Loading... Please wait...

GAC Water Treatment

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

Return to Info Page

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:

OrganicMCLSource/Industrial occurrenceHealth effectTreatment
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. 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
 
Total Trihalomethanes
(THM's):
Chloroform
Bromoform
Bromodichloromethane
Dibromochloromethane
 
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

Return to Info Page