverse osmosis system (ROS) the water is passed through a sediment filter to remove sediment, dirt and algae. In a next step, the water passes through one or two (depending on model) pre filters, which remove volatile organics from the water. In a next step the water reaches the reverse osmosis membrane, which removes minerals, lead, inorganic compounds, salt and more. The water then flows into a holding tank (4 gallon), which is an essential component to the system, since the process of reverse osmosis is not instantaneous.

The small pores of the Reverse Osmosis membranes are restrictive to such organic compounds as salt and other natural minerals. That means reverse osmosis is very effective at desalinating water and producing mineral-free water for use in print- or photo shops. In terms of removing dangerous chemicals and purifying drinking water, the reverse osmosis alone, without an additional carbon filter, is not sufficient, because the pores of the membrane block only large molecules like salt.

Natural Trace Minerals will be Blocked

Only activated carbon filters are able remove the molecularly smaller substances and chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and chlorine. Another disadvantage of Reverse Osmosis Systems is the removal of naturally occurring and healthy minerals. Natural trace minerals will be blocked by the Reverse Osmosis membrane. These minerals make the water tasty and serve as a vital function to our body system.

Water without these trace minerals can actually be unhealthy for the body. Long-term consumption of such de-mineralized water can be harmful to the body system and result in mineral deficiencies in the body. The waste of a large portion of water running through a Reverse Osmosis System is also problematic. The system generally wastes two to three gallons of water for every gallon of purified water it produces

Activated Carbon Filters…More Reliable?

The process of water filtration with Activated Carbon Filters is characterized through the flow of water through a granular bed of sand or another suitable media (e.g. several stages of carbon and multimedia filters). The media retains most solid matter and ensures the removal of all unwanted materials while permitting the water to pass. The first filtration stage will remove the most concentrated chemicals like chlorine and Trihalomethanes; subsequent stages will remove smaller and more evasive chemicals, like herbicides or pesticides.

Carbon Adsorbs Chemicals

Granular Activated Carbon Filter Systems clear water of larger compound materials (e.g. salt) and retain trace minerals in it, and also selectively remove much smaller and more dangerous chemicals like chlorine and pesticides, which Reverse Osmosis Systems can’t remove. These water filters use a chemical adsorption process (which means to attach by attraction). In this way a variety of dissolved contaminants are attracted to and held on the surface of the carbon particles. Above that, these systems do not require a heat or pressure source, which makes them fairly cost-effective.

Pesticides, solvents and other volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) are not completely removed by Reverse Osmosis Systems because the pores of the membrane are blocking only larger molecules. Only if an additional post carbon filter is used, these filters are effective and able to remove the molecularly smaller substances and chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and chlorine.

Conclusion

Granular Activated Carbon Filters are effective and valuable water treatment devices, but the consumer has to consider its limitations. One has to keep the water pressure at a uniform and steady flow rate that needs to be maintained for optimal performance, and the filter cartridge must be changed according to the manufacturer’s recommendation and/or the number of gallons the filter is rated for.

Reverse Osmosis Filtration Systems provide safe, pure, high quality drinking water from highly contaminated water, but at an increased cost and loss of nutrients and minerals that can reduce if not eliminate natural taste.

An Ezine article

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/796175

Using carbon water filters rather than conventional filters is quickly becoming a trend. While carbon water filters have existed for a long period, the advent of electrical filters had overshadowed its simpler carbon counterpart. But as the human society is moving forward, the carbon water purification technology is gaining a superior stance.

The fact that carbon filters are becoming more and more popular is not because of nothing. These filters have a number of significant benefits that can make life for the user simpler and better at the same time. The advantages of using a carbon filter are listed below.

- Great purification: Carbon filters purify water to micron levels - that means it can remove impurities less than of one-thousandths of a millimeter. It does an awesome job in removing chemicals and toxins. In fact, it beats most of the electrical filters hands down in removing such impurities.

- Simple technology: The carbon water filter technology is simple. It works through a simple carbon cartridge that has no rocket-science complexity behind it and hence is easier for most of us to understand what’s going on (the carbon repelling the water and attracting the impurities) and accept it as a solution.

- Cost-effectiveness: These systems are much cheaper than their electrical counterparts and yet produce water purified at better quality levels. There is no electricity cost either.

- Ease of installation and use: Such a device is extremely easy to install - and once you have it installed all you have to do is pour the tap water into the system, which will get purified reasonably fast.

- Easy maintenance: These systems are easy to maintain. All you have to do is once a cartridge reaches its lifespan you need to buy another cartridge and install it. As mentioned earlier, installing a cartridge in a filter is almost child’s play.

Needless to say, the carbon water filters have a set of advantages that make them a great proposition.

An Ezine article

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3032834

The most common filtering agent used in water filters, including those in refrigerators, is activated charcoal. Charcoal has the ability to adsorb contaminants, removing them from the water as the water flows past the charcoal (aDsorb means to stick to a surface in a thin layer as opposed to soaking in like aBsorb). The use of activated carbon in filtering mechanisms is an effective way of removing chlorine (and its by-products) as well as volatile organic compounds such as atrazine, benzene, radon, PCBs and toluene, along with many others.

There are two main types of activated carbon that are used for water filtration. Granular activated carbon (GAC) and solid carbon block (CB). Activated carbon is very porous and has large surface areas over which water can pass to be cleansed. It is hard to imagine, but on a microscopic level, activated charcoal has numerous cracks and pores which expose the surface of the charcoal. To give you an idea of this surface area, a teaspoon of activated carbon has a surface area the size of a football field. Also, activated carbon has a mild positive electrical charge added to it which attracts negative ions in the contaminants drawing them to the surface of the carbon like a magnet, removing them from the water.

The effectiveness of GAC depends on how slow the flow is through the carbon and how long the water makes contact with the carbon surfaces. Obviously, the longer the water stays in the carbon filter, the higher the filtration and vice versa. The trick is timing exposure so that the water flows through the carbon long enough to filter it adequately without it taking so long that the consumer gets impatient.

A more effective method of filtering water is through a solid carbon block (CB) made from blended carbon types combined with plastic polymers and then shaped under high pressure. CB filters are given a micron rating unlike GAC filters. Water takes longer to move through carbon blocks than it does carbon granules so carbon blocks are able to adsorb and remove more contaminants from the water than GAC filters. A 1/2 micron CB filter can significantly reduce asbestos and cysts, though not completely eliminate them from the water.

Water filters should be changed regularly according to manufacturer recommendation. In the case of refrigerator water filters, they should be changed at least every six months for optimal performance. Filters are designed to purify a specific number of gallons of water. However, you do not want to use a refrigerator water filter for any longer than six months whether or not the specified amount of water has been processed through the filter because bacteria builds up on the carbon of the filter, and after six months, the amount of bacteria build up may raise to dangerous levels. Also, failing to change the water filter every six months allows the filter to become saturated with contaminants and bacteria and the clogged filter may then leak unwanted contaminants into the processed water.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4065264

Carbon filters work on the simple mechanism of adsorption which is a property by which the particles in the water are attracted and attached to the carbon surface. Let us take a detailed look at how this works exactly.

Activated carbon filters are hydrophobic which means they repel water. And they are oleophilic which means they adsorb oily and other organic contaminants. So, when water is made to pass through a carbon filter, water is repelled and other contaminants present in it are adsorbed by the carbon surface. As a result the organic contaminants successfully get removed from the water.

But there is one limitation to these filters. They are effective only for organic contaminants, heavy metal traces like arsenic, copper, mercury etc will continue to exist in the water purified by using a carbon filter.

So, what is the complete solution then?

Using a multi block water purifier. These systems typically involve multiple stages of filtration. They use a carbon filter in conjunction with other filters based on sub micron filtration or ion exchange. These multiple stages of processing ensure that all types of organic and chemical contaminants are removed from the water. They also help in enhancing the pH balance of water,

In essence, these purifiers have all the advantages of carbon filters plus the added advantage of being able to remove other tough contaminants as well. The water produced by these purifiers is 99.9% clean and pure. Not only is it free from all types of pollutants, it successfully retains the essential minerals present in natural water.

These minerals are required for the daily functioning of our body and consuming water rich in them is the best way to ensure their daily intake. A few purifiers especially the ones based on Reverse Osmosis remove these minerals from water. Such mineral deprived water is not recommended for prolonged consumption as it can lead to multiple mineral deficiencies.

Multi Block Purifiers
They are easy to install, use and maintain and come in variety of configuration options. They can be installed on the kitchen faucet or on the shower head or better still, whole house water purifiers are also available. They also have the configuration flexibility of getting installed under the counter or over the counter.

The maintenance cost comes out to be something less than 10 cents per gallon!

An Ezine article

Almost all drinking water filters employ carbon as the primary fitration medium. Carbon filters are used to remove a wide variety of chemical pollutants. They are especially effective on organic chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides and industrial chemicals. They’re also effective in removing radon, chlorine, and bad tastes and smells. When good quality carbon filters are properly used, they remove 80 to 99 percent of the organic chemicals, radon, chlorine and bad tastes and smells in water. However, they don’t remove microorganisms or toxic minerals. Only a high quality reverse osmosis system can remove 99.99% of drinking water pollutants. In addition, carbon filters have a finite lifetime. Typically, a household of four people uses about 1 1/2 gallons of drinking water per day, or 2 1/2 gallons per day if filtered water is also used for cooking. This translates into approximately 500 to 1,000 gallons per year. Manufacturers of full-size carbon filters may claim their filters are effective for 2,000 gallons or more, but it is recommended that many carbon filters be changed every six months depending on the brand. This ensures optimum performance and minimizes the chances of pollutant breakaway. Small carbon filters that attach to a faucet may even have to be replaced every few months.

Excerpted from “The Drinking Water Book” by Colin Ingram.