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Role of Activated Carbon Filter in Water Purification

Advertisements often throw in words to explain the authenticity and credibility of the  products. For example, you shall always find SPF in sunscreen ads. But when it comes to water purifiers, activated carbon filters are a must. But what is it?

If that question intrigues you, the following article shall help you get all the answers. We shall discuss the benefits that an activated carbon filter brings to a water purifier.

What is an Activated Carbon Filter?

Activated Carbon Filter

An activated carbon filter is a filtration method that removes harmful chemicals, bacteria, ill-causing pathogens, and other containments present in the water.

Surprisingly, carbon filters also remove odor and taste from the water, making it pleasant to drink.

According to DESOTEC (an activated carbon filter manufacturer), activated carbon used in the carbon filters can be made up of coconut shell, wood, and bituminous.

However, the most prevalent and efficient ingredient is coconut shell due to its low cost. Carbon Filters are used in public water treatment, domestic water treatment, and RO.

It uses an adsorption process through which all the impurities get stick to the large surface of the filter. All molecules have attractive properties; this supports the adsorption process.

 

Role of Activated Carbon Filter

Role of Activated Carbon Filter

Activated Carbon Filters are the most prevalent in countries such as the UK and Ireland due to numerous benefits in water purification.

It removes the following impurities from the water:

  • Pesticides: Pesticides running off from agricultural land get mixed into the source water. An Activated Carbon filter removes such pesticides from the water.
  • Chlorine: Water suppliers add chlorine to the water to kill harmful tiny microorganisms. However, an excess amount of chlorine in water leaves a bleach odor in the water. Carbon Filter helps in removing the chlorine from the water as well as the chlorine odor. It can remove up to 95% of chloramine compounds, including 32 by-products such as THM.
  • Nitrate: Nitrate is essential in human and plant life. However, high nitrate levels in water can pose a severe threat to human health. An activated carbon filter removes 50-70% of nitrate from drinking water.
  • Metals: We all know that water contains zinc, copper, magnesium, and many more. If present in a high amount, these metals can cause a metallic smell in the water.

Carbon Filter is efficient in removing these metals and make the water healthier to drink.

Also, an activated carbon filter protects heavy and dangerous metals such as lead, mercury, and fluoride.

Besides removing containments, carbon filters help protect the RO membrane from chlorine and other chemicals. It is used in Pre-RO and Pro-RO purification stages. Let’s see how.

 

Pre-RO Carbon Filter: 

As the name suggests, a Pre-RO carbon filter removes impurities from the water before the water travels to the RO membrane.

At this stage, the carbon filter removes most of the impurities to protect the RO membrane from chemicals that cause damage to it.

However, when water passes, there are some impurities left, such as TDS and heavy metals. So, filtration stages such as RO and UV get added to make the water safe.

 

Pro-RO Carbon Filter:

After the water passes through purification stages (RO and UV), another carbon filter gets added, known as Pro-RO carbon filter.

At this stage, all harmful containments get eliminated. Also, the Pro-RO carbon filter removes all the funny smells and tastes from the water, making it odorless, tasteless, and colorless.

So, a carbon filter ensures that the water is safe and healthy by removing all the impurities.

 

Conclusion

Although water gets treated in municipal water treatments, water in our home contains many harmful substances and chemicals.

Now, we know the role of activated carbon filters in water purification. So, it’s time to invest in carbon filters for good quality water.

However, only a carbon filter is not that effective. Install a cleaner with a carbon filter, RO, and UV purification stages for further safe and clean water.

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