Nitrates, heavy metals, and pesticides are starting to contaminate the Kansas water sources and improving water treatment facilities to address these emerging contaminants costs millions of dollars and takes years to implement. Activated carbon faucet filters are a cheap and immediate potential solution that can help to supply clean water while more permanent solutions are developed. But how well do they work? This is the first study aimed to quantitatively assess activated carbon faucet filters efficacy of providing purified water, which had been purposely contaminated with an organic surrogate, a 1 ppm solution of Blue 1. In this study we found that faucet filters did their job, reducing Blue 1 contamination for only approximately 20 gallons, even though their reported filtering capacity was 100 gallons. We also found that soaking the filters overnight in ethanol completely regenerates the filters during a 1st usage, but subsequent soaking produces less impressive results in repeated tests. This faucet filter study supports the average citizen with demonstration of the merits and limitations of the filters for providing cleaner water. Ethanol-soaked filters may offer a safe, practical, and economically viable option for reducing carbon footprint and extending the utility of the filter’s activated carbon.

Portable water testing facility for water purification

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.