How does activated carbon filters treat water?

Activated carbon filters treat water by using a process called adsorption. As the water passes through the activated carbon, the carbon acts like a sponge with a large surface area and absorbs the contaminants in the water. Simply, the activated carbon exerts a magnetic-like pull on the specific impurities and attracts and traps them in the pores of its surface area.activated carbon pellets for filters

The dissolved impurities migrate from the liquid to areas in the pore channels with the most potent attractive forces. The contaminants are absorbed because the attraction of the carbon surface is much stronger than the attractive forces that keep them dissolved in the fluid. Following that, the filtered water flows to the next stage of filtration, if any.

As for chlorine and other chemicals that do not adhere to carbon, activated carbon filters use a chemical reaction to eliminate such pollutants. Activated catalytic carbon, which is more reactive than regular carbon, chemically alters the chlorine molecules, converting them into a chloride.

Are all activated carbon filters the same?

Activated carbon filters remove significantly higher concentrations of pollutants than regular carbon, but some of them have some slight differences. Some filters contain more or less activated carbon than others, which can impact their filtering capacity, the speed at which they absorb, etc. Besides, high levels of activated carbon extend the lifespan of a filter. Consequently, it will require fewer replacements and keep producing filtered water for longer.wyactivatedcarbon.com