Water Treatment
Clean water. Humans have always been looking for ways to clean water and they find new ways every day.
One of the easiest and most old-fashioned ways to clean water is simply boiling water. By boiling water, the microorganisms in the liquid get hotter and hotter and finally die. This is a great method to get rid of the bacteria or viruses in water. This method only works for getting rid of microorganisms.
Boiling water is great for treating water against bacteria but if there were nitrates in the water, one would make a great mistake by boiling it. By boiling water infected with nitrates, one actually “increases its concentration and potential risk”. High levels of these nitrates are known to cause a fatal disease called “blue baby syndrome”. (US EPA)
One of the easiest and most old-fashioned ways to clean water is simply boiling water. By boiling water, the microorganisms in the liquid get hotter and hotter and finally die. This is a great method to get rid of the bacteria or viruses in water. This method only works for getting rid of microorganisms.
Boiling water is great for treating water against bacteria but if there were nitrates in the water, one would make a great mistake by boiling it. By boiling water infected with nitrates, one actually “increases its concentration and potential risk”. High levels of these nitrates are known to cause a fatal disease called “blue baby syndrome”. (US EPA)
Treatment Methods
Some objects and materials are so small that you cannot run them through a strainer and cannot filter them out. And boiling them would only make the water evaporate. In situations like this, more complex methods are used to remove the objects.
Each treatment method has their own good and bad sides. For example, the treatment of Phenol, a toxic substance found in any industrial waste waters. US EPA states that the amount of Phenol in water has to be less then 5 ppm(parts per million). The most popular method used right now is Activated Carbon Filter. Unfortunately, Activated Carbon is very expensive for the amount of water that it treats (US EPA).
Each treatment method has their own good and bad sides. For example, the treatment of Phenol, a toxic substance found in any industrial waste waters. US EPA states that the amount of Phenol in water has to be less then 5 ppm(parts per million). The most popular method used right now is Activated Carbon Filter. Unfortunately, Activated Carbon is very expensive for the amount of water that it treats (US EPA).
Sources
US EPA. "Water On Tap: What You Need To Know." Home. N.p., Dec. 2009. Web. 01 Dec. 2012. <http://water.epa.gov/drink/guide/index.cfm>.
US EPA. "Water On Tap: What You Need To Know." Home. N.p., Dec. 2009. Web. 01 Dec. 2012. <http://water.epa.gov/drink/guide/index.cfm>.