What We Remove

Contaminants Treated Through Mechanical Filtration

Contaminants physically trapped by the pores of the filter

One of the oldest and most effective methods to filter something out of water is to physically trap the particles as the water passes through. Think of the way a fishing net catches fish while allowing water to pass through. In the same way, the tiny pores and microscopic crevices in the solid carbon block trap contaminants while still allowing the water to move through the filter.

Contaminants removed through mechanical filtration include:

• asbestos – mineral once used in building insulation; known to cause cancer
• cysts – parasitic microorganisms such as giardia or cryptosporidium, often too large to pass through the smallest pores of the filter
• particulates – miscellaneous physical particles that can cause turbidity (general water cloudiness), such as dirt or dust

Contaminants Treated Through Physisorption

Contaminants adsorbed to the filter by surface/capillary energy

Physical adsorption, or physisorption, is the process by which a particle becomes attracted to a surface, “sticking” to that surface upon contact. As water flows into the filter, some of the contaminants in the water enter the tiny pores of the carbon block and become “stuck” to the surface by a physical force known as Van der Waals forces, or capillary energy. If mechanical filtration is like a fishing net, physisorption is like a spiderweb, trapping insects that land on it.

Contaminants removed through physisorption include:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) – used in the production of plastics
• DEET – used as a pest repellent

Contaminants Treated through Chemisorption

Contaminants adsorbed to the filter by chemical forces

Chemical adsorption, or chemisorption, occurs due to the nature of activated carbon; activated carbon block surfaces contain a mixture of positive and negative charges.. Metallic contaminants in the water contain positive or negative charges, and are attracted to their opposite charges in the carbon block. If mechanical filtration is a fishing net, and physisorption is a spiderweb, then chemisorption is a magnet, attracting metallic particles to itself.

Contaminants removed through chemisorption include:

• Lead – metal; known neurotoxin that can poison the blood, nervous system, and brain
• Mercury – metal; known neurotoxin that can poison the blood, nervous system, and brain

Contaminants Treated Through Catalysis

Contaminants rendered harmless through catalytic reaction

Catalysis is what happens when a contaminant is adsorbed to the filter surface and in the process experiences a chemical change. When this happens, the contaminant changes from something harmful into relatively harmless chemical compounds. Think of catalysis like adding something to make a substance less dangerous – like diluting something really acidic by watering it down.

Contaminants reduced by catalysis include:

• Chloramine – used as a disinfectant
• Chlorine – used as a disinfectant

Detailed Contaminant Reduction List

Multipure Drinking Water Systems are NSF certified for NSF 42 (Aesthetic Effects), NSF 53 (Health Effects), and NSF 401 for the reduction of:

• Arsenic V*
• Asbestos
• Atenolol
• Bacteria**
• Bisphenol A
• Carbamazepine
• Chloramine
• Chlordane
• Chlorine
• Cyst (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, Toxoplasma)
• DEET
• Estrone
• Ibuprofen
• Lead
• Linuron
• Meprobamate
• Mercury
• Metolachlor
• MTBE
• Microcystin*
• Microplastics
• Naproxen
• Nonyl phenol
• Particulate matter, Class I (0.5 micron)
• PCB
• Phenytoin
• Perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA)*
• Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)*
• Toxaphene
• Trimethoprim
• Turbidity
• Volatile Organic Chemicals (listed below):
• Alachlor
• Atrazine
• Benzene
• Carbofuran
• Carbon Tetrachloride
• Chlorobenzene
• Chloropicrin
• 2,4-D (Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
• Dibromochloropropane
• o-Dichlorobenzene
• p-Dichlorobenzene
• 1,2-Dichloroethane
• 1,1-Dichloroethylene
• cis-1,2-dichloroethylene
• trans-1,2-dichloroethylene
• 1,2 Dichloropropane
• cis-1,3-Dichloropropylene
• Dinoseb
• Endrin
• Ethylbenzene
• Ethylene Dibromide (EDB)
• Haloacetonitriles (HAN):
• Bromochloroacetonitrile
• Dibromoacetonitrile
• Dichloroacetonitrile
• Trichloroacetonitrile
• Haloketones (HK):
• 1,1-dichloro-2-propanone
• 1,1,1-trichloro-2-propanone
• Heptachlor
• Heptachlor Epoxide
• Hexachlorobutadiene
• Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
• Lindane
• Methoxychlor
• Pentachlorophenol
• Perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA)***
• Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)***
• Simazine
• Styrene
• 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
• Tetrachloroethylene
• Toluene
• 2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
• Tribromoacetic acid
• 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
• 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
• 1,1,2-Trichloroethane
• Trichloroethylene
• Trihalomethanes (TTHM):
• Chloroform (surrogate chemical)
• Bromoform
• Bromodichloromethane
• Dibromochloromethane
• Xylenes (total)

*Multipure's Aqualuxe and Aquaperform are certified to reduce Arsenic V, Microcystin, and PFOA/PFOS.
The list of contaminants that Multipure Drinking Water Systems reduce does not mean that these substances are present in your tap water. Be sure to check for compliance with state and local laws and regulations.

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