Methods of Water Treatment


Water Contaminants

Acidic Water
Aluminum
Ammonia
Arsenic
Bacteria
Barium
Benzene
Bicarbonate
Borate (Boron)
Bromine (Bromide)
Cadmium
Calcium
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chloride
Chlorine
Chromium
Color
Copper
Cryptosporidium
Cyanide
Fluoride
Giardia Lamblia
Hardness
Hydrogen Sulfide
Iron
Lead
Legionella
Magnesium
Manganese
Mercury
Methane
Nickel
Nitrate
Nitrite
Odor
Organics
Pesticides
pH
Potassium
Radium
Radon
Selenium
Silica
Silver
SOC's
Sodium
Strontium
Sulfate
Taste
THM's
TOC
Total Dissolved Solids
Turbidity
Uranium
Viruses
VOCs

VOCs

Source
VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals) pose a possible health risk because many of them are known carcinogens. Volatile organic chemicals are man-made, therefore the detection of any of them indicates that there has been a chemical spill or other incident. Volatile organic chemicals regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 are listed below.

Volatile Organic Chemicals (US EPA MCL-mg/l)

Trichloroethylene (0.005)
Tetrachloroethylene (0.005)
Carbon tetrachloride (0.005)
Trichloroethane (0.2)
Dichloroethane (ethylene dichloride) (0.005)
Vinyl chloride (0.002)
Methylene chloride (dichloromethane) (0.005)
Benzene (0.005)
Chlorobenzene (0.1)
Dichlorobenzene (0.6)
Trichlorobenzene (0.07)
Dichloroethylene (0.007)
Dichloroethylene (0.1)
Dichloroethylene (0.07)

Treatment
The best choice for removal of Volatile organic chemicals is activated carbon filtration. The adsorption capacity of the carbon will vary with each type of VOC. The carbon manufacturers can run computer projections on many of these chemicals and give an estimate as to the amount of VOC that can be removed before the carbon will need replacement. Aeration may also be used alone or in conjunction with the activated carbon. Reverse osmosis will remove 70 to 80% of the VOCs in the water. Electro dialysis and ultrafiltration are also capable of reducing volatile organic chemicals.

Related Products
3MFF100
AP Easy Complete
AP-DWS1000
AP-RO5500 - For: Drinking Water Systems, under sink.