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Granular activated carbon is a highly adsorbent material used to remove contamination from water. Activated carbon has been known as a miracle filter media by many researchers because of its unique ability to remove offensive tastes, odors, 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. The surface area of one pound of activated carbon is equal to 125 acres. Many scientists believe this is a result of an 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: |
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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. | Cancer | Activated Carbon |
| 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. | Affects nervous system, kidney and liver. | Activated Carbon |
| Ethlbenzene | 0.7 | Used in the manufacture 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, kidneys 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. | Affects 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 (THM's): 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 |
| 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 | Kidney and liver damage 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 |
10 0.003 0.002 0.004 |
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 |
| Hexachlorocyclop Entadiene | 0.05 | Agricultural Insecticide. | Probable cause of 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 and tomatoes. | Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. Probable cause of cancer. | Activated Carbon |
| Oxamyl | 0.04 | Agricultural Insecticide. | Kidney damage. | Activated Carbon |
| Herbicides | ||||
| 2,4-D 2,4,5-TP (Silver) Alachlor Alrazine |
0.07 0.05 0.002 0.003 |
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 | Agricultural herbicide and wood preservative. | 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 |
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