Activated Granular Carbon

Activated Granular Carbon

by | Oct 13, 2020 | Water

Activated Granular Carbon: An Ancient Filtration System

Activated granular carbon is more than just a filtration system: it’s an ancient tradition. Activated carbon was used as far back as 1500BC when Egyptian doctors used it for medical purposes. Later, in World War One, the Allies used activated granular carbon in gas masks. Today, however, activated granular carbon is mostly used for water filtration systems.

How can we help to provide safe drinking water from tap?

ancient water filtering system
Activated granular carbon filters are made from natural materials, usually consisting of coal and charcoal. Essentially, carbon is an extremely powerful absorbent, and a basic filter for large sized contaminents. Due to its porous properties, activated granular carbon is one of the most effective methods of removing organic materials. Activated carbon has limited filtering capability allowing some bateria and virus to pass through crushed activated carbon. Heavy metals, nitrates, and iron have different properties.

Activated carbon removes water bourne contaminants for two fundamental water cleansing processes. It enables as a catalyst as well as an absorption. The absorption uses the positively chared ion in the activated carbon t attract the negative ions of the organic contaminants. This is why there is a limited lifespan of activated carbon and become ineffective after a reasonable short period of time. The catalytic reduction aspect of the process reacts to naturally occurring chloramines, chlorine and other residual disinfectants

Activated granular carbon filtration systems work in two ways: adsorption and catalytic reduction. The absorption process is simple. Organic compounds are absorbed into the carbon filter, purifying the water. The higher the level of carbon, the better the filtration system works, and the fewer microns of water will slip through. Activated granular carbon can filter to as many as 20 microns or as few as 0.5 microns, so the effectiveness is dependent on the particular filtration system.

Lets try to reduce the pollution into our environment.

Any residual pollutants that aren’t removed by adsorption may be removed by catalytic reduction. The catalytic reduction can reduce or even remove residual disinfectants like chlorine. In simple terms, a chemical reaction occurs whereby electrons are transferred from the activated granular carbon surface to the residual disinfectant. In other words, the negatively-charged contaminant ions are attracted to the positively-charged activated carbon.

Just do you want to know how good it is as a filtration system? Fair enough. Activated granular carbon can reduce bad tastes and smells, and does improve the quality of the water. While it’s great for some things, but isn’t reliable as a primary home filtration system or travel water system.

Often, activated granular carbon is used as a pre-treatment before reverse osmosis filtration, effectively removing organic products, giardia, and cryptosporidium. Reverse osmosis involves pushing water under high pressure through a membrane to trap all the contaminants. Although it does effectively remove contaminants from the water, it does it almost too well, removing everything and often affecting the taste.
Although both activated granular carbon and reverse osmosis will provide access to clean drinking water, neither are perfect.

It is more reliable to go for a microfiltration system, like Sure Aqua. Unlike reverse osmosis, microfiltration is completely sustainable: no water is wasted, no electricity is expended and no chemicals are used.

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Drinkable Bacteria Free Water Is A Necessity For The Wellbeing

Drinkable Bacteria Free Water Is A Necessity For The Wellbeing

by | Oct 12, 2020 | Water

Clean, Drinkable Bacteria Free Water Is A Necessity For The Wellbeing Of The Human Race

Clean, drinkable water is a necessity for the well being of the human race. Water quality is becoming an increasingly challenging problem in the world community. The shortage of drinking water is a big problem, but various kinds of pollution are degrading the available water quality. Various kinds of pollutants are tainting water around the world. The problem of keeping existing water sources clean and finding new ways to clean tainted water to make it safe for governments and scientists around the world are studying drinking.

How can we help to provide safe drinking water from tap?

Humanity water
We need drinking water to be clean and safe for the health and wellbeing of people using it. Polluted water can cause severe illnesses. Some waterborne illnesses that are incredibly contagious that can sweep through entire population groups. Water sources, like a lake or stream, can become polluted due to the overpopulation in the area around it.

Too many people use water for too many things. If the people in the area use the lake for bathing in, to wash clothes in, to water cattle in, and to dump waste in, in no time the lake will quickly become polluted. Add industrial and farm runoff and the problem become even worse. Our water sources need to be carefully managed to protect water quality.

Water will become unsafe when bacteria and microorganisms get into the supply, rendering it unsafe for human consumption. Bacteria can be introduced into a water supply by farm runoff, sewage dumping or spills, natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes, runoff from roads or parking lots, and overuse for humans and animals bathing.

Industrial chemicals and pesticides can endanger the health of anyone drinking the water they taint. The world water supply is limited, so when its water quality is degraded to be unsafe to use, there is nowhere to go for more: no water to drink, no human race.

Lets try to reduce the pollution into our environment.

There is a vast bottled water industry in the world today. People worldwide are becoming so unsure of the safety of their drinking water supplies, and they choose to purchase bottled water that has a perception that the water quality is of a safe standard.

The bottled water industry is essentially self-managed, with only limited guidelines and obligations regarding the standards they need. In a few developed countries, bottled water can be filled unfiltered straight from the tap or groundwater (spring water). Have a look at your state or country regulations to see what I mean.

That is a solution for people who have access to bottled water and the money to purchase it, but what about those who are too poor to buy bottled water?

Ultimately, the best solution would be to make the international effort to educate people on how to clean up polluted water sources and keep water quality at safe levels. Local populations, farmers, industries, and governments all must cooperate to keep the world’s water clean and drinkable.

Is this dream achievable? It is, without question, extraordinarily challenging. Protozoa’s bacteria, viruses are growing at rapid rates around the world, not only infecting humans but also wild animals. These wild animals inadvertently contaminate our waterways by animal excrement or dead and rotting carcasses in our waterways.
Science must find better ways to purify drinking water that even the poor can afford.

Fortunately, a company Sure Aqua based in Sydney, Australia, has discovered a cost-effective way to provide portable safe drinking water for the masses at less than 1 cent a liter.

 They have harnessed membrane technology to filter bacteria, protozoa’s, and viruses out of water. It filters down to 0.01 microns. This is a minimum five times smaller than the smallest virus and 100 times smaller than bacteria and protozoa’s.

Do yourself a favor and take a look at this scientifically proven product. They don’t distort the scientific results. It actually works and has been proven over and over again in the field.

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Bacteria free water from tap

Camping Water How to get it Right

Camping Water How to get it Right

by | Oct 8, 2020 | Camping, Outdoor, Water

Camping Water: How to get it Right

At best, camping can be idyllic: you get in touch with nature, spend time with loved ones and explore new places. At worst, it can be a nightmare, a disappointing holiday spent cold, sick, covered in bites and squabbling with all your equally miserable companions. So when you go camping, it’s important to get it right.

First, decide what kind of camper you are. If you like your creature comforts, you’re best off finding somewhere you can park the car. This way, you can bring all the camping equipment you like and you don’t have to carry it all.

Hiking provides a feeling and sense of connection with nature.

Camping Water

If you’re feeling adventurous, try hiking to your campsite, you’ll need to select your camping equipment very carefully. When you’re carrying everything with you, every gram makes a difference. Become a minimalist, only take the least as possible, and make sure your camping equipment is as light as possible.

Natural sources like lakes and waterholes are almost never safe sources for camping water. However, trying to carry all your camping water is effective and extremely hard work, so you’ll need some method of water purification.

There are several ways to ensure safe camping water.

Hiking has the highest participation growth rate for any outdoor activity.

The traditional method is to boil all your camping water in a billy on a fire or an electric stove. This is relatively safe, but it can be unreliable. Boiling restricts you to small amounts, is quite slow and often leaves you having to drink hot water on a hot day. You also need to consider how necessary it is to carry extra camping equipment to use an electric stove or a billy and what will happen if you can’t make a fire.

Another popular method for camping water is to take water purification tablets with you. Water purification tablets use chemicals like iodine to kill bacteria .

On the good side, the tablets are cheap and quicker than boiling your camping water.  However, many fail to kill off harmful protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium, and they often make the water taste terrible and may not kill hard shell cycsts. 

 

The best option really is to invest in a water purification bottle or straw.

They’re inexpensive, convenient and offer peace of mind. You don’t have to carry more camping water than you need and you can be certain you aren’t going to compromise your health and end up having a nightmarish camping experience.

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Chlorine Dioxide in Water Treatment

Chlorine Dioxide in Water Treatment

by | Oct 7, 2020 | Water

Chlorine Dioxide in Water Treatment

Chlorine dioxide is a powerful oxidizing agent. Although it is usually used for bleaching, it’s also sometimes used for water treatment.

In scientific terms, chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound: CIO2. Although chlorine dioxide is a compound and chlorine is a naturally occurring element, chloride is often less harmful chlorine than when used appropriately. More and more, chemical water treatment technology tends to favor using chlorine dioxide over chlorine and iodine.

Powerful Disinfectant, Potential Health Risk

Chlorine Dioxide in treating water

When reacting with organic matter present in water, chlorine can create chloroform, which some argue is a carcinogen. Chlorine dioxide, however, cannot form chloroform and is known to be less irritating to the human body. When added to water, CIO2 doesn’t combine with organic matter at all, and so it doesn’t produce chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Without getting too complicated, the oxidizing agent in chlorine dioxide separates electrons from reactive molecules, effectively neutralizing bad tastes and odors when used for water treatment. As a strong bleaching agent, CIO2 works quickly to kill microorganisms, different bacteria, viruses, funguses, and spores.

There are many uses for chlorine dioxide. The primary use for chlorine dioxide is as a bleach in pulp and paper factories. However, it’s also used in ammonia plants, oil fields, the textile industry, and the electronic industry and is often applied to medical waste.  Scarier still, CIO2 is beginning to be used in the food industry to disinfect fruit, vegetable, and poultry and food processing equipment.

Global deforestation contributes 11 % to global greenhouse emmissions

So, how do chlorine and chlorine dioxide compare? When used at temperatures above 11°C, carbon dioxide is approximately ten times more soluble than chlorine. It is safer for the human body as it doesn’t form THMs. When used for water treatment, chlorine dioxide is also more effective at removing cryptosporidium and giardia, the two most common parasites in water that cause diarrhea.

Unfortunately, the results aren’t all good. According to the Australian government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities, over-exposure to chlorine dioxide may irritate the nose and throat, coughing, chest pain, and eye sensitivity, especially around the light. Over-exposure to chlorine dioxide as gas can cause severe irritation to the lungs. According to the Australian government, too high exposure to CIO2 can cause pulmonary edema, a severe, life-threatening illness caused by fluid in the lungs.

After long-term, concentrated exposure to chlorine dioxide, one can develop acute bronchitis, shortness of breath, and permanent lung damage.

The maximum amount of chlorine dioxide in water should be 1mg to every 1L of water.

Although CIO2 is safe in small doses, why would you take the risk when there are so many other water treatment forms available? If in doubt, it is always safer to opt for water treatment that doesn’t rely on chemicals.

The long-term effects of chemical treatments on food and water are yet to be fully discovered.  Whether safe or not, it’s always beneficial to opt for the most natural option, especially for something as vital and fundamental as water.

Chlorine Dioxide Structure

The World Health Organisation has a very informative guideline to help understand the impact and use of Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorite and Chlorate in Drinking-water.   It is worth a read.

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Bushwalking Safety, a Must

Bushwalking Safety, a Must

by | Oct 7, 2020 | Environment, Water

Bushwalking Safety, a Must!

Bush walking is a fabulaous way to enjoy the unique display of flora and fauna that NSW has to offer and get a bit of exercise along the way.

Unfortunately, the importance of safety is often overlooked. Too many people lately are going out into the wilderness inexperienced and alone and paying the price for it.

Since temperature records started in 1880, 2019 was the second warmest year.

Bush walking in Blue Mountains

A simple phone call to a family member, close friend, or police detailing when and where you are planning your walk may save your life. It is essential to bushwalk with three or more people; if someone is injured, one can stay, and the other can go in search of help.

An appropriate supply pack is an absolute must. This should include: plenty of food (fruit and nuts are great for quick energy), map and compass (and the knowledge to use them!), mobile phone, First aid kit (thermal blanket included is wise), water (a portable water filter solution is an option) a portable water filter I have been using lately is the Sure Aqua Bottle which allows me to source safe water no matter where I am, I can literally go up to a puddle of stagnant water and fill my bottle up!

This is a great safety precaution.

Jeans may seem like the perfect tough wearing answer for bushwalking, but in fact, if you become caught in wet, windy weather, you will be far more comfortable in the water and windproof gear. This point comes in handy when exploring some amazing yet colder trails in the Blue Mountains area.

Global deforestation contributes 11 % to global greenhouse emmissions

If there is a Ranger or ranger station on your trail, stop in before you leave. The ranger will be chock full of info. On which are the best trails, poisonous plants, and animals to steer well clear of and which track will fit your fitness ability.

Be sure to check in on your way back to ensure they don’t think you’ve gone missing!

As mentioned earlier, there is an incredible display of wildlife in NSW, it’s a must to remember that Australia has some some of the most deadly spiders and snakes in the world.

You need to be careful whilst bushwalking, for example, don’t walk around in bare feet or dig holes with unprotected hands.

I believe bushwalking to be one of the most inspirational adventures Australia has to offer us, so most of all, get out there and get into it!
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The Global Effects of Polluted Water

The Global Effects of Polluted Water

by | Sep 14, 2020 | Environment, Water

The Global Effects of Polluted Water

“Contaminated water supplies are killing more people daily than the 2020 Pandemic. It is the biggest health risk to all of mankind …threatening both quality of life and public health. It’s the biggest and most difficult crisis the world has to face.“

Even though drinking water quality may vary in different parts of the world, water pollution is a problem that all of us should be aware of. Water Pollution and contamination is an increasing topic of concern, and all the health risks involved should be well understood.

It is estimated that over 90% of all water ways is contaminated.

Drinking water pollution

What exactly is contaminated water?

Water is said to be contaminated once pollutants are introduced to render it unsafe and unacceptable for human consumption, or unable to support human life. The contaminates can take several different forms, bacteria, chemicals, and pollutants.

A Worldwide Crisis

According to the Australian National Health and Research Council reports, there are too many examples that are directly contributing to drinking water pollution that cause an inexcusable adverse impact on human health. The most prevalent cause of widespread health risk associated with drinking water is contamination, either directly or indirectly, by human or animal excreta and the microorganisms contained in feces.”

Pathogenic microorganisms in the water are the most significant risks to your health. Waterborne pathogens can cause outbreaks of illness in communities, in some cases causing death.

Dangers and Consequences

Pathogenic microorganisms are disease-producing microorganisms such as viruses, bacterial diseases, and parasitic worms.

What is a virus?

A virus is a microscopic parasite of plants, animals, and bacteria in well water that can cause disease.

Some of the more common viral infections affecting world water today are Gastroenteritis (cause of diarrhea), Hepatitis A, Polio, Dengue Fever, Salmonella infection, and dysentery.

 

Different ways t Filter

What is a bacterial disease?

Bacteria are single-celled, microscopic organisms found in all environments. These environments include soil, water, and the bodies of animals and humans.
Some of the more common bacterial diseases affecting world water today are Cholera, E.coli, Dysentery, Salmonella, and Typhoid Fever.

What is a parasitic worm?

Parasitic worms are organisms that feed on their living host, using them as a source of nourishment and protection. Parasitic worms live in the intestines and other organs. They disrupt their hosts’ nutrient absorption, which causes disease and illness in humans.  Some of the most common by parasitic worm related diseases affecting world water today are Guinea Worm Disease, Schistosomiasis, Enterokinases, Ascariasis, and Tapeworms.

How are our waters polluted?

When it rains, the water picks up human and animal feces and harmful chemicals from the ground. These travel with the water and end up in rivers, lakes, and underground water supplies.

In most cases, water pollution begins at the water source. One source is above ground contamination known as Surface water contamination. The other is underground contaminants referred to groundwater.

Surface water contamination starts once the rain starts falling from the sky. The rainwater becomes contaminated from collecting air contaminates, known as acid rain, or collects pollutants in stormwater, pesticides from farming or gardens, or industrial waste. These all flow into rivers, lakes, and dams, our water source.

The groundwater, as the name implies, is from below the surface and retrieved wells or extracted from the ground for public water supplies. Groundwater can be polluted by contaminants that drain into the water source from; landfills and septic systems, careless disposal of hazardous products, chemicals used in farming and agriculture, and leaking underground storage tanks.

Virtually every water source for consumption on this planet is contaminated. Most developed countries decontaminated the water before providing for public use. The decontaminated water is processed through several modern water treatment techniques and extensive, large, and costly facilities.

However, this decontamination, in itself, introduces its own dangers. Often Strong chemicals are used in the water treatment process. These chemicals can be harmful when consumed over long periods.

According to the Global Healing Centre, some of the proven effects of long term exposure to strong chemicals in drinking water include brain damage, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cancer.

Some of the most common chemicals affecting world water today are Fluoride, Chlorine, mercury, PCB’s (a man-made chemical), MTBE (contained in gasoline), Dioxin, HCB (hexachlorobenzene), DDT (an organochlorine insecticide).

In less developed countries where the toxic waste management is not as strict, toxic metals wastes are illegally dumped and allowed to leach into the water systems and supplies. The toxic metals include arsenic, barium, chromium, lead, mercury, and silver, and can cause acute poisoning and cancer, as well as other health effects.

chemical tasting water

Diarrhea – A Global Epidemic

The biggest world spread disaster of contaminated water is diarrhea.

The World Health Organization has pinpointed diarrhea as a prominent fatality, causing 4% of all deaths worldwide. There are over 4 billion cases of diarrhea worldwide every year and growing. In 2019, diarrhea was estimated to have killed over 3.2 million people. A large percentage are under the age of 5 years living in 3rd world countries.

In developed countries, it is also prevalent and should not be discounted by 2.3 deaths per 100,000 people in the US dying.

How an individual can help to Reduce Water Pollution

“…water pollution is a problem that all of us are aware of. It’s all around us, from the air we breathe to rubbish in our streets, to the waste from our factories, and to the exhaust from our cars. All this pollution eventually makes its way water sources, dams, lakes, and underground reserves. Water Pollution and its contamination must be a topic of concern for the community to business and community leaders. The health risks impact should be well understood.”

The world pollution and contaminants that leach into the water can be substantially reduced if everyone takes a little responsibility and action for their own contribution to pollution.

The leading cause of water pollution is the greenhouse gases created from the industry and the generation of power. China is the main culprit contributing over 30%, followed by a distant second in the US at 15%, then India at 7%. These three make over 50%. Australia contributes 1.07%.

Notwithstanding the above, every little bit counts. This is easier than most people may think. It all starts with taking precautions at home, traveling to work, and while doing leisure activities. Here are several small things you personally can undertake do help;

  • Don’t litter, and be sure to recycle.
  • Don’t throw chemicals, oils, paints, or medicines down the drain
  • Use environmentally friendly household cleaning products
  • Plant trees and plants around your home to improve the natural filtration process in the ground. This will stop nasty chemicals draining into natural water systems.
  • Don’t overuse pesticides and fertilizers
  • Reduce home power consumption by turning off lights, reduce heating levels, avoid air-conditioning
  • Consolidate car travel, plan better use of the car
  • Use public transport
  • Reduce the unnecessary buying of products like excessive clothing (significant energy is required to produce them)

Almost any every day household activity can translate into water pollution. From the fertilizers in your garden to the oil from driveways, to paint and solvent residues from walls and decks, and even pet feces. When it rains, these are all washed into the stormwater sewage systems as well as rivers, streams, and lakes. These are all water sources where we get our drinking water from and how contaminated the source determines the quality of our drinking water.

Here are a few easy and essential steps in preventing water pollution around the home and daily life activities:

Have fewer hard surfaces

Hard surfaces such as asphalt and concrete don’t allow the water to seep into the ground. It reduces the runoff of your property into the stormwater systems.

Good alternatives to solid surfaces would be grass, gravel, deck wood, paving stones, or interlocking bricks. These all allow water to run into the soil. You can also control where the water on your roof flows by redirecting your gutters. It’s best to position them so that rainwater flows off into the garden where it can seep into the soil.

In the Garden

You should always use chemical-free, natural fertilizers like compost. It is easy to create your own compost at home by buying a compost bin. This helps keep waste from becoming landfill. Alternatively, you could use natural fertilizers, soil conditioners, or rotted manure. These will all help your soil retain moisture and keep your minimize your pollution.

Be sure not to overwater your garden. A large percentage of household water use and wastage is due to home irrigation systems. If your garden isn’t flat, try not to use an inefficient sprinkler system that doesn’t cover all areas of your garden. Try soaker hoses instead.

By having a simple rain gauge, you will know exactly how much water your garden is getting and will require. This way, you know not to water your garden if you don’t need to.

Overwatering gardens is one of the main reasons for chemicals draining from the soil and running into water systems.

Recycle Recycle -Throw Away Household Products Properly

Ideally, before you choose your everyday household products, you should be looking out for non-toxic alternatives. You can research products on your chosen supermarket website and take note of the environmentally friendly products.

Please make sure the waste products that they make their way into the recycling bin or whatever recycling program your city or town offers. The central concept is to avoid as much as possible to recycle everything possible to ensure that it does not reach to the rubbish tips. It will make a difference.

Reduce your energy consumption

One of the significant contributions to water pollution is energy generation, vehicle, household, and factory greenhouse emissions. Not only it pollutes our waterways, but it also is a significant contribution to global warming.

Every individual on the planet can reduce emissions. Below are a few small tips that will make a difference.

  • Wear a jumper at home rather than turn up the household heating.
  • In hot weather, increase the air-conditioning temperature a few degrees higher
  • Plan your vehicle travels to be more fuel-efficient
  • Keep your showers time to a minimal
  • Turn power of completely from idle electronic equipment
  • Turn off household lights when not in the room
  • Use blinds to reduce heating of the home on hot days and heating loss on cold days
Tips for stopping water Pollution

Educate Yourself

Lastly, go onto local government websites to find information on your local water situation. This way, you can know the risks you face and aim to make a difference in your community.

Be an activist in all the movements for better protection of our environment. With your support, laws will be made, and ultimately, the change will be made for the better of our planet

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