Activated carbon water filters are probably the most familiar filtration products on the market. You can find them at any big-box store. They typically come in pitcher models and they’re relatively cheap. Inside each pitcher is an activated carbon filter cartridge. Those tiny granules of carbon work to adsorb (with a “d”) certain contaminants in the water.
Some can remove certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) too, but they’re primarily used to filter out chlorine. As the water drips through the carbon cartridge, the carbon draws the chlorine disinfectant out of water. activated carbon suppliers The water is then essentially chlorine-free because the chlorine bonds to the carbon. This helps drinking water taste better and takes away that bad chlorine smell, but these filters are far from perfect.
Most carbon filters DO NOT remove lead or other heavy metals from drinking water. Only special activated carbon filters can handle those contaminants. Across the board, carbon is ineffective against:
- Arsenic
- Fluoride
- Microbes
- Nitrate
- Sodium
If active carbon is your only filtration method, inorganic compounds like arsenic and nitrate will stay in your drinking water. This can be very dangerous for infants and young children. High nitrate levels can even be fatal and lead to blue baby syndrome.https://www.dxdcarbon.com/
That’s why it’s so important to make sure that the drinking water is properly filtered. Relying on activated carbon alone won’t take care of all the issues your tap water might have. It’s often too risky to just use the basic filtration. For drinking water to be truly safe, it needs to go through a few more stages.