Is Charcoal Good for Water Filtration?

Charcoal water filtration is the most cost effective and simplest among all the water purification methods. First and foremost, it makes use of activated charcoal for filtration. Actually, it is recommended by the Environment Protection Agency as the best way to take off contaminants from water. This is because activated charcoal can remove carbon based and organic materials from water, thus a very good water impurity remover.

With this, experts such as doctors, home builders and architects suggest that houses should be installed with charcoal filtration. This is most especially with water because it is one of the basic needs of human. Activated charcoal is simply a regular charcoal which is mixed with oxygen that creates pores. These pores are responsible for adsorbing and absorbing the unwanted and harmful elements in the water.

Indeed, charcoal water filtration should be considered in every home. All water for cooking, drinking, bathing, washing, and others should be filtered. This is to promote a healthier way of living for the family. For washing and bathing, filtered water is essential as our skin has plenty of pores that can absorb microorganisms and chemicals from the untreated water. Through the water vapor too, we may inhale harmful chemicals. Activated carbon is a good solution to organic contamination such as benzene, pesticides and herbicides, objectionable odors, colors, and offensive taste from liquids and gases.

In charcoal water filtration, contaminants are absorbed by the large surface area of the activated carbon. With its many bonding sites, the contaminants attached to the carbon surface as they pass on it and eventually, they get trapped. Aside from organic materials, carbon also filters metals such as radon and chlorine. Thus, if water purifying system has both carbon and chlorine, the chlorine has no work as it is adsorbed immediately by the carbon.