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Activated carbon
has been known as a miracle filter media by many researchers
because of its unique ability to remove offensive tastes,
odor, color, chlorine and volatile organic chemicals, pesticides
and trihalomethanes (a group of suspected carcinogens). Briefly,
activated carbon acts like a sponge, with a large surface
area to absorb contaminants in the water. Many scientists
believe this is a result of affinity that these chemicals have
for carbon because of Van Der Waal forces. Activated carbon is
the preferred treatment and method recommended by the EPA to
remove a host of potentially hazardous and possibly carcinogenic
chemicals in drinking water. A partial list of chemicals that
are reduced or removed by activated carbon are: |
| The chart shows partial contaminants
regulated for public water systems by the Safe Drinking Water
Act, and the maximum contaminant levels, source, health effects
and treatment options for each. |
|
Organic |
MCL |
Source/Industrial occurrence |
Health effect |
Treatment |
| Chlorobenzene |
0.1 |
| Used as a solvent
for paint and metal manufacturing. Also used in insecticides. |
|
| Affects nervous
system, kidneys and liver. |
|
Activated carbon |
| CIS-1,2 Dichloroethylene
|
0.07 |
| Used as an
industrial solvent in the manufacturing of dyes, perfumes and lacquers. |
|
| Affects liver, and
a nervous and circulatory systems. Probable cause of cancer. |
|
Activated carbon |
| Dibromochloropropane |
0.0002 |
| Soil fumigant on soybeans, and cotton. Canceled in
1997 |
|
|
Activated carbon |
| Dichloromethance |
0.005 |
| Paint stripper, metal degrease, propellant. |
|
|
Aeration |
| Dioxin |
0.00000003 |
| Chemical production by-product; impurity in
herbicides. |
|
| Affects lungs, liver and kidney. Probable cause
of cancer. |
|
Activated carbon |
| Epichlorohydrin |
0 |
Used in epoxy resins and coating and in
flocculants used in treatment. |
| Affect nervous system, kidney and liver. |
|
Activated carbon |
| Ethlbenzene |
0.7 |
Used in the manufacturer of gasoline,
insecticides and asphalt. |
Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Ethylene Dibromide |
0.00005 |
Used as a gasoline additive and soil fumigant. |
Affects nervous system, kidney and liver. |
Activated carbon |
| Monochlorobenzene |
0.01 |
Used in manufacture of pesticides and as a
metal cleaner and industrial solvent. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
| PAHs |
0.0002 |
Coal tar coating, burnings organic matter,
volcanoes, fossil fuels. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
| Phthalate
(di(2-ethylhexyl)) |
0.006 |
PVC and other plastics. |
Affects skin and liver. Causes nausea.
Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Polychlorinated
Biophenyts (PCBs) |
0.0005 |
Used in electrical transformers, |
Affect nervous system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
| Styrene |
0.01 |
Used in manufacturing plastic, resins and
foams. |
Affects nervous system. Probable cause of
cancer and anesthesia. |
Activated carbon |
| Tetrachloroethylene |
0.005 |
Used in dry cleaning and as a degreasing agent
for metals. Also used for manufacturing rubber, waxes, paints and inks. |
Affects nervous system, liver and kidneys.
Causes narcosis. Irritant to respiratory system. |
Activated carbon |
| Toluene |
1 |
Used in gasoline, paint thinners, lacquers and
adhesives. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon,
ozonation |
| Total Trihalomethanes |
| (THMs): |
| Chloroform |
| Bromoform |
| Bromodichloromethane |
| Dibromochloromethane |
|
0.01 |
Formed when water containing organic matter
is treated with chlorine. |
Affects nervous system and muscles. Probable
cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon, aeration, ultra filtration (20-90%),
RO (20-90%) |
| 1,1 Dichloroethylene |
0.007 |
Used in manufacturing dyes, plastic, perfumes,
paints and adhesives |
Affects kidneys and liver and can cause
nausea. |
Activated carbon |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
0.005 |
Solvent in rubber products, chemical
production waste. |
Kidney, liver, nervous system damage |
Activated carbon,
aeration |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane |
0.02 |
Used in manufacturing of pesticides, plastic
and metals. |
Affects nervous system. Causes narcosis and
probably cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| 1,2 Dichlorobenzene |
0.6 |
Used in the manufacturing of fumigants,
insecticides, waxes, resins, rubber and asphalt. |
Affects lungs, liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
| 1,2 Dichloroethane |
0.005 |
Used in the manufacturing of gasoline, paint,
varnish, metal degreasers and insecticide fumigants. |
Damage kidney
and liver can cause nausea. |
Activated carbon |
| 1,2 Dichloropropane |
0.005 |
Used in insecticide fumigants, dry cleaning
fluids and in manufacturing of resins, waxes and petroleum products |
Affects lungs,
liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene |
0.07 |
Herbicide production; dye carrier. |
Liver, kidney
damage |
Activated carbon,
aeration |
| 1,4 Dichlorobenzene |
0.075 |
Used in moth repellent, germicides, pesticides
and soil fumigants. |
Affects nervous
system, liver and kidneys. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Acrytamide |
0 |
Flocculants used in sewage and wastewater
treatment. |
Affect nervous
system, probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Adipates |
0.4 |
Synthetic rubber, food packaging, cosmetics. |
Decreased body
weight; liver and testes damage. |
Activated carbon,
aeration |
| Benzene |
0.005 |
Used in fuels and as a solvent in
manufacturing pharmaceuticals, plastics, pesticides and paints. Often
traced to leaking underground storage tanks. |
Leukemia, anemia
and possibly cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Trans-1,2
Dichloroethylene |
0.1 |
Used as an industrial solvent in the
manufacturing of dyes, perfumes, lacquers and rubber. |
Affects liver,
and nervous and circulatory systems. |
Activated carbon,
ozonation with UV irradiation. |
| Trichloroethylene |
0.1 |
Used in dry cleaning and as a degreasing
agent. Also used for manufacturing rubber, paints, adhesives, resins,
oils and fumigants. |
Irritates body
tissue. Affects nervous system. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Vinyl Chloride |
0.005 |
Used as a plastic adhesive and refrigerant.
The main component of PVC pipe |
Affects nervous
system. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Xyienes |
0.002
|
Used in manufacturing paint, ink, petroleum
and detergents. |
Affects nervous system, kidneys, lungs, liver
and mucous membranes. |
Activated carbon
|
|
Pesticides |
| Aldicarb |
| Aldicarb Sulfone |
| Aldicarb Sulfoxide |
| Carboturan |
|
|
Agricultural insecticide |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Chlordane |
0.04 |
Used on rodents, insects, birds. Restricted
since 1980. |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Endrin |
0.0002 |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Liver, kidneys,
heart damage. |
Activated carbon |
| Heptachlor |
0.0004 |
Agricultural insecticide. Converts to expoxide
by soil and water organisms |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Heptachlor Expoxide |
0.0002 |
Pesticide production by-product. |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Hexachlorobenzene |
0.001 |
Pesticide production by-product. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene |
0.05 |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon,
aeration |
| Lindane |
0.0002 |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Methoxychlor |
0.04 |
Insecticide used on apples, potatoes, tomatoes. |
Affects nervous system, respiratory system,
kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Oxamyl |
|
Agricultural insecticide. |
Kidney damage. |
Activated carbon |
|
Herbicides |
| 2,4-D |
| 2,4,5-TP (silvex) |
| Alachlor |
| Alrazine |
|
|
Agricultural herbicides |
Affect nervous
and reproductive system, respiratory system, kidneys, liver and heart.
Causes anesthesia. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Dalapon |
0.2 |
Herbicide used on orchards, beans, coffee,
lawn, roads and railway. |
Liver, kidney
damage. |
Activated carbon |
| Dinoseb |
0.007 |
Runoff of herbicide from crop and non crop
applications. |
Thyroid,
reproduction organ damage. |
Activated carbon |
| Diquat |
0.02 |
Runoff of herbicide on land and aquatic weeds. |
Liver, kidneys,
eye effects. |
Activated carbon |
| Endothall |
0.01 |
Used on crops, land and aquatic weeds. |
Liver, kidney
and gastrointestinal damage. |
Activated carbon |
| Glyphosphate |
0.7 |
Used on grass, weeds, brush |
Liver, kidney
damage |
Activated carbon |
| Pentachlorophenol |
0.001 |
Agricultural herbicide and wood preservative. |
Affects nervous
and reproductive system, respiratory system, kidneys, liver and heart.
Causes anesthesia. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
| Picloram |
0.5 |
Used on broadleaf and woody plants. |
Kidney, liver
damage. |
Activated carbon |
| Simazine |
0.004 |
Used on grass sod, some crop, aquatic algae. |
Cancer. |
Activated carbon |
|
| The
contaminants or other substances removed or reduced by this unit are not
necessarily in your water. |
Source: Water Technology, Directory Issue /
1995 |