Finding efficient methods of heavy metals from a contaminated water source is crucial for achieving clean drinking water. Heavy metals tend to accumulate in living organisms and cause health disorders and diseases3, 7, 11. Unlike organic contaminates, heavy metals do not degrade and therefore are not easily removed from the water system. For this reason, most large-scale water treatment facilities rely on coagulation to chemically precipitate metals from the source water and by sieve filtration to mechanically remove metal particles1, 14, 26. However, these methods are expensive and complicated to employ in individual homes for personal use. Instead, personal water filtration systems many rely on in-line or gravity filtration systems.
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For gravity type filtration systems, the filter medium can be mechanically or chemically driven to remove contaminates. The most common methods of contaminate removal for filtration medium mechanically remove large particulates, adsorption, absorption and redox or chemical reactions to produce safe drinking water2. Porous filter medium allows more medium surface area to interact with contaminates in the water as well as to create smaller pathways to mechanically remove particulates within the medium. Therefore, it is important to assess what the capabilities of each filter type to identify the best filter medium to help remove or reduce specific …show more content…
Nanoparticles are between 0 and 100 nm in sized and have a large surface area that can amplify the intensity of chemical properties. For AgNPs, the antibacterial abilities of silver tend to promote more intense interactions with the surrounding micro- and macro-organisms12. When the AgNP is oxidized by surrounding conditions such as temperature, chemical interactions or pH, the nanoparticle becomes a trojan horse by releasing silver ions13, 19. However, AgNPs may be altered to have stabilizing surface coatings that help stabilize the nanoparticles in conditions that would normally induce oxidation or aggregation and therefore allowing the AgNPs to remain as a threat to drinking water sources. The World Health Organization (WHO) have placed the maximum contamination level (MCL) at 0.1 mg L-1 in drinking water as higher concentrations cause promote cardiac abnormalities, nervous system damage
For gravity type filtration systems, the filter medium can be mechanically or chemically driven to remove contaminates. The most common methods of contaminate removal for filtration medium mechanically remove large particulates, adsorption, absorption and redox or chemical reactions to produce safe drinking water2. Porous filter medium allows more medium surface area to interact with contaminates in the water as well as to create smaller pathways to mechanically remove particulates within the medium. Therefore, it is important to assess what the capabilities of each filter type to identify the best filter medium to help remove or reduce specific …show more content…
Nanoparticles are between 0 and 100 nm in sized and have a large surface area that can amplify the intensity of chemical properties. For AgNPs, the antibacterial abilities of silver tend to promote more intense interactions with the surrounding micro- and macro-organisms12. When the AgNP is oxidized by surrounding conditions such as temperature, chemical interactions or pH, the nanoparticle becomes a trojan horse by releasing silver ions13, 19. However, AgNPs may be altered to have stabilizing surface coatings that help stabilize the nanoparticles in conditions that would normally induce oxidation or aggregation and therefore allowing the AgNPs to remain as a threat to drinking water sources. The World Health Organization (WHO) have placed the maximum contamination level (MCL) at 0.1 mg L-1 in drinking water as higher concentrations cause promote cardiac abnormalities, nervous system damage