Introduction

In this case then, water is one of nature’s greatest and most needed resources but it is not all good water for human consumption is good for the body. The existence of pollutants, reagents and other microorganisms that are found in water make water purification and purification very important to guarantee the provision of clean and safe drinking water. Water purification entails the use of certain physical chemical, and even biological means for purifying water in order to make it safe for human consumption. This aspect of water treatment introduces the concepts of water filtration, methods of water filtration and the relationship of these technologies to advances in the quality of water and subsequently public health (AWWA, 2018).

The Importance of Water Filtration

Water filtration is needed since water, ranging from rivers, lakes, and ground water sources, can be filled with many types of pollutants. Some of them are microbial such as bacteria and viruses, chemicals from industrial discharges, heavy metals and sediments. Drinking water which has not undergone any form of purification is dangerous to one’s health as it can cause a lot of diseases including gastrointestinal related diseases, neurological diseases and exposure to toxins.

The intended aim of water filtration is to get rid of or minimize these pollutants to levels that are encouraged by regulatory agencies’ guidelines such as the WHO and EPA. It will be very helpful in making the children understand the science of water filtration hence promoting the importance of these systems in the provision of clean and safe drinking water all over the world (EPA, 2021).

The Basics of Water Filtration Processes

Water purification involves the removal of physical impurities and chemical wastes as well as the use of biological processes to inhibit the growth of diseases causing organisms. These principles focus on different impurities and are very essential in the water treatment process.

Physical Filtration this is the process whereby solid particles and sediments are removed from water physically. Mechanical filtration is the most well-known physical filtration process, where water penetrates a specific matter including sand, gravel as well as a synthesized fabric. It retains all particulates of solid nature, dirt, and other particles to let clean water pass through the medium. The small pore size in the filtration medium means that particles of that size as well as those that are larger are filtered out.

Chemical Treatment this involves the addition of chemicals to the water with the aim of either reacting with the contaminant or in some cases precipitating it out of the water. Coagulation and flocculation is one associated technique which involves the use of chemicals (coagulants), which are added to the water to cause the formation of bigger flock like masses, from otherwise discrete and independently floating particles. These flocks can then be easily removed through sedimentation or filtration Following ‘‘coagulation and flocculation’’ the admixed liquids can then be treated using either sedimentation or filtration to remove these flocks. Another important process is chemical disinfection by which chlorine, ozone or any disinfectant is introduced and helps to eliminate some dangerous microorganisms. Activated carbon filtration is another chemical based filtration method which uses carbon based material for the adsorbing chemicals and organic compounds (WHO, 2020).

Biological Filtration Bio sorption is another biological treatment method whereby biological microorganisms are utilized to remove contaminants in water. For example, in slow sand filtration the biofilm is produced on the surface of the sand as a layer of biological matter. The surface then forms biofilm that assists in breaking complex organic materials and pathogens as they flow over the surface. What’s more, it is usually applied alongside other purification techniques to improve water quality.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

The process of reverse osmosis is one of the most popular ways of water purification that uses the semi-permeable membrane for filtration of dissolved salts, minerals and other kinds of impurities from the water. The RO process uses pressure to push water through the membrane and only the pure water can pass through the membrane and the contaminants are left behind. RO system is famous for its efficiency in removing any kind of ordinance substances such as heavy metals, nitrates, and fluorides and therefore is used in dwelling and industries (Sciences, 2019).

Activated Carbon Filtration Activated carbon filters employ a carbon with a large internal surface area to trap chemical such as chlorine, some organic solvents, VOCs, pesticides, and different other chemicals. Carbon is a porous material and the porous nature of the material traps the molecules and the prevent them from passing through the filter. Activated carbon filtration is widely used with emphasis on enhancing the taste and odor of water which is why it is preferred in domestic usage. But, it is not so effective when it comes to filter out mineral and other dissolved solids.

Ultraviolet (UV) Filtration

Ravioli water purification technologies involve the use of ultraviolet light to eliminate disease causing organisms from the water through annihilation of bacterial, viral or protozoa organisms. UV light inactivates the reproduction process among these organism making them unable to infect others. UV disinfection is a non-chemical disinfection process and it is the final stage in water treatment with the view to making it safe from microorganisms. UV systems are very particular in their killing effects on microorganisms but are not very efficient in the elimination of other pollutants such as heavy metals or chemicals therefore are commonly used in combination with other filtration methods (Foundation, 2020).

Ion Exchange Filtration Ion exchange filters are sometimes used to demineralize hard water, which contains calcium and magnesium ions that cause scaling in pipes, tanks and other apparatus. In the ion exchange process softening of water takes place whereby calcium and magnesium ions are substituted by sodium or potassium ions using a resin bed through which the water has to pass. This method works well to soften water but it does not filter other substances; commonly, it is applied together with other water filters.

Some of the developments made covering Water Filtration Technologies

There are more and more demands for clean and safe water, which brings the increased demand for the improvement in water filtration technologies. Recent development in water purification has been realized with considerable improvement in removing contaminants while minimizing the negative effects on the environment (Programme, 2021).

Nano filtration membranes are more effective filtration than other filters for exclusion of the viruses, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. Nano filtration is performed at lower pressures than reverse osmosis and thus it is more energy-efficient technique. It is more and more employed in water treatment plants to obtain drinking water of good quality from different water sources.

Grapheme-Based Filters

Grapheme which is basically a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal pattern has been recently identified as one of the better options for purification of water. It must be pointed out that filters based on grapheme have shown high efficiency in eliminating heavy metals, bacteria and organic compounds because of the high surface area and molecular structure of the grapheme. Despite these filters being in this category they are still promising filters that will greatly enhances water filtration procedures (NSF, 2022).

Photo catalytic filtration involves using photo catalysts particularly titanium dioxide in association with dominant traditional filtration techniques that help eliminate organic pollutants in water when exposed to light. This process can affect the pollutants into such components that do not harm the other components in water, which makes water purification all the more sustainable and energy efficient. The photo catalytic filtration is receiving attention to apply for the treatment of industrial effluent and contaminated water streams.

Electrochemical Water Treatment

Electrochemical treatment processes employ electrical currents to cause chemical change that helps to achieve water purification. These processes are useful in the removal of bacteria, virus and cysts, elimination of metals and reduction of organic compounds respectively. Electrochemical water treatment is especially applicable in treating industrial wastes and has another important benefit that is flexibility in handling water quality (Intelligence, 2021).

Water filtration is useful not only for providing clean water to drink but also has many impact on the environment and people’s health. But most of all, through the process of water filtration, pollutants and other pollutants are washed away thus reducing incidences of water borne diseases that are prevalent in many parts of the world today. They include cholera, dysentery and typhoid diseases which are diseases that are caused by unhygienic food conditions and consumption of polluted water.

From the environmental perspective, availability of enhanced water filtration technology, may contribute a lot towards preventing pollution of natural water sources. Filtration means mean prevention of pollutants from being freely discharged into water bodies and hence play a major role in the protection of fish and other water creatures. Further, advanced technologies for filtration of water includes the use of Nano filtration and photo catalysis which help in reducing the impact of water treatment plant on environment (Project, 2020).

Conclusion

A study of the physicochemical principles involved in purification of water is very crucial in as much as one is able to value the essence and process of purification of water. Water purification is the process that involves mechanical, physical and even some chemical and biological methods of eliminating the impurities in water so that they can be safely consumed by human beings. Thus, with the new technologies that will be developed, the methods of filtration of water will be optimized as well as the effectiveness of these systems resolving the issue of the increasing need for clean water in the world. Tomorrow’s world is our world and therefore by adopting better filtration systems along with innovation in the filtration systems it is possible to make water available to the future generation by checking the environmental impacts fully (NREL, 2019).

References

AWWA, A. W. (2018). Water Treatment: Principles and Design. McGraw-Hill Education.

EPA, U. S. (2021). Water Filtration Methods. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov.

Foundation, W. R. (2020). Advances in Water Filtration Technologies. Water Research Foundation Reports. Retrieved from https://www.waterrf.org.

Intelligence, G. W. (2021). Nanofiltration and Advanced Water Treatment Technologies. Global Water Reports.

NREL, N. R. (2019). Energy-Efficient Water Filtration Technologies. NREL Research Publications. Retrieved from https://www.nrel.gov.

NSF, N. S. (2022). Water Filtration Standards and Certifications. NSF Publications. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.org.

Programme, U. N. (2021). Global Water Quality and Filtration Practices. UNEP Technical Reports. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org.

Project, T. W. (2020). The Importance of Clean Water and Filtration. The Water Project Resources. Retrieved from https://thewaterproject.org.

Sciences, N. A. (2019). Safe Drinking Water: The Science of Filtration. National Academies Press.

WHO, W. H. (2020). Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Retrieved from https://www.who.int.