For drinking water to be beneficial, humans need the minerals that are in water but they need to get rid of the contaminants. The best water filtration filter is therefore one that removes as many bad elements as possible while leaving the good ones. Different circumstances sometimes deem this impractical. There are many types of filters, including charcoal and reverse osmosis. Consumers may prefer one over another for a number of reasons, but no filter is likely to solve every problem.
Carbon water filtration systems are among the most widely used in homes. The charcoal that is used in these systems typically comes from coconut husks. In comparison to other options, carbon filters are considered easy to install and economical. The water filtration filter for such a system typically has a life span of six to nine months. More importantly, carbon filters tend to be very effective since they are capable of filtering out deadly contaminants such as the Giardia parasite.
Even within the category of charcoal carbon filters, consumers have options. With a carbon block water filtration filter, water is pushed through densely packed, honeycombed carbon. These typically reduce contaminants without stripping the minerals from the water. Another option, activated silver impregnated charcoal filters, offer users bacteria killing features by adding metal ions to the water. These filters are often considered less effective in filtering certain contaminants, such as pesticides and lead, because the water often channels around the charcoal granules.
Ceramic water filtration filters are typically made available in the form of a cartridge. They are considered inexpensive and effective. These filters generally have fossil material composed of tiny silicon shells at the core of the cartridge. Ceramic filters may include nano-silver technology, which releases small quantities of positively charged metal ions to kill bacteria. These filters are typically considered to have a slow flow rate.
Reverse osmosis technology was originally developed for use in submarines. This type of water filtration system produces finely filtered water. This is done by drawing water through a membrane and applying pressure to reverse the osmotic process. This type of system is considered fairly slow and inefficient, since three gallons of water can be required to produce one drinkable gallon. It generally removes minerals that can be an asset to human health.
Catalytic conversion, which employs technology similar to that used in automobiles, was developed in Estonia. These water purifying systems convert contaminants such as heavy metals, chlorine, and viruses into a harmless form by breaking them down to their basic elements. This is done by negatively charging and alkalizing the water. This offers the benefit of purified water without the necessity of a water filtration filter.