Refrigerator Water Filters to Reduce US Public Water Contamination

Water filtration and disinfection, at water treatment plants, is responsible to remove many of the harmful contaminates found in water sources. However, the desired and necessary level of water purification cannot be achieved through these, often times outdated treatment methods. Furthermore, publicly treated water is further subjected to contamination by the methods and materials used in the delivery of water. In-house water filtering offers the public an opportunity to remove harmful contaminates from both well waters and publicly, distributed water sources.

Refrigerator water filters may include carbon-based and fiber filters that are specifically designed to filter contaminants found in water. Carbon-based filters have a porous surface that absorbs contaminants from water. They are effective in absorbing TTHMs, bad odors and tastes, industrial discharge, pesticide runoff, gasoline additives and other contaminants found in water. Fiber filters are composed of tightly wrapped fibers made of spun cellulose or rayon. The fibers are capable to trap and contain sediments. They are effective in filtering lead, rust and other sediments that damage plumbing to create corrosion and further contamination.

All brands of refrigerator water filters provide a filter that reduces the presence of chlorine, bacterial cysts, metals, and turbicity. Chlorine is used as disinfectant, but it leaves a distinct taste and odor in water. Cysts are the organic content in water that results from animal waste runoff. Metal contaminants include lead, iron, mercury and zinc.Turbidity is the cloudiness of water that contains minute sized, suspended particules. Particulate matter is assigned to a class based on the size of its particles.

· Class I: 0.5 to 1 microns
· Class II: 1 to 5 microns
· Class III: 5 to 15 microns
At least 85% of the particulate matter must fall within the specified range for a particular class.

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are potentially, carcinogenic by-products produced when water is disinfected with chlorine or bromine. These disinfectants form chemical reactions with other organic matter present in water. PUR® and PuriClean® provide refrigerator water filters to reduce the presence of THMs.

The industrial solvent, Benzene, and methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) have been used as gasoline additives, since the late 70’s, to replace tetra-ethyl lead, when the nation transitioned to lead-free gasoline. They have been capable to boost the octane levels of gasoline and reduce engine knocking in vehicles. MTBE is now being added to gasoline at higher concentrations than ever before in an effort to meet the latest oxygenate requirements of the Clean Air Act. WhirlPool, Maytag and PUR® provide water filters that are designed to eliminate MTBE and Benzene from refrigerator water.

The herbicides Atrazine, Alachlor, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) are used in agriculture as broad leaf weed killers, which selectively kill certain weeds without killing grass and other forms of vegetation. 2,4-D has been in use since the 1940’s. Atrazine and Alachlor were developed in the 1970’s because they proved to be more selective than 2,4-D in killing weeds. While all of these herbicides contribute to ground water contamination, Atrazine has been shown to present more significant contamination because its does not break down as quickly as the others. All refrigerator brands that offer NSF/ANSI 53 certified, water-filtering systems have the capability to reduce the presence of Atrazine and 2,4-D. Only some refrigerator brands dinclude water filters that are specifically designed to reduce the presence of Alachlor.

Toxaphene and Lindane were, once, widely used pesticides that are now banned from use in the US. Toxaphene was banned in 1990 when it was confirmed that inhaling or ingesting the pesticide could lead to complications of the lung, kidney and nervous system or death. Lindane is a volatile carcinogen that has shown to release as much as 90% of its content into the atmosphere. The evaporation allows the pesticide to be deposited in rain, causing soil and groundwater contamination as well as air pollution. All refrigerator brands that offer NSF/ANSI 53 certified water-filtering systems have the capability to reduce the presence of Lindane. Only some refrigerator brands include water filters that are specifically designed to reduce the presence of Toxaphene.