ReadOns.com | Discover New Blogs Daily

10 common types of water treatment systems

Water treatment systems involve complex procedures to mainly improve the quality of water around residential and commercial areas, not just for drinking but also for irrigation and industrial uses. It involves various steps, from removing contaminants and pollutants in the water to purifying it. These systems ensure that everyone gets access to clean and safe water for different applications. Here are some of the most common types of water treatment systems.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)
This water treatment method is among the most popular approaches for purifying drinking water. It removes bacteria and toxins like fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, copper, hexavalent chromium, radium, and others from the drinking water using filtration. It basically pushes the contaminants on one side and allows only clean, purified water to pass through. The system is relatively slower since it purifies water as it comes for the end use and may reduce the water pressure.

UV systems
UV systems mainly sterilize drinking water and get rid of harmful bacteria and viruses that may pose health risks using ultraviolet light. This system is used in conjunction with other types of water treatment systems to also remove contaminants to make the water safe for drinking.

Distillation
Another popular water treatment system is distillation, mainly used for small scale or private projects like wells. This generally falls under the costlier systems but produces over 99% of pure water. Distillation involves heating the water and collecting the evaporated vapor, then cooling it back to its liquid form. The process may involve using activated-carbon block filters along with other methods like particle filtration, and water softening.

Activated carbon
Here, the activated carbon attracts and absorbs contamination during the process of filtration and effectively removes these impurities from the water along with it. It is mainly used to filter out chlorine, chloroform, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), agricultural chemicals, pesticides, magnesium, and other heavy metals. This is also another common water filtration and treatment system to remove toxins and purify local drinking water.

Filtration
The process of filtration has many steps. Coagulation is usually the first step where positively charged chemicals are introduced to the water to neutralize the negatively charged dirt and other contaminants. Salts, aluminum, or iron is typically used for this treatment. Following this, the flocculation step involves adding additional chemicals to form flocs, which are larger and heavier particles that can be easily removed for water purification. The last step of sedimentation ensures that these heavy flocs settle down at the bottom of the water and are thoroughly removed. This method is used mainly in treating community water systems.

Water Softeners
This is another common method used for household water treatments. It reduces the water hardness caused by excess calcium or magnesium ions in the water, using sodium or potassium ions.

Ion Exchange
As the name suggests, this water treatment system exchanges harmful contaminants that affect health negatively like nitrate, arsenic, sodium, fluoride, iron, and more with harmless ions. It uses water softening or demineralizing techniques to merely change the chemistry of the water and make it safe to drink without altering its purity level. It is used widely in commercial and residential drinking water projects.

Neutralizing filters
This system is used when the raw water pH is either equal to or more than 6.0, which means that the water is corrosive and not suitable for consumption or other applications due to its acidic nature. Hiking the pH of the water to a more neutral or alkaline level also ensures that it does not affect the household pipes, as well as equipment and infrastructure, through which it passes.

Chemical disinfection
This disinfection is used majorly for private water systems and uses chlorine, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide for the purpose. Ozone and hydrogen peroxide are relatively less common chemical disinfectants. Chlorination, on the other hand, uses liquid chlorine feed-systems or erosion chlorination systems to treat the water. The end result removes common contaminants. To get rid of the chlorine odor or taste, one can use carbon filters as an extension of the water treatment.

Aeration
Here, the aim is to increase the oxygen content in the water by introducing new air or oxygen in it. It is mainly used to treat foul taste and odor problems and remove harmful chemicals or gases in the water like hydrogen sulfide, methane, carbon dioxide, iron, manganese, and others. Aeration also bumps up the pH level of the water. The system, however, needs to be customized for each contamination, which is why certain tests are recommended to check the current contents of the water.

Before one considers these water treatment systems, one should remember that each of these come with its own set of limitations and advantages. They are also used for different purposes and applications, although the end result is basically to have access to clean, safe, and sustainable water supply, preserve public health, and also ensure environmental preservation. There are several factors that determine which treatment may be best for one’s specific needs and circumstances, like characteristics of the source water, objectives of the treatment, regulatory standards, and available resources. In most cases, experts may recommend using a combination of different treatments to achieve the end goal.

Popular Reads

11 useful tips for anxiety management

Nearly 84% of participants in a particular mental health survey were said to have some form of anxiety. The severity of symptoms did vary from person to person, but the fact remains that we live in a world where almost everything is a potential trigger for anxiety. And living in denial about having a psychological trigger only worsens the problem. Luckily, it is possible to manage anxiety by following the suggestions recommended by experts. Identify the triggers Anxiety is mainly triggered due to an event or episode where one finds themselves in a difficult position. It could be something that puts a person out of their comfort zone. Doctors advise people to identify these triggers and avoid them. Any comment, action, or situation that did not work out in favor triggers anxiety. So, make a list of such events and instances and ignore them the next time something happens related to that event. At the same time, try to remain positive as it can help strengthen the mind to manage anxiety better. Keep busy Distraction is one of the simplest ways to prevent a panic or anxiety attack. You can perform simple chores or indulge in a favorite task to stay physically and mentally occupied for a few hours. When the mind is occupied, there is hardly any scope for negative thoughts to trigger unnecessary overthinking. Some creative activities to boost cognitive performance include taking a walk, painting, drawing, listening to music, meditating, praying, and reading. You can opt for any of these to stay busy. Try mindfulness techniques Deep breathing and mindfulness techniques have helped thousands overcome their fear or anxiety time and again. Focused deep breathing is a method where one inhales for four counts and exhales for the same duration; this is practiced for minutes. It helps lower heart rate, which, in turn, calms the mind and body.

Atrial fibrillation – Causes, symptoms, and management tips

The human heart is susceptible to several health complications, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). The condition is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, which is a term describing when the heart beats unusually slowly, fast, or irregularly. AFib is estimated to affect between 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the country. An individual with the complication experiences irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers, affecting blood flow, leading to health complications. Causes Irregularities in the structure of the heart are the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Sometimes people may develop the condition without any known heart damage or problems. Risk factors like age may also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. Other potential causes of the phenomenon include a heart attack, sick sinus syndrome – issues with the heart’s natural pacemaker, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect – A heart defect that an individual might be born with, high blood pressure, lung diseases, heart valve problems, use of stimulants, including certain prescriptions and caffeine, physical stress caused due to pneumonia, other illnesses, and also surgery, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), metabolic imbalances, viral infections, and complications due to earlier heart surgery. Symptoms A person who develops atrial fibrillation may not notice symptoms, and the condition is detected only after a physical examination. But some people experience signs and symptoms before a diagnosis. A few common symptoms of AFib include being unable to exercise to one’s full potential, feelings of weakness, throbbing pain in the chest, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations and sensations of a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat, and feeling extremely fatigued. Therefore, the symptoms of atrial fibrillation differ from one person to the other. Occasional symptoms (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) Here, a person may experience something that lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Macular degeneration – Types, causes, and remedies

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects a person’s vision and develops as people age. This progressive eye disorder involves the deterioration of the macula, which is a part of the eye’s retina. It is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and may develop in one or both eyes. This condition is of two main types – dry and wet. Read further to learn about the disorder, its causes, and its types. Dry macular degeneration People are more likely to have dry macular degeneration than wet form. It is also less severe and develops when tiny yellow protein deposits under the macula. These deposits dry and thin the macula, causing gradual central vision loss while the peripheral vision remains intact. In the advanced stages, the dry form can progress to the wet form. People with dry macular degeneration need to test their eyes daily at home using an Amsler grid. One must consult a health expert immediately if any vision changes are observed. Wet macular degeneration In this condition, the blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula and cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This build-up of fluid results in scarring, leading to permanent loss of central vision. The wet form can cause a sudden change in eyesight resulting in a severe loss of centralized vision when left untreated. People with wet macular degeneration may require repeated treatments. Symptoms Macular degeneration may not cause any symptoms during the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, it can cause distortion and blurry vision. It can result in difficulty reading, driving, and identifying colors. Macular degeneration occurs mainly in people aged over 50. Blurred vision Dark, blurry areas appear in the center of the vision, leading to increased blurriness in reading printed words. Visual distortion The person may experience visual distortions, such as straight lines that look wavy or crooked, and objects may appear distorted.