Are There Problems With Charcoal-Filtered Drinking Water? charcoal water filter

Water sources can be contaminated by bacteria, heavy metals and other contaminants. Charcoal filters, or carbon filters, are a common method of water filtration; they come in various types. Charcoal filters can be attached to the water faucet, used in refrigerator water filters, contained in the lid of a water carafe and used in under the sink filtration units. Carbon for filters is derived from charcoal and the terms are used interchangeably. Carbon filters solve some water problems, but may cause others.

Raw coal crushed activated carbon

Limited Filtration

Carbon filters are good for removing organic compounds that make water taste and smell bad, according to North Carolina State University. The downside to carbon filters is they do not filter out heavy metals, fluoride, bacteria or microorganisms that may be in the water. There are more than 300 pollutants in U.S. tap water, according to the Environmental Working Group. The fact that carbon filters have a short working life and need to be replaced often, according to The Environmental Illness Resource, exacerbates this problem.

Ineffective Amount of Carbon

For a carbon filter to be practical, it must contain enough carbon in the filter to be effective, according to North Carolina State University. Otherwise, the filter will not remove contaminants from the water.

Water Flush Time

Another problem with carbon filtration is the amount of time water needs to be in contact with the filter to be effective. The longer the water stays in the carbon filter, the more effective the filtration. Most countertop carbon filtration units do not allow for enough time for the water filter to be effective at removing impurities.

Bacteria

Carbon filters can harbor bacteria, according to NSF International. Carbon filters trap some contaminants while other bacteria adhere to the surface of the charcoal. If the carbon filter is not replaced often enough, bacteria build up on the surface of the carbon and fill the entire surface. When water is poured through the saturated filter, it does not filter effectively and some of the bacteria can contaminate the water.

Each filter cartridge has a service cycle depending on the size and type of carbon unit. The service cycle may be rated in number of gallons used or in months. Either way, it is important to change the filter regularly to ensure proper water filtration.

Replacement Contaminants

Carbon filter replacements are not created equal. A non-certified filter cartridge may be sub-standard to the manufacturer of the filtration unit's carbon filter. Using poor quality replacements will lower the efficiency of the carbon filtration unit and can introduce impurities in drinking water. If the carbon replacement was not tested for material safety, it can introduce impurities from materials used in the manufacturing process, according to NSF International.

We think about bacteria as harmful, disease-causing, invisible creatures. But actually, only a few species are dangerous. The majority of bacteria are good, and without them, life on Earth wouldn't be possible.

Bacteria help degrade dead animals and plants and bring valuable nutrients back to Earth. Some species also help clean harmful pollutants out of the environment in a process called bioremediation. By using bioremediation techniques, toxic substances such as heavy metals and petroleum are no longer harmful to the environment. Bacteria are also cheap and accurate sensors of toxic chemicals.

Significance

The most numerous organisms in the soil are bacteria. They are a necessary part of nutrient, or biogeochemical, cycles in which carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus are recycled between living beings and the environment. Without these cycles, there would be no exchange of elements that are the backbone of proteins, sugars and fats—there would be no life.

Bacteria as Biosensors

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. industries generate 292 million tons of hazardous waste each year, with at least 40 million tons released into the environment. Traditional chemical analyses for determining and locating toxic waste are expensive and often not accurate. Therefore, scientists have designed biosensors, which are genetically modified bacteria that can locate pollutants.

Biosensors do not require costly chemicals or equipment, and they work within minutes. Some bacteria emit light when they encounter a certain toxic chemical. Others emit light as long as they are healthy but stop if they have been killed by toxins.

Bacteria as Pollution Fighters

Heavy metals from industry and toxic synthetic organic chemicals, including pesticides, petroleum products, explosives and flame retardants, pose serious environmental and health risks. They enter soil, air and water and are extremely resistant to natural breakdown processes. Bioremediation uses certain bacteria that digest toxic substances and convert them into less harmful substances. To some degree, bioremediation occurs naturally, but it is usually enhanced by adding bacterial "food," such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which make bacteria grow better and clean chemicals more effectively. Bioremediation is usually less expensive and less labor-intensive than traditional technologies.

Apr . 01, 2024 09:48 Back to list