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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Organic
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MCL
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Source/Industrial
occurrence
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Health
effect
|
Treatment
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Chlorobenzene
|
0.1
|
Used
as a solvent for paint and metal manufacturing. Also
used in insecticides.
|
Affects
nervous system, kidneys and liver.
|
Activated
carbon
| ||||||||
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CIS-1,2
Dichloroethylene
|
0.07
|
Used
as an industrial solvent in the manufacturing of dyes, perfumes and
lacquers
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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.
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Cancer
|
Activated
carbon
| ||||||||
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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.
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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.
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Cancer
|
Activated
carbon
| ||||||||
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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
| ||||||||
|
0.01
|
Formed
when water containing organic matter is treated with chlorine.
|
ffects
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
|