Common Questions and Answers
What is Hard Water and Soft Water?
The hardness of water is determined by the concentration of multivalent cations in the water. Common cations found in hard water include Calcium(Ca2+) and Magnesium(Mg2+). Water is a universal solvent. Since water flows soil and rock it naturally dissolves minerals and carries them into the ground and surface water. Soft water may also be used to describe water that has been produced by a water softening process although such water is more correctly termed softened water. In these cases the water may also contain elevated levels of sodium and/or bicarbonate ions. Calcium and magnesium ions are required for normal metabolism in human body. The lack of these ions in soft water have given rise to concerns about the possible health impacts of drinking soft water, including sudden cardiac death.
SALT Softener vs. ANE Filtration System
| SALT Softener | ANE Filtration System | |
| Media | SALT | KDF, Activated Carbon, Carefree |
| Solve Hardness Problem ? | Yes | Yes |
| Is Water good to drink ? | No | Yes |
| Remove Chlorine ? | No | Yes |
| Remove Volatile Organic Compounds ? | No | Yes |
| Remove Heavy Metals ? | Some | Yes |
| Need Maintenance ? | Yes | No |
| Need RO for drinking water ? | Yes | No |
| Wasted Water to recharge /week | 100 – 400 Gal | 35 Gal |
| Environment Friendly ? | No | Yes |
What is Activated Carbon?
Activated carbon is a porous material that removes organic compounds from liquids and gases by a process known as “adsorption.” In adsorption, organic molecules contained in a liquid or gas are attracted and bound to the surface of the pores of the activated carbon as the liquid or gas is passed through.
Adsorption occurs on the internal surface of activated carbon, termed the adsorbent. During adsorption, liquids or gases pass through the highly porous structure of the activated carbon. The compound(s) to be removed, termed the adsorbate(s), diffuses to the surface of the adsorbent and is retained because of attractive forces.
The primary raw material used in the production of our activated carbons is bituminous coal that is crushed, sized and processed in low temperature bakers followed by high-temperature activation furnaces. Activation develops the pore structure of the carbon. Through adjustments in the activation process, differentiated pores for a particular purification application are developed.
What does Activated Carbon remove?
Name | CAS Number | Synonyms | Type |
1,2,3-Trichloropropane | 96-18-4 | 1,2,3-TCP, NCI-C60220, TCP, allyl trichloride, glycerol trichlorohydrin, glyceryl trichlorohydrin, trichlorohydrin | Chemical |
1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) | 82030-42-0 | Cyclonite, Hexogen, RDX, Research Department Explosive, Royal Demolition Explosive, Royal Dutch Explosive | Chemical |
1,4-dioxane | 123-91-1 | diethylene dioxide, diethylene ether, dioxane, glycol ethylene ether, p-dioxane | Chemical |
17a-ethynyl estradiol | 57-63-6 | EE2 | Chemical |
4-Nonylphenol | 104-40-5 | 4-Nonylphenol, 4-n-Nonylphenol, NP, Nonylphenol, p-Nonylphenol, para-Nonylphenol | Chemical |
Acetochlor | 34256-82-1 | Acenit, Harness, Surpass, Top Hand, Trophy | Chemical |
Acetochlor Degradates | acetochlor ethanesulfonic acid (ESA), acetochlor oxanilic acid (OXA), acetochlor sulfinylacetic acid | Chemical | |
Alachlor | 15972-60-8 | Alanex, Alochlor, Lasso, Lazo, Metachlor, Pillarzo | Chemical |
Aldicarb | 116-06-3 | Ambush, OMS 771, Temic, Temik, UC 21149 , Unioin Carbide 21149 | Chemical |
Arsenic | 7440-38-2 | Arsenate, Arsenite, As(3), As(5) | Chemical |
Benzene | 71-43-2 | Benzol, Coal naphtha, Phene, Polystream, Pyrobenzol | Chemical |
Calicivirus | Microbial | ||
Carbofuran | 1563-66-2 | Curaterr, Furadan, Yaltox | Chemical |
Chlortetracycline | 57-62-5 | 7-chlorotetracycline, Aureomycin, CLTC, CTC, Chlorotetracyline, Chlortetracyclin | Chemical |
Chromium | 7440-47-3 | Chromium (III), Chromium (VI), Cr (III), Cr (VI), Hexavalent Chromium, Trivalent Chromium | Chemical |
Cis-1,2-dichloroethylene | 156-59-2 | cis-1,2-dichloroethene | Chemical |
Cobalt | 7440-48-4 | Co-57, Co-58, Co-59, Co-60 | Radiological |
Cryptosporidium | C. parvum, Cryptosporidium parvum | Microbial | |
Dichlorvos | 62-73-7 | DDVP, Vapona | Chemical |
Dicrotophos | 141-66-2 | Bidrin, Carbicron, Diapadrin, Dicron, Ektafos | Chemical |
Ethylene Dibromide | 106-93-4 | 1,2-dibromoethane, EDB, Ethylene bromide, Glycol bromide | Chemical |
MTBE | 1634-04-4 | methyl tertiary-butyl ether, methyl-t-butyl ether | Chemical |
Mercury | 7439-97-6 | Hg(0), Hg(2), hydrargyrum, quicksilver | Chemical |
Methomyl | 16752-77-5 | Lannate, Lanox, Methavin, Metofan, Nudrin | Chemical |
Metolachlor | 51218-45-2 | Bicep, Codal, Dual, Milocep | Chemical |
Metolachlor Degradates | Metolachlor ESA, Metolachlor OA, Metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid, Metolachlor oxanilic acid | Chemical | |
Mevinphos | 7786-34-7 | Apavinphos, Duraphos, Fosdrin, Gesfid, Menite, Mevinox, Phosdrin, Phosfene | Chemical |
Microcystins | Microcystin-LR | Chemical | |
Natural Organic Matter | AOC, BDOC, DOC, DOM, NOM, SUVA, TOC, assimilable organic carbon, biodegradable dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic matter, fulvic acid, humic acid, specific ultraviolet absorbance, total organic carbon | Chemical | |
Oxamyl | 23135-22-0 | Methyl N’,N’-dimethyl-N-[(methylcarbamoyl)oxy]-1-thiooxamimidate, Vydate, Vydate L | Chemical |
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances | 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate (FRD-902), 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propanoic acid (FRD-903), GenX, Heptadecafluorononanoic acid, Heptafluorobutyric acid, Nonadecafluorocapric acid, Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid, Pefluorobutane sulfonate, Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluorobutyl sulfonate (PFBS), Perfluorobutyric acid, Perfluorocapric acid, Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid potassium salt, Perfluorohexyl sulfonate (PFHxS), Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Potassium tridecafluoro-1-hexanesulfonate, Tridecafluorohexane-1-sulfonic acid potassium salt, heptafluoropropyl 1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether (E1) | Chemical | |
Perchlorate | Ammonium perchlorate | Chemical | |
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate | 1763-23-1 (PFOS acid) | 1-Octanesulfonic acid, 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptadecafluoro, 1-Octanesulfonic acid, heptadecafluoro-, 1-Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, Hepatadecafluoro-1-octanesulfonic acid, Perfluoro-n-octanesulfonic acid, Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, Perfluorooctane Sulphonate, Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, Perfluorooctyl Sulfonate, Perfluorooctylsulfonic acid | Chemical |
Perfluorooctanoic Acid | 335-67-1 | C8, PFOA, perfluorooctanoate | Chemical |
Radium | 13982-63-3 | Ra-226, Ra-228 | Radiological |
Saxitoxin | Microbial | ||
Simazine and Simazine Degradates | 122-34-9 | Aquazine, Framed, Gesatop, Premazine, Primatol, Princep, Simadex | Chemical |
Strychnine | 57-24-9 | Certox, Dolco mouse cereal, Kwik-kil, Mole death, Mole-nots, Mouse-rid, Mouse-tox, Pied piper mouse seed, RCRA waste number P108, Rodex, Sanaseed, Strychnidin-10-one, Strychnos, UN 1692 | Chemical |
Tetrachloroethylene | 127-18-4 | 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethylene, Ethylene tetrachloride, PCE, PERC, Perchloroethene, Perchloroethylene, Tetrachloroethene | Chemical |
Trichloroethylene | 79-01-6 | TCE, Trichloroethene | Chemical |
Source : EPA(Environment Protection Agency) https://iaspub.epa.gov/tdb/pages/treatment/treatmentContaminant.do
Chemicals with very high probability of being adsorbed by activated carbon:
2,4-D | Deisopropyltatrazine | Linuron |
Alachlor | Desethylatrazine | Malathion |
Aldrin | Demeton-O | MCPA |
Anthracene | Di-n-butylphthalate | Mecoprop |
1,2-Dichlorobenzene | Metazachlor | |
Azinphos-ethyl | 1,3-Dichlorobenzene | 2-Methyl benzenamine |
Bentazone | 1,4-Dichlorobenzene | Methyl naphthalene |
Biphenil | 2,4-Dichlorocresol | 2-Methylbutane |
2,2-Bipyridine | 2,5-Dichlorophenol | Monuron |
Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)Phthalate | 3,6-Dichlorophenol | Napthalene |
Bromacil | 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy | Nitrobenzene |
Bromodichloromethane | Dieldrin | m-Nitrophenol |
p-Bromophenol | Diethylphthalate | o-Nitrophenol |
Butylbenzene | 2,4-Dinitrocresol | p-Nitrophenol |
Calcium Hypochloryte | 2,4-Dinitrotoluene | Ozone |
Carbofuran | 2,6-Dinitrotoluene | Parathion |
Chlorine | Diuron | Pentachlorophenol |
Chlorine dioxide | Endosulfan | Propazine |
Chlorobenzene | Endrin | Simazine |
4-Chloro-2-nitrotoluene | Ethylbenzene | Terbutryn |
2-Chlorophenol | Hezachlorobenzene | Tetrachloroethylene |
Chlorotoluene | Hezachlorobutadiene | Triclopyr |
Chrysene | Hexane | 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene |
m-Cresol | Isodrin | m-Xylene |
Cyanazine | Isooctane | o-Xylene |
Cyclohexane | Isoproturon | p-Xylene |
DDT | Lindane | 2,4-Xylenol |
Chemicals with high probability of being adsorbed by activated carbon:
Aniline | Dibromo-3-chloropropane | 1-Pentanol |
Benzene | Dibromochloromethane | Phenol |
Benzyl alcohol | 1,1-Dichloroethylene | Phenylalanine |
Benzoic acid | cis-1,2- Dichloroethylene | o-Phthalic acid |
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether | trans-1,2- Dichloroethylene | Styrene |
Bromodichloromethane | 1,2-Dichloropropane | 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane |
Bromoform | Ethylene | Toluene |
Carbon tetrachloride | Hydroquinone | 1,1,1-Trichloroethane |
1-Chloropropane | Methyl Isobutyl Ketone | Trichloroethylene |
Chlorotoluron | 4-Methylbenzenamine | Vinyl acetate |
Chemicals with moderate probability of being adsorbed by activated carbon:
Acetic acid | Dimethoate | Methionine |
Acrylamide | Ethyl acetate | Methyl-tert-butyl ether |
Chloroethane | Ethyl ether | Methyl ethyl ketone |
Chloroform | Freon 11 | Pyridine |
1,1-Dichloroethane | Freon 113 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
1,2-Dichloroethane | Freon 12 | Vinyl chloride |
1,3-Dichloropropene | Glyphosate | |
Dikegulac | Imazypur |
Source : Lenntech https://www.lenntech.com/library/adsorption/adsorption.htm
Top 5 Reasons to Choose Filters Over Bottled Water
<Source : EWG > https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/bottled-water-resources.php
If you’re concerned about contaminants in the tap water you drink every day, you’re not alone. We all deserve to know what we’ll be putting in our bodies when we turn on the tap. This is one of the reasons why EWG created its Tap Water Database in the first place.
But if you want safer water for yourself and your family, bottled water isn’t the solution – not for your pocketbook, not for your health and certainly not for our planet. Your best option for cleaner, healthier drinking water on the go is filtered tap water and a reusable glass or stainless steel container. As we say here at EWG, know your water, pick the best filter and choose a BPA-free container.
Here are five reasons why you should say no to bottled water and choose filtered instead.
1. The cost
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, tap water costs about $.002 per gallon – that’s two-tenths of a penny – while a liter of water from the cooler in your local convenience store costs about a dollar before tax. That means you’re paying about 2,000 times more for bottled water. Nonetheless, Americans drank 12.8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2016, an increase of nearly 9 percent over 2015, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation. There are much better things you could spend your money on than water in bottles – perhaps even a nice tap water filter.
2. The quality
Laboratory testing by EWG has found all sorts of nasty stuff in popular brands of bottled water – disinfection byproducts, industrial chemicals, prescription drugs and even bacteria. And unlike your local tap water utilities, which are required to test for contaminants each year and disclose the results to the public, the bottled water industry can hide the results of its testing. Knowledge is power, and with bottled water you’ll likely know nothing about what you’re drinking.
3. The bottle itself
It’s bad enough that the bottled water you’re drinking might be contaminated. But the bottle itself could add to the problem. An EWG investigation found that PET plastics – the kind used to make plastic water bottles and marked with a “1” code on the bottom – can contain dozens of chemical additives, manufacturing impurities and breakdown byproducts. That’s more than 80 additional contaminants that could be leaching into your water. So get yourself a reusable glass or stainless steel bottle, and fill it with filtered tap water.
4. The trash
EPA statistics show that less than 32 percent of PET plastic bottles and jars were recycled in 2014. That means the other 68 percent was left to clog landfills, harm wildlife and pollute waterways. In fact, the marine conservation organization Oceana estimates that up to 20 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans each year, with some collecting into huge free-floating landfills like the Pacific Garbage Patch, which is estimated to be about the size of Texas.
5. The wasted energy
And trash isn’t the only environmental issue caused by water bottles. Analysis by the Pacific Institute, a global water think tank, found that it takes up to 2,000 times more energy to produce bottled water than tap water.6 It takes energy to make the bottles, fill them with water and ship them to your local convenience store – sometimes over great distances.