Water disinfection modern methods. — Folk method for determining water quality Calculation of an ozonizing installation
LECTURE No. 3. METHODS OF IMPROVING WATER QUALITY
The use of natural waters from open reservoirs, and sometimes groundwater, for domestic and drinking water supply purposes is practically impossible without first improving the properties of the water and its disinfection. To ensure that the quality of water meets hygienic requirements, pre-treatment is used, as a result of which the water is freed from suspended particles, odor, taste, microorganisms and various impurities.
To improve water quality, the following methods are used: 1) purification - removal of suspended particles; 2) disinfection - destruction of microorganisms; 3) special methods for improving the organoleptic properties of water, softening, removal of certain chemicals, fluoridation, etc.
Water purification. Purification is an important step in the overall set of methods for improving water quality, as it improves its physical and organoleptic properties. At the same time, in the process of removing suspended particles from water, a significant part of microorganisms is also removed, as a result of which complete water purification makes it easier and more economical to carry out disinfection. Cleaning is carried out by mechanical (settling), physical (filtration) and chemical (coagulation) methods.
Settling, during which clarification and partial discoloration of water occurs, is carried out in special structures - settling tanks. Two designs of settling tanks are used: horizontal and vertical. The principle of their operation is that, due to the flow of water through a narrow hole and the slow flow of water in the sump, the bulk of suspended particles settle to the bottom. The settling process in settling tanks of various designs continues for 2-8 hours. However, the smallest particles, including a significant part of microorganisms, do not have time to settle. Therefore, sedimentation cannot be considered as the main method of water purification.
Filtration is the process of more completely freeing water from suspended particles, which consists in passing water through a fine-porous filter material, most often through sand with a certain particle size. As water filters, it leaves suspended particles on the surface and in the depths of the filter material. At waterworks, filtration is used after coagulation.
Currently, quartz-anthracite filters have begun to be used, significantly increasing the filtration rate.
To pre-filtrate water, microfilters are used to capture zooplankton - the smallest aquatic animals and phytoplankton - the smallest aquatic plants. These filters are installed in front of the water intake point or in front of the treatment plant.
Coagulation is a chemical method of water purification. The advantage of this method is that it allows you to free water from contaminants that are in the form of suspended particles that cannot be removed by settling and filtration. The essence of coagulation is the addition of a coagulant chemical to water that can react with the bicarbonates in it. As a result of this reaction, large, rather heavy flakes are formed that carry a positive charge. As they settle due to their own gravity, they carry with them negatively charged pollutant particles suspended in the water, and thereby contribute to fairly rapid water purification. Due to this process, the water becomes transparent and the color index improves.
Aluminum sulfate is currently most widely used as a coagulant; it forms large flakes of aluminum oxide hydrate with water bicarbonates. To improve the coagulation process, high-molecular flocculants are used: alkaline starch, ionic flocculants, activated silicic acid and other synthetic preparations derived from acrylic acid, in particular polyacrylamide (PAA).
Disinfection. The destruction of microorganisms is the last final stage of water treatment, ensuring its epidemiological safety. Chemical (reagent) and physical (reagent-free) methods are used to disinfect water. In laboratory conditions, a mechanical method can be used for small volumes of water.
Chemical (reagent) disinfection methods are based on adding various chemicals to water, causing the death of microorganisms in the water. These methods are quite effective. Various strong oxidizing agents can be used as reagents: chlorine and its compounds, ozone, iodine, potassium permanganate, some salts of heavy metals, silver.
In sanitary practice, the most reliable and proven method of water disinfection is chlorination. At waterworks it is produced using chlorine gas and bleach solutions. In addition, chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorate, calcium hypochlorite, and chlorine dioxide can be used.
The mechanism of action of chlorine is that when it is added to water, it hydrolyzes, resulting in the formation of hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids:
C1 2 +H 2 O=HC1+HOC1.
Hypochlorous acid in water dissociates into hydrogen ions (H) and hypochlorite ions (OC1), which, along with dissociated hypochlorous acid molecules, have a bactericidal property. The complex (HOC1 + OC1) is called free active chlorine.
The bactericidal effect of chlorine is carried out mainly due to hypochlorous acid, the molecules of which are small, have a neutral charge and therefore easily pass through the bacterial cell membrane. Hypochlorous acid affects cellular enzymes, in particular SH groups, disrupts the metabolism of microbial cells and the ability of microorganisms to reproduce. In recent years, it has been established that the bactericidal effect of chlorine is based on the inhibition of enzyme catalysts and redox processes that ensure the energy metabolism of the bacterial cell.
The disinfecting effect of chlorine depends on many factors, among which the dominant ones are the biological characteristics of microorganisms, the activity of active chlorine preparations, the state of the aquatic environment and the conditions under which chlorination is carried out.
The chlorination process depends on the persistence of microorganisms. The most stable are the spore-forming ones. Among non-spores, the attitude towards chlorine is different, for example, the typhoid bacillus is less stable than the paratyphoid bacillus, etc. The massiveness of microbial contamination is important: the higher it is, the more chlorine is needed to disinfect water. The effectiveness of disinfection depends on the activity of the chlorine-containing preparations used. Thus, chlorine gas is more effective than bleach.
The composition of water has a great influence on the chlorination process; the process slows down in the presence of a large amount of organic substances, since more chlorine is spent on their oxidation, and at low water temperatures. An essential condition for chlorination is the correct choice of dose. The higher the dose of chlorine and the longer its contact with water, the higher the disinfecting effect will be.
Chlorination is carried out after water purification and is the final stage of its processing at a waterworks. Sometimes, to enhance the disinfecting effect and improve coagulation, part of the chlorine is introduced along with the coagulant, and the other part, as usual, after filtration. This method is called double chlorination.
A distinction is made between conventional chlorination, i.e. chlorination with normal doses of chlorine, which are established each time experimentally, and superchlorination, i.e. chlorination with increased doses.
Chlorination in normal doses is used under normal conditions at all waterworks. In this case, the correct choice of the dose of chlorine is of great importance, which determines the degree of chlorine absorption of water in each specific case.
To achieve a complete bactericidal effect, the optimal dose of chlorine is determined, which consists of the amount of active chlorine that is necessary for: a) destruction of microorganisms; b) oxidation of organic substances, as well as the amount of chlorine that must remain in the water after chlorination in order to serve as an indicator of the reliability of chlorination. This amount is called active residual chlorine. Its norm is 0.3-0.5 mg/l, with free chlorine 0.8-1.2 mg/l. The need to standardize these quantities is due to the fact that if the presence of residual chlorine is less than 0.3 mg/l, it may not be enough to disinfect water, and at doses above 0.5 mg/l, the water acquires an unpleasant specific smell of chlorine.
The main conditions for effective chlorination of water are mixing it with chlorine, contact between disinfection water and chlorine for 30 minutes in the warm season and 60 minutes in the cold season.
At large waterworks, chlorine gas is used to disinfect water. To do this, liquid chlorine, delivered to the water supply station in tanks or cylinders, is converted into a gaseous state before use in special chlorinator installations, which provide automatic supply and dosing of chlorine. The most common chlorination of water is a 1% solution of bleach. Bleach is a product of the interaction of chlorine and calcium oxide hydrate as a result of the reaction:
2Ca(OH) 2 + 2C1 2 = Ca(OC1) 2 + CaC1 2 + 2HA
Superchlorination (hyperchlorination) of water is carried out for epidemiological reasons or in conditions where it is impossible to ensure the necessary contact of water with chlorine (within 30 minutes). It is usually used in military field conditions, expeditions and other cases and is produced in doses 5-10 times higher than the chlorine absorption capacity of water, i.e. 10-20 mg/l of active chlorine. The contact time between water and chlorine is reduced to 15-10 minutes. Superchlorination has a number of advantages. The main ones are a significant reduction in the time of chlorination, simplification of its technique, since there is no need to determine the residual chlorine and dose, and the possibility of disinfecting water without first freeing it from turbidity and clarification. The disadvantage of hyperchlorination is the strong smell of chlorine, but this can be eliminated by adding sodium thiosulfate, activated carbon, sulfur dioxide and other substances to the water (dechlorination).
At waterworks, chlorination and preammonization are sometimes carried out. This method is used in cases where the water being disinfected contains phenol or other substances that give it an unpleasant odor. To do this, ammonia or its salts are first introduced into the water to be disinfected, and then chlorine after 1-2 minutes. This produces chloramines, which have strong bactericidal properties.
Chemical methods of water disinfection include ozonation. Ozone is an unstable compound. In water, it decomposes to form molecular and atomic oxygen, which is associated with the strong oxidizing ability of ozone. During its decomposition, free radicals OH and HO 2 are formed, which have pronounced oxidizing properties. Ozone has a high redox potential, so its reaction with organic substances in water is more complete than that of chlorine. The mechanism of the disinfecting action of ozone is similar to the action of chlorine: being a strong oxidizing agent, ozone damages the vital enzymes of microorganisms and causes their death. There are suggestions that it acts as a protoplasmic poison.
The advantage of ozonation over chlorination is that this disinfection method improves the taste and color of water, so ozone can be used at the same time to improve its organoleptic properties. Ozonation does not have a negative effect on the mineral composition and pH of water. Excess ozone is converted into oxygen, so residual ozone is not dangerous to the body and does not affect the organoleptic properties of water. Control of ozonation is less complicated than chlorination, since ozonation does not depend on factors such as temperature, water pH, etc. To disinfect water, the required dose of ozone is on average 0.5-6 mg/l with an exposure of 3-5 minutes. Ozonation is carried out using special devices - ozonizers.
Chemical methods of water disinfection also use the oligodynamic effects of heavy metal salts (silver, copper, gold). The oligodynamic effect of heavy metals is their ability to exert a bactericidal effect over a long period of time at extremely low concentrations. The mechanism of action is that positively charged heavy metal ions interact in water with microorganisms that have a negative charge. Electroadsorption occurs, as a result of which they penetrate deep into the microbial cell, forming heavy metal albuminates (compounds with nucleic acids) in it, as a result of which the microbial cell dies. This method is usually used to disinfect small quantities of water.
Hydrogen peroxide has long been known as an oxidizing agent. Its bactericidal effect is associated with the release of oxygen during decomposition. The method of using hydrogen peroxide for water disinfection has not yet been fully developed.
Chemical, or reagent, methods of water disinfection, based on adding one or another chemical substance to it in a certain dose, have a number of disadvantages, which consist mainly in the fact that most of these substances negatively affect the composition and organoleptic properties of water. In addition, the bactericidal effect of these substances appears after a certain period of contact and does not always apply to all forms of microorganisms. All this was the reason for the development of physical methods of water disinfection, which have a number of advantages over chemical ones. Reagent-free methods do not affect the composition and properties of disinfected water and do not impair its organoleptic properties. They act directly on the structure of microorganisms, as a result of which they have a wider range of bactericidal effects. A short period of time is required for disinfection.
The most developed and technically studied method is irradiation of water with bactericidal (ultraviolet) lamps. UV rays with a wavelength of 200-280 nm have the greatest bactericidal properties; the maximum bactericidal effect occurs at a wavelength of 254-260 nm. The radiation source is low-pressure argon-mercury lamps and mercury-quartz lamps. Water disinfection occurs quickly, within 1-2 minutes. When water is disinfected with UV rays, not only vegetative forms of microbes are killed, but also spore forms, as well as viruses, helminth eggs that are resistant to chlorine. The use of bactericidal lamps is not always possible, since the effect of water disinfection with UV rays is affected by the turbidity, color of the water, and the content of iron salts in it. Therefore, before disinfecting water in this way, it must be thoroughly cleaned.
Of all the available physical methods of water disinfection, boiling is the most reliable. As a result of boiling for 3-5 minutes, all microorganisms present in it die, and after 30 minutes the water becomes completely sterile. Despite the high bactericidal effect, this method is not widely used for disinfecting large volumes of water. The disadvantage of boiling is the deterioration of the taste of water, which occurs as a result of volatilization of gases, and the possibility of more rapid development of microorganisms in boiled water.
Physical methods of water disinfection include the use of pulsed electric discharge, ultrasound and ionizing radiation. Currently, these methods are not widely used in practice.
Special ways to improve water quality. In addition to the basic methods of water purification and disinfection, in some cases it becomes necessary to carry out special treatment. This treatment is mainly aimed at improving the mineral composition of water and its organoleptic properties.
Deodorization - removal of foreign odors and tastes. The need for such treatment is determined by the presence in water of odors associated with the vital activity of microorganisms, fungi, algae, decay products and decomposition of organic substances. For this purpose, methods such as ozonation, carbonization, chlorination, water treatment with potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, fluoridation through sorption filters, and aeration are used.
Degassing of water is the removal of dissolved, foul-smelling gases from it. For this purpose, aeration is used, i.e., spraying water into small drops in a well-ventilated room or in the open air, resulting in the release of gases.
Water softening is the complete or partial removal of calcium and magnesium cations from it. Softening is carried out with special reagents or using ion exchange and thermal methods.
Desalination (desalination) of water is often carried out when preparing it for industrial use.
Partial desalination of water is carried out to reduce the salt content in it to the level at which the water can be used for drinking (below 1000 mg/l). Desalination is achieved by distillation of water, which is produced in various desalination plants (vacuum, multi-stage, solar thermal), ion exchange installations, as well as by electrochemical methods and the freezing method.
Deferrization - removal of iron from water is carried out by aeration followed by settling, coagulation, liming, and cationization. Currently, a method has been developed for filtering water through sand filters. In this case, ferrous iron is retained on the surface of sand grains.
Defluoridation is the release of natural waters from excess fluorine. For this purpose, a precipitation method is used, based on the sorption of fluorine by a precipitate of aluminum hydroxide.
If there is a lack of fluoride in water, it is fluoridated. If water is contaminated with radioactive substances, it is subjected to decontamination, i.e., removal of radioactive substances.
Physical and chemical indicators of water quality. When choosing a water supply source, the physical properties of water such as temperature, smell, taste, turbidity and color are taken into account. Moreover, these indicators are determined for all characteristic periods of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter).
The temperature of natural waters depends on their origin. In underground water sources, the water has a constant temperature regardless of the period of the year. On the contrary, the water temperature of surface water sources varies over periods of the year in a fairly wide range (from 0.1 °C in winter to 24-26 °C in summer).
The turbidity of natural waters depends, first of all, on their origin, as well as on the geographical and climatic conditions in which the water source is located. Groundwater has insignificant turbidity, not exceeding 1.0-1.5 mg/l, but water from surface water sources almost always contains suspended substances in the form of tiny parts of clay, sand, algae, microorganisms and other substances of mineral and organic origin. However, as a rule, the water of surface water sources in the northern regions of the European part of Russia, Siberia and part of the Far East is classified as low-turbidity. On the contrary, water sources in the central and southern regions of the country are characterized by higher water turbidity. Regardless of the geographical, geological and hydrological conditions of the location of the water source, the turbidity of water in rivers is always higher than in lakes and reservoirs. The greatest turbidity of water in water sources is observed during spring floods, during periods of prolonged rain, and the lowest in winter, when water sources are covered with ice. The turbidity of water is measured in mg/dm3.
The color of water from natural water sources is due to the presence in it of colloidal and dissolved organic substances of humic origin, which give the water a yellow or brown tint. The thickness of the shade depends on the concentration of these substances in the water.
Humic substances are formed as a result of the decomposition of organic substances (soil, plant humus) to simpler chemical compounds. In natural waters, humic substances are represented mainly by organic humic and fulvic acids, as well as their salts.
Color is characteristic of water from surface water sources and is practically absent in groundwater. However, sometimes groundwater, most often in swampy low-lying areas with reliable aquifers, becomes enriched with swampy colored waters and acquires a yellowish color.
The color of natural waters is measured in degrees. According to the level of water color, surface water sources can be low color (up to 30-35°), medium color (up to 80°) and high color (over 80°). In water supply practice, water sources are sometimes used whose water color is 150-200°.
Most rivers in the North-West and North of Russia belong to the category of high-color, low-turbidity rivers. The middle part of the country is characterized by water sources of medium color and turbidity. The water of rivers in the southern regions of Russia, on the contrary, has increased turbidity and relatively low color. The color of water in a water source changes both quantitatively and qualitatively over periods of the year. During times of increased runoff from areas adjacent to the water source (melting snow, rain), the color of the water, as a rule, increases, and the ratio of the color components also changes.
Natural waters are characterized by such quality indicators as taste and smell. Most often, natural waters can have a bitter and salty taste and almost never sour or sweet. An excess of magnesium salts gives water a bitter taste, and sodium salts (table salt) give it a salty taste. Salts of other metals, such as iron and manganese, give water a ferrous taste.
Water odors can be of natural or artificial origin. Natural odors are caused by living and dead organisms and plant debris in water. The main odors of natural waters are marshy, earthy, woody, grassy, fishy, hydrogen sulfide, etc. The most intense odors are inherent in the water of reservoirs and lakes. Odors of artificial origin arise due to the release of insufficiently treated wastewater into water sources.
Odors of artificial origin include petroleum, phenolic, chlorophenol, etc. The intensity of tastes and odors is assessed in points.
Chemical analysis of the quality of natural water is of paramount importance when choosing a method for its purification. Chemical indicators of water include: active reaction (hydrogen indicator), oxidability, alkalinity, hardness, concentration of chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, iron, manganese and other elements. The active reaction of water is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions. It expresses the degree of acidity or alkalinity of water. Typically, the active reaction of water is expressed by the pH value, which is the negative decimal logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions: - pH = - log. For distilled water, pH = 7 (neutral environment). For a slightly acidic pH environment< 7, а для слабощелочной рН >7. Typically, for natural waters (surface and underground), the pH value ranges from 6 to 8.5. Highly colored soft waters have the lowest pH values, while underground waters, especially hard ones, have the highest.
The oxidation of natural waters is caused by the presence of organic substances in them, the oxidation of which consumes oxygen. Therefore, the value of oxidability is numerically equal to the amount of oxygen used to oxidize the pollutants in the water, and is expressed in mg/l. Artesian waters are characterized by the lowest oxidizability (~1.5-2 mg/l, O 2). The water of clean lakes has an oxidability of 6-10 mg/l, O 2; in river water, the oxidability varies widely and can reach 50 mg/l or even more. Highly colored waters are characterized by increased oxidability; in swampy waters, oxidation can reach 200 mg/l O 2 or more.
The alkalinity of water is determined by the presence in it of hydroxides (OH") and carbonic acid anions (HCO - 3, CO 3 2,).
Chlorides and sulfates are found in almost all natural waters. In groundwater, the concentrations of these compounds can be very significant, up to 1000 mg/l or more. In surface water sources, the content of chlorides and sulfates usually ranges from 50-100 mg/l. Sulfates and chlorides at certain concentrations (300 mg/l or more) cause corrosiveness of water and have a destructive effect on concrete structures.
The hardness of natural waters is due to the presence of calcium and magnesium salts in them. Although these salts are not particularly harmful to the human body, their presence in significant quantities is undesirable, because water becomes unsuitable for household needs and industrial water supply. Hard water is not suitable for feeding steam boilers; it cannot be used in many industrial processes.
Iron in natural waters is found in the form of divalent ions, organomineral colloidal complexes and fine suspension of iron hydroxide, as well as in the form of iron sulfide. Manganese, as a rule, is found in water in the form of divalent manganese ions, which can be oxidized in the presence of oxygen, chlorine or ozone to tetravalent manganese, forming manganese hydroxide.
The presence of iron and manganese in water can lead to the development of ferrous and manganese bacteria in pipelines, the waste products of which can accumulate in large quantities and significantly reduce the cross-section of water pipes.
Of the gases dissolved in water, the most important from a water quality point of view are free carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen sulfide. The carbon dioxide content in natural waters ranges from several units to several hundred milligrams per liter. Depending on the pH value of the water, carbon dioxide occurs in it in the form of carbon dioxide or in the form of carbonates and bicarbonates. Excess carbon dioxide is very aggressive towards metal and concrete:
The concentration of oxygen dissolved in water can range from 0 to 14 mg/l and depends on a number of reasons (water temperature, partial pressure, degree of water contamination with organic substances). Oxygen intensifies the corrosion processes of metals. This must be especially taken into account in thermal power systems.
Hydrogen sulfide, as a rule, enters water as a result of its contact with rotting organic residues or with certain minerals (gypsum, sulfur pyrites). The presence of hydrogen sulfide in water is extremely undesirable for both domestic and industrial water supplies.
Toxic substances, in particular heavy metals, enter water sources mainly with industrial wastewater. When there is a possibility of their entry into a water source, determining the concentration of toxic substances in the water is mandatory.
Requirements for water quality for various purposes. The basic requirements for drinking water presuppose that the water is harmless to the human body, has a pleasant taste and appearance, as well as suitability for household needs.
The quality indicators that drinking water must satisfy are standardized by “Sanitary Rules and Norms (SanPiN) 2. 1.4.559-96. Drinking water."
Water for cooling units of many production processes should not form deposits in the pipes and chambers through which it passes, since deposits impede heat transfer and reduce the cross-section of the pipes, reducing the cooling intensity.
There should be no large suspended matter (sand) in the water. There should be no organic substances in the water, as it intensifies the process of biofouling of the walls.
Water for steam power facilities should not contain impurities that can cause scale deposits. Due to scale formation, thermal conductivity decreases, heat transfer deteriorates, and overheating of the walls of steam boilers is possible.
Of the salts that form scale, the most harmful and dangerous are CaSO 4, CaCO 3, CaSiO 3, MgSiO 3. These salts are deposited on the walls of steam boilers, forming boiler stone.
To prevent corrosion of the walls of steam boilers, the water must have a sufficient alkaline reserve. Its concentration in boiler water should be at least 30-50 mg/l.
Particularly undesirable is the presence of silicic acid SiO 2 in the feed water of high-pressure boilers, which can form dense scale with very low thermal conductivity.
Basic technological schemes and structures for improving water quality.
Natural waters are different big variety of contaminants and their combinations. Therefore, to solve the problem of effective water purification, various technological schemes and processes are required, as well as various sets of structures for the implementation of these processes.
Technological schemes used in water treatment practice are usually classified into reagent And reagent-free; pre-treatment And deep cleaning; on single stage And multi-stage; on pressure And free-flow.
The reagent scheme for purifying natural waters is more complex than the non-reagent scheme, but it provides deeper purification. The reagent-free scheme is usually used for pre-treatment of natural waters. Most often it is used in water purification for technical purposes.
Both reagent and non-reagent technological purification schemes can be single-stage or multi-stage, with non-pressure and pressure-type facilities.
The main technological schemes and types of structures most often used in water treatment practice are presented in Figure 22.
Sedimentation tanks are used mainly as structures for preliminary purification of water from suspended particles of mineral and organic origin. Depending on the type of construction and the nature of water movement in the structure, sedimentation tanks can be horizontal, vertical or radial. In recent decades, in the practice of purifying natural waters, special shelf sedimentation tanks with sedimentation of suspended matter in a thin layer have begun to be used.
Rice. 22.
a) two-stage with a horizontal settling tank and filter: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - microgrids; 3 - reagent management; 4 - mixer; 5 - flocculation chamber; b - horizontal settling tank; 7 - filter; 8 - chlorination; 9 - clean water tank; 10 - pumps;
b) two-stage with clarifier and filter: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - microgrids; 3 - reagent management; 4 - mixer; 5 - suspended sediment clarifier; b - filter; 7 - chlorination; 8 - clean water tank; 9 - II lift pumps;
V) single-stage with contact clarifiers: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - drum nets; 3 - reagent management; 4 - restriction device (mixer); 5 - contact clarifier KO-1; 6 - chlorination; 7 - clean water tank; 8 - II lift pumps
Filters, which are part of the general technological scheme of water treatment, act as structures for deep purification of water from suspended substances, some of the colloidal and dissolved substances that have not settled in the settling tanks (due to the forces of adsorption and molecular interaction).
From this article you will learn:
- What are the traditional ways to improve water quality?
- Can sorbents and minerals improve water quality?
- How to improve water quality by freezing it
The conditions of modern life are such that we have to use the water that comes from taps and bottles. Of course, in megacities with good communications, the quality of water in the population supply system is quite satisfactory. Of course, most likely, a glass of such water will not do any harm. However, it is not advisable to drink directly from the tap: the liquid contains salts of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, copper and other elements. These inclusions are dissolved in low concentration. However, combining them together, we get a mixture that is far from beneficial for human health. Don't want to experiment with your body? Then read on to our article on how to improve water quality.
6 traditional ways to improve water quality
How to improve water quality at home? Let's look at the 6 most popular methods.
- Advocacy
- Boiling
- Acid cleaning
- Activated carbon cleaning
- Silver cleaning
- Using filters
Want to easily improve your water quality? Pay attention to this method - it is the simplest of all existing ones. During settling, dangerous chlorine evaporates from the liquid, but not completely. Everyone knows that this substance is used to disinfect water from microorganisms, but chlorine also has a detrimental effect on our health.
To get settled water, fill a container without a lid with water and leave it for six to seven hours. Volatile gases such as chlorine and ammonia evaporate. Then a precipitate forms: metal salts. After the specified time has passed, carefully, without stirring the liquid, pour three-quarters of the water into another container and discard the rest.
To improve the quality of water using this method, you need to boil it for 60 minutes. Do not forget that the water must first be allowed to settle. The fact is that liquid poured straight from the tap contains chlorine, which turns into a harmful carcinogen when boiled. Another disadvantage of boiling is that the concentration of heavy metal salts increases. For this reason, cardiologists advise drinking not boiled water (it is dangerous for the heart muscle), but raw water.
If you don't know how to improve the quality of water at home, try adding acid to it. To carry out such enrichment, add ascorbic acid to boiled water in a ratio of 500 milligrams (1 tablet) per 5 liters. Leave the solution for 60 minutes - a chemical reaction should occur. The effectiveness of this cleaning method has not been scientifically proven, since boiled water itself is not beneficial to the body.
In addition, ascorbic acid is not natural vitamin C, but artificially created. Again, artificial vitamins are less useful than their natural counterparts, since their absorption is too low.
The sorbent commonly used in industrial-scale filters is activated carbon. To improve the quality of water at home, activated carbon tablets are suitable, which can be purchased at any pharmacy chain. To make the water clean, 2-3 tablets should be wrapped in a sterile gauze bandage and placed at the bottom of a container of water. Cleansing will occur within 10–12 hours. Bad smell, various inclusions and chlorine - all this adsorbs coal.
This is the most ancient method of water purification. Currently, it is also used in everyday life and by introducing silver into filters. This is explained by the antiseptic properties of silver, which is a good natural antibiotic that destroys many dangerous bacteria. Will silver be effective in purifying tap water? The question remains open. After all, this water has already been disinfected with chlorine. In addition, regular consumption of silver water is undesirable: metal ions will accumulate in the human body.
How to improve the quality of water of questionable origin, for example, in the forest or in other countries? Use silver. Of course, a silver spoon is unlikely to cope with the role of an antiseptic here. Colloidal silver will be required.
The cleaning methods described above cannot always be used daily in everyday life. Therefore, the best solution is to purchase industrial filters. They work according to the cleaning principles we have listed, but the filtration mechanism has been improved thanks to the introduction of the latest technologies.
It is worth noting that standard meshes also help to retain unnecessary inclusions. They can be placed directly on the tap, or at the inlet of the water flow into the home. Using a mesh will be beneficial: in many homes, the pipes through which water flows are worn out. Plaque and microparticles of rust can get into your glass.
If you require a higher level of purification, install a filter. Which model should you choose? Focus on your needs and wishes. This device can be placed at the water inlet of your home, or used only for drinking water.
In the first case, you will have to spend a lot of money. An expensive filter will require a specific location, because a large volume of water will flow through it. Regularly changing cartridges will have a significant impact on your budget.
Want to save money? Then local filters mounted on the faucet are for you. Some of them are equipped with a mode change function. Therefore, you can configure the device in such a way that it will supply untreated water, or it will pass through a filter - such water can be drunk immediately. The main advantage of such filter models is that you can obtain any volume of purified water; it is limited only by the throughput of the device.
Conversely, a strictly defined amount of liquid can process a filter jug. The advantage of such a filter is its mobility: you can move it anywhere.
Are you looking for the perfect filter to improve your water quality? When choosing, consider the specialization of each model. There are filters designed to disinfect, remove metals or soften water. First of all, consider the characteristics of the water in your region.
Is it possible to improve water quality with the help of sorbents and minerals?
If you are concerned about the composition of the liquid you consume, then sellers of dietary supplements and various health-improving devices will try to help you. To improve water quality, they suggest using silicon, shungite, coral powder and other natural substances. Marketers of companies selling these gifts of nature assure that water purified in this way becomes not only tasty, but also healthy.
How effective is water purification with silicon and shungite? It is difficult to find a reliable answer to this question, since this method has not been scientifically tested. The only thing that can be said is that natural stones saturate the water with mineral salts. Before drawing conclusions, it is necessary to clarify one point.
Rumors about the benefits of silicon appeared many years ago. And these events are connected with the name of a certain Malyarchikov. He learned that Lake Svetloe is incredibly transparent. Then he published a book about this lake, and the media made this story public. Since that time, many began to consider silicon to be beneficial to health.
But there is one important nuance here: in Lake Svetloe there are no fish, no algae, or any other living creatures. The pond is dead, but its water improves regeneration: any cuts in this water are instantly healed. This is explained by the antiseptic properties of silicon dissolved in water, which must be used strictly under medical supervision. In addition, it should not be used at all if a person has a predisposition to malignant tumors.
Will silicon water cure ailments if scientists don’t even allow you to drink it?
The situation is the same with shungite. No one will argue that it is possible to improve water quality with its help. There is even a sanatorium where they use this water. However, like any water enriched with minerals, you should not drink it every day. Therefore, doctors recommend drinking shungite water only under the supervision of specialists.
Shungite is not often found in nature, for this reason water quality may become worse. Due to its high adsorption, it is able to filter various impurities from water. In this way, its principle of action is similar to that of activated carbon. Of course, if water disinfection is not required, then it is recommended to use traditional activated carbon rather than shungite.
If you pay attention to the advertising brochures of any substance that magically purifies water, you will be able to notice the lack of professionalism of supposedly specialists in this field. This only means one thing: they are trying to fool you and sell you a useless or even dangerous product.
When advertising their product, sellers shout that by improving the quality of water in their way, you will be cured of everything, and the difficulties in your life will disappear: children will study well, migraines and gastritis will go away, you will be full of strength and cheerful. But even if you are not a scientist or a doctor, you can understand that your child’s poor performance in school has nothing to do with the quality of the water consumed.
To avoid mistakes, choose traditional methods of water filtration. In order for the water to be drinkable after purification, it is necessary to test all filtering devices and substances. All experiments and scientific studies of non-standard methods of water purification have not shown satisfactory results. If we talk about silicon, it is even possible that the quality of drinking water may decrease due to the fact that silicon may contain inclusions of other minerals and substances.
How to improve water quality by freezing
How to improve water quality at home? The sure way is to make melt water. Its properties are superior to ordinary tap water. This improvement occurs due to the fact that the structure of melt water is identical to that contained in cells and blood plasma. When a person drinks such water, energy is not spent on restructuring the liquid.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that melt water increases human immunity, speeds up metabolism, and with its help you can get rid of many diseases, including atherosclerosis. Since melt water is not so hard, it is ideal for washing and washing your hair: the skin looks healthy and the hair is shiny and vibrant. Some people actually believe that melt water has healing properties.
To improve the quality of water through freezing and thawing, you need to take clean water and freeze it in the freezer or on the balcony (in winter). It is recommended to do this in a flat container; an enamel saucepan will do. Pour water into it (not to the very top), cover with a lid. Do not forget that frozen water will increase in volume and begin to put pressure on the vessel, so do not use glass containers - they will crack. You can also freeze water in plastic water bottles (not for household chemicals).
How to properly defrost water that has turned into ice? This must be done at room temperature. Do not heat frozen water to speed up defrosting. It is necessary to drink melt water within 24 hours.
In addition to the above, there are other technologies for improving water quality at home using melting. Here are the most common ones.
In the latest method for obtaining melt water, Yu. Andreev took the best of the two previous technologies: we prepare melt water, then bring it to a boil (all gases are removed from the liquid), freeze it again and let the water melt.
It is recommended to drink melt water every day half an hour before meals. In total, you can drink 4-5 glasses of this water per day. To notice positive changes in your health, you need to drink a course of melt water for 30 days. In order for the liquid prepared in this way to benefit your body, you will need to consume it daily in a volume of 0.5 to 0.7 liters (taking into account the person’s weight).
Where to buy a cooler to have 100% pure water
The Ecocenter company supplies coolers, pumps and related equipment to Russia for dispensing water from bottles of various sizes. All equipment is supplied under the “ECOCENTER” brand.
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The quality of water consumed by modern people often leaves much to be desired. The bad liquid that we drink and cook with is a direct path to various diseases, which is nothing good. What should I do? Various options are available for improving water quality.
First is distillation. The principle of obtaining purified liquid is distillation through a device similar to moonshine - the water boils, evaporates, cools and turns back into ordinary water. It is not recommended to use such water for a long time, as it washes away beneficial substances. It’s quite a hassle to make the distillate yourself, but they say it’s great for fasting days – the body is cleansed very efficiently.
Secondly, you can use water from wells. The main thing is to make sure that the liquid does not contain harmful substances, especially fertilizers and pest control products. Ideally, you still need to carry out a laboratory assessment of the water - it is impossible to find a 100% pure liquid today, and only an experimental method can show what kind of chemistry is in your case.
The third method used to improve liquid performance is settling. During settling, heavy fractions and D2O effectively “leave” (that is, they settle and precipitate), while chlorine is not completely removed, but it is still quite well removed. What’s good about settling is its simplicity and cheapness, but what’s much worse is dubious convenience, long waiting times, and small amounts of water.
The next technique aimed at improving the quality of water resources is infusion on stones containing flint. We are talking directly about flint, as well as chalcedony, amethyst, rock crystal, agate - their special composition allows not only to remove harmful impurities, but also to give the water a number of homeopathic properties. By the way, silicon water effectively enhances the effect of infusions of medicinal herbs. Please note that it is better to take smaller stones, since they have a larger contact area. With constant use, stones should be soaked in a saline solution and under no circumstances washed under water whose temperature is above 40° C. The infusion process takes about a week; it is best to take glassware for this purpose, although enamel pans are also suitable. The bottom layer of infused water is not recommended. The resulting liquid does not need to be boiled - it is already suitable for drinking and cooking. Silicon-saturated water has a positive effect on the liver and kidneys, improves metabolic processes, and can be used for weight loss.
Another fairly common “home-grown” method of improving water quality is thawing it. Thawed liquid significantly improves the functioning of organs and systems, the composition of blood and lymph. It is useful for thrombophlebitis, high cholesterol, hemorrhoids, and metabolic problems.
Cleaning with acid, boiling, activated carbon, silver - these are all also working methods that you can use at your discretion.
The most effective and at the same time easy to use are special filters and cleaning systems. A professional consultant will help you find the optimal solution.
Hygiene as a branch of medicine that studies the connection and interaction of the body with the environment is closely related to all disciplines that ensure the formation of a doctor’s hygienic worldview: biology, physiology, microbiology, and clinical disciplines. This makes it possible to widely use the methods and data of these sciences in hygienic research in order to study the influence of environmental factors on the human body and develop a set of preventive measures. The hygienic characteristics of environmental factors and data on their impact on health, in turn, contribute to a more informed diagnosis of diseases and pathogenetic treatment.
Lecture 16. Methods for improving water quality
1. Methods used to improve water quality. Cleaning
To ensure that the water quality meets hygienic requirements, pre-treatment is used. Improving the properties of water with centralized water supply is achieved at waterworks. To improve water quality, use the following:
Cleaning – removal of suspended particles;
Disinfection – destruction of microorganisms;
Special methods for improving organoleptic properties - softening, removal of chemicals, fluoridation, etc.
Cleaning is carried out by mechanical (settling), physical (filtration) and chemical (coagulation) methods.
Settlement, during which clarification and partial discoloration of water occurs, is carried out in special structures - settling tanks. The principle of their operation is that when water enters through a narrow opening and moves slowly in the sump, the bulk of suspended particles settles to the bottom. However, the smallest particles and microorganisms do not have time to settle.
Filtration is the passage of water through a finely porous material, most often through sand with a certain particle size. By filtering, the water is freed from suspended particles.
Coagulation is a chemical cleaning method. A coagulant is added to the water, which reacts with the bicarbonates in the water. This reaction produces large, heavy flocs that carry a positive charge. As they settle under their own weight, they carry with them suspended pollutant particles that are negatively charged.
Aluminum sulfate is used as a coagulant. To improve coagulation, high-molecular flocculants are used: alkaline starch, activated silicic acid and other synthetic preparations.
2. Disinfection. Special methods for improving organoleptic properties
Disinfection destroys microorganisms at the final stage of water treatment. For this purpose, chemical and physical methods are used.
Chemical (reagent) disinfection methods are based on adding various chemicals to water that cause the death of microorganisms. Various strong oxidizing agents can be used as reagents: chlorine and its compounds, ozone, iodine, potassium permanganate, some salts of heavy metals, silver.
Chemical disinfection methods have a number of disadvantages, which include the fact that most reagents negatively affect the composition and organoleptic properties of water.
Reagent-free or physical methods do not affect the composition and properties of disinfected water and do not impair its organoleptic properties. They act directly on the structure of microorganisms, as a result of which they have a wider range of bactericidal effects.
The most developed and technically studied method is irradiation of water with bactericidal (ultraviolet) lamps. Radiation sources are low-pressure argon-mercury lamps (BUV) and mercury-quartz lamps (PRK and RKS).
Of all the physical methods of water disinfection, boiling is the most reliable, but is not widely used.
Physical methods of disinfection include the use of pulsed electric discharge, ultrasound and ionizing radiation.
There is also no practical application.
Deodorization – removal of foreign odors and tastes. For this purpose, methods such as ozonation, carbonization, chlorination, treatment with potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, fluoridation through filters, and aeration are used.
Water softening is the removal of calcium and magnesium cations from it. Produced with special reagents or using ion exchange and thermal methods.
Desalination of water is achieved by distillation in desalination plants, as well as by electrochemical methods and freezing.
Iron removal is carried out by aeration followed by settling, coagulation, liming, cationization, and filtration through sand filters.
An effective method of disinfecting water in a well is the use of chlorine-containing dosing cartridges, which are suspended below the water level.
3. Sanitary protection zones for water sources
Sanitary legislation provides for the organization of two zones of sanitary protection of water sources.
The strict security zone includes the territory where the intake site, water-lifting devices, head structures of the station and the water supply canal are located. This area is fenced and strictly guarded.
The restriction zone includes an area intended to protect water supply sources from contamination (the source of the water supply and the basin for its supply).
