DTIC ADA453953: Filtration in the Use of Individual Water Purification Devices

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Filtration  in  the  Use  of 
Individual  Water  Purification  Devices 


Technical  Information  Paper  #31-004-0306 


PURPOSE 

This  information  paper  provides  an  in-depth  review  of  filtration  (including  adsorption  and  ion 
exchange)  as  a  pathogen  and  particulate  reduction  mechanism  when  treating  natural  waters. 

This  paper  is  intended  to  assist  the  reader  in  evaluating  the  capabilities  of  Individual  Water 
Purification  Devices  (IWPDs)  using  size  exclusion,  adsorption,  and/or  ion  exchange  to  reduce 
disease-causing  bacteria,  virus,  and  protozoan  cyst  populations,  as  well  as  turbidity  causing 
particulate  matter. 

REFERENCES 

Appendix  A  contains  a  list  of  references. 

INTRODUCTION 

Background 

Understanding  the  ability  of  filtration  to  reduce  disease-causing  microorganisms  is  important  in 
protecting  Soldiers,  who  are  considering  using  this  technology,  from  acute  health  threats  posed 
by  these  microorganisms.  Soldiers  deployed  beyond  traditional  field  drinking  water  supplies 
must  have  access  to  potable  water.  Using  IWPDs  is  one  way  to  provide  microbiologically  safe 
water  in  these  situations.  These  IWPDs  must  protect  the  Soldier  from  acute  microbial  health 
threats.  The  U.S.  Environmental  Protection  Agency  (EPA)  Guide  Standard  and  Protocol  for 
Testing  Microbiological  Water  Purifiers  (reference  1)  provides  perfonnance  standards  by  which 
an  IWPD  using  filtration  can  be  evaluated.  The  performance  standards  are  a  minimum  6-log 
reduction/inactivation  of  bacteria,  4-log  reduction/inactivation  of  viruses,  and  3-log  reduction/ 
inactivation  of  protozoan  cysts  (typically  Giardia  or  Cryptosporidium ).  IWPDs  meeting  these 
standards  are  considered  effective  at  reducing  disease  causing  bacteria,  viruses,  and  protozoan 
cysts.  Some  IWPD  manufacturers  test  their  devices  using  this  protocol.  This  is  considered  the 
best  way  to  evaluate  the  IWPDs  pathogen  reduction  capabilities.  In  the  absence  of  that  testing 
data,  this  information  paper  can  be  used  to  gain  an  understanding  of  the  advantages  as  well  as 
limitations  of  filtration  and  help  determine  if  an  IWPD  using  filtration  could  successfully  meet 
the  EPA  Guide’s  minimum  performance  standards. 

Origin  of  Filtration  for  Water  Treatment 

For  the  purpose  of  this  paper,  filtration  will  be  used  broadly  to  incorporate  separation  by  (1) 
granular  media,  (2)  size  exclusion  (e.g.,  membranes),  (3)  electrochemical  adsorption  (e.g., 
activated  carbon),  and  (4)  ion  exchange  (e.g.,  anion,  cation  exchange).  Filtration  is  a  well- 


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1.  REPORT  DATE 

MAR  2006 


2.  REPORT  TYPE 

technical 


3.  DATES  COVERED 

00-10-2005  to  00-03-2006 


7.  PERFORMING  ORGANIZATION  NAME(S)  AND  ADDRESS(ES) 

U.S.  Army  Center  for  Health  Promotion  and  Preventive  Medicine 
(USACHPPM),5158  Blackhawk  Road, APG,MD, 21010 

9.  SPONSORING/MONITORING  AGENCY  NAME(S)  AND  ADDRESS(ES) 


4.  TITLE  AND  SUBTITLE  5a.  CONTRACT  NUMBER 

Filtration  in  the  Use  of  Individual  Water  Purification  Devices  5b  GRANT  NUMBer 

5c.  PROGRAM  ELEMENT  NUMBER 

6.  AUTHOR(S)  5d.  PROJECT  NUMBER 

Arthur  Lundquist;  Steven  Clarke;  William  Bettin  TIP  31-004-0306 

5e.  TASK  NUMBER 
5f.  WORK  UNIT  NUMBER 

7.  PERFORMING  ORGANIZATION  NAME(S)  AND  ADDRESS(ES)  8.  PERFORMING  ORGANIZATION 

U.S.  Army  Center  for  Health  Promotion  and  Preventive  Medicine  report  number 

(USACHPPM),5158  Blackhawk  Road, APG,MD, 21010  TIP  31-004-0306 

9.  SPONSORING/MONITORING  AGENCY  NAME(S )  AND  ADDRESS(ES )  10.  SPONSOR/MONITOR' S  ACRONYM(S) 

11.  SPONSOR/MONITOR'S  REPORT 
NUMBER(S) 

12.  DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY  STATEMENT 

Approved  for  public  release;  distribution  unlimited 

13.  SUPPLEMENTARY  NOTES 

14.  ABSTRACT 

Soldiers  deployed  beyond  traditional  field  drinking  water  supplies  must  have  access  to  potable  water. 

Using  Individual  Water  Purification  Devices  (IWPDs)  is  one  way  to  provide  microbiologically  safe  water  in 
these  situations.  Understanding  the  ability  of  filtration  to  reduce  disease-causing  microorganisms  in  water 
is  important  in  protecting  Soldiers,  who  are  considering  using  this  technology,  from  acute  health  threats 
posed  by  these  microorganisms.  This  information  paper  provides  an  in-depth  review  of  filtration  (including 
adsorption  and  ion  exchange)  as  a  pathogen  and  particulate  reduction  mechanism  when  treating  natural 
waters.  This  paper  is  intended  to  assist  the  reader  in  evaluating  the  capabilities  of  IWPDs  using  size 
exclusion,  adsorption,  and/or  ion  exchange  to  reduce  disease-causing  bacteria,  virus,  and  protozoan  cyst 
populations,  as  well  as  turbidity  causing  particulate  matter. 

15.  SUBJECT  TERMS 

water;  drinking  water;  water  treatment;  purification;  filtration;  military;  IWP  (individual  water  purifier); 
pathogen  removal; 


16.  SECURITY  CLASSIFICATION  OF: 


a.  REPORT 

unclassified 


b.  ABSTRACT 

unclassified 


c.  THIS  PAGE 

unclassified 


17.  LIMITATION  OF 

18.  NUMBER 

ABSTRACT 

OF  PAGES 

19 

RESPONSIBLE  PERSON 


Standard  Form  298  (Rev.  8-98) 

Prescribed  by  ANSI  Std  Z39-18 


TIP  #31-004-0306 


studied  process  for  drinking  water  treatment.  Naturally,  as  groundwater  migrates  in  the 
subsurface,  contaminants  are  removed  from  the  water  due  to  ionic  attraction  as  well  as  sieving 
based  on  size.  Concurrently,  contaminants  such  as  iron  and  manganese  may  be  dissolved  into 
the  groundwater  and  often  remain  in  the  dissolved  form  until  pumped  to  the  surface.  Similarly, 
microorganisms  are  imparted  to  and  extracted  from  the  groundwater  during  subsurface 
movement.  Surface  water  (e.g.,  ponds,  lakes,  rivers),  like  groundwater,  has  ever-changing 
quality  with  respect  to  microorganisms,  particulates,  chemistry,  etc.,  but  is  more  exposed  to 
human  activity,  often  degrading  water  quality.  To  reduce  water  contaminants  and  create  potable 
water  safe  for  human  consumption,  water  treatment  has  included  filtration  to  mimic  and  better 
the  natural  removal  of  water  contaminants.  Filtration  for  water  treatment  dates  back  to  2000 
b.c.e.,  where  crude  sand  and  charcoal  filters  were  used  to  provide  better  tasting  water  (reference 
2).  Centuries  later  Hippocrates  designed  a  cloth  bag  known  as  the  Hippocrates  Sleeve,  used  to 
remove  sediments  from  water  after  boiling.  By  the  end  of  the  Middle  Ages  water  quality  began 
to  be  linked  with  disease.  In  the  mid  19th  century  the  spread  of  Cholera  was  noticeably 
decreased  where  sand  filtration  was  utilized  (reference  2).  The  benefits  of  water  filtration  for  not 
only  increasing  water  aesthetics,  but  decreasing  the  spread  of  disease,  lead  to  the  widespread  use 
of  filtration  seen  today  when  purifying  water  for  potable  use. 

Current  Use  of  Filtration  for  Water  Treatment 

The  original  slow  sand  filtration  developed  centuries  ago  has  now  been  replaced  with  rapid  sand 
filtration  using  multi-media  beds,  adsorption,  utilizing  electrochemical  forces  to  attract 
contaminants  to  the  media  surface,  natural  and  synthetic  membranes  engineered  with  distinct 
pore  sizes,  and  ion  exchange,  where  one  ion  is  removed  from  the  water  and  replaced  with  a  less 
offensive  ion.  Current  U.S.  Army  field  water  treatment  includes  several  filtration  devices  such 
as  the  Reverse  Osmosis  Water  Purification  Unit,  Tactical  Water  Purification  System,  and 
Lightweight  Water  Purifier,  designed  for  large  volume  water  purification.  An  industry  challenge 
has  been  to  reduce  the  size  of  full-scale  filtration  processes  down  to  individual  units,  while 
maintaining  treatment  efficacy  against  pathogens  and  particulate  matter,  but  without  excessive 
maintenance.  To  date,  there  have  been  no  IWPDs  fielded  to  the  Soldier  that  have  used  filtration 
as  the  primary  mechanism  of  water  purification.  Currently  fielded  emergency  drinking  water 
products  include  an  iodine-based  disinfection  tablet  (Globaline  )  and  a  flocculant-chlorine 

TM 

disinfectant  based  product  (Chlor-Floc  ).  Today,  there  are  several  Commercial-Off-The-Shelf 
(COTS)  IWPDs  that  use  filtration  as  the  primary  pathogen  reduction  mechanism. 


Globaline  is  a  trademark  of  Wisconsin  Pharmacal  Company,  Jackson,  WI. 

Chlor-Floc  is  a  trademark  of  Control  Chemical,  D/B/A  Deatrick  and  Associates  Inc.,  Alexandria,  VA.  Use  of 
trademarked  products  does  not  imply  endorsement  by  the  U.S.  Army,  but  is  intended  only  in  identification  of  a 
specific  product. 


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SEPARATION  MECHANISMS 

The  mechanisms  of  separation  during  filtration  vary  depending  on  material  and  design.  Overall, 
several  mechanisms  may  be  simultaneously  rejecting  contaminants.  For  example,  during 
filtration  primarily  incorporating  size  exclusion,  adsorption  and  depth  filtration  mechanisms  are 
likely  aiding  in  particle  retention. 

Straining 

Straining  entails  the  removal  of  particles  by  size  exclusion  when  particles  are  larger  than  the  void 
spaces  in  the  filter.  Straining  is  a  removal  mechanism  for  virtually  all  filtration  technologies 
with  the  importance  of  this  mechanism  related  to  raw  water  quality  and  size  of  particulate  matter 
in  reference  to  pore  size. 

Straining  by  Granular  Media 

For  spherical  granular  media,  close-packed  arrangement  will  remove  particles  when  the  ratio  of 
particle  diameter  to  grain  diameter  is  greater  than  0. 15  (reference  3).  For  typical  slow  sand 
filters,  this  equates  to  the  removal  of  particles  down  to  about  15  pm,  increasing  to  30-80  pm  for 
rapid  sand  filtration.  It  should  be  noted  that  other  mechanisms  aid  in  the  removal  of  smaller 
particles  for  these  filtration  techniques.  Specifically,  for  slow  sand  filtration  a  thin  slimy  layer 
of  particulate  sludge  forms,  termed  smutzdecke,  effective  in  trapping  particulates  and 
microorganisms  at  the  surface.  When  particulates  fonn  a  layer  during  granular  media  filtration  it 
may  also  be  termed  a  cake.  Cake  filtration  is  often  used  to  describe  straining  out  particles,  often 
smaller  than  the  media  pore  size,  by  this  top  layer,  or  build-up,  when  evaluating  granular  carbon 
filtration. 

Straining  by  Membrane  Filtration 

Porous  membranes  contain  varying  size  pores  and  are  rated  by  their  pore  size  based  on  nominal, 
average,  and  absolute  size.  Absolute  pore  size  is  the  size  of  the  largest  particle  (e.g.,  glass  bead) 
that  will  pass  through  a  membrane  under  specific  testing  conditions.  For  membranes  with 
uniform  cylindrical  pores  this  rating  has  meaning,  but  only  under  the  low  pressure  conditions 
tested  during  pore  size  determination.  Membranes  with  cylindrical  pore  structures  are  called 
capillary-pore  membranes.  Conversely,  some  membranes  are  manufactured  to  create  a  tortuous 
path  (sponge-like  appearance,  tenned  tortuous-pore  membranes)  where  pores  of  varying  size 
create  a  path  by  which  depth  filtration  mechanisms  arise  as  well  as  size  exclusion.  In  this  case, 
the  term  absolute  pore  size  has  little  meaning,  and  nominal  ratings  are  used.  Nominal  pore 
ratings  specify  the  percentage  of  particles  removed  of  a  certain  size  particle,  again  usually  tested 
with  glass  beads  (e.g.,  80%  of  1  pm  particles  retained).  Lastly,  membrane  pore  size  can  be  rated 
as  the  average  size  of  all  pores.  Different  pore  size  testing  techniques,  as  well  as  varying 
definitions,  create  a  questionable  pore  rating  system  unless  proper  information  on  the  membrane 


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is  noted.  For  example,  it  has  been  noted  that  certain  manufacturers  state  absolute  pore  sizes 
when  a  membrane  can  remove  85%  of  a  certain  size  particle,  contrasting  the  historical  definition 
of  an  absolute  pore  rating.  Caution,  therefore,  must  be  used  when  evaluating  membrane  efficacy 
based  solely  on  stated  pore  size. 

Depth  Filtration  Theory 

Particle  removal  and  retention  within  depth  filters  involves  Van  der  Waals  forces  where  two 
surfaces  have  attractive  forces,  in  this  case  between  the  particle  and  the  media  surface.  Van  der 
Waals  forces  are  short-ranged,  and  only  become  effective  when  the  two  surfaces  are  in  close 
proximity.  For  particle-media  surfaces  to  come  close  enough  together  for  these  forces  to  become 
effective,  transport  mechanisms  must  be  present.  These  mechanisms  are  represented  by  three 
different  processes,  which  include  interception,  inertia  and  sedimentation,  and  diffusion.  These 
processes  are  attributed  with  most  particle  removal.  As  a  particle  is  transported  through  a  filter, 
if  the  streamline  is  within  one  half  or  less  of  the  diameter  of  the  particle  from  the  media  surface, 
the  particle  will  be  intercepted.  Second,  as  streamlines  curve  around  the  media,  particles  can 
deviate  from  the  streamline  and  continue  towards  the  media  due  to  inertia  forces.  Particles  may 
also  deviate  from  streamlines  due  to  gravitational  forces  and  settle  onto  the  media  surface.  In 
both  cases,  particle  will  be  retained  at  the  media  surface.  Lastly,  particles  may  deviate  from 
streamlines  due  to  Brownian  motion  and  diffuse  to  the  media  surface.  The  following  diagram, 
Figure  1  (borrowed  from  reference  3),  illustrates  the  different  filtration  mechanisms  described. 
Depth  filtration  is  not  limited  to  granular  media,  but  can  be  applied  to  microfilters,  membranes 
and  carbon  filtration  as  well. 


Figure  1.  Filtration  Mechanisms. 


Particle  transport  mechanisms  in 
fundamental  filtration  theory:  (a)  inter¬ 
ception,  particle  A  follows  streamline  but 
collides  with  the  collector  because  of  the 
proximity  between  the  streamline  and 
the  collector;  (b)  inertia,  sedimentation, 
particle  B  deviates  from  the  streamline 
and  collides  with  the  collector  because  of 
inertial  or  gravitational  forces;  (c)  diffusion, 
particle  C  collides  with  collector  due  to 
random  Brownian  motion. 


Diagram  borrowed  from  reference  3. 


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Rejection  by  Osmotic  Membranes 

Two  solutions  in  contact  with  one  another  with  varying  solute  concentrations  naturally  try  to 
equilibrate.  In  water  treatment  we  can  use  this  driving  force  to  equilibrate,  by  placing  a  semi- 
permeable  membrane  between  the  two  solutions.  By  engineering  the  membrane  to  allow  passage 
of  the  water  molecules  through  the  membrane,  yet  reject  the  solutes,  the  two  solutions  will 
naturally  equilibrate  as  the  water  dilutes  the  more  concentrated  side.  Flux  through  the  membrane 
will  vary  based  on  solute  gradient,  temperature,  and  membrane  properties.  Common  practice  in 
water  treatment  is  to  reverse  the  natural  osmotic  tendency  by  pressurizing  the  influent  side, 
forcing  water  molecules  through  the  membrane  and  rejecting  the  solutes,  termed  reverse  osmosis 
(RO).  Despite  use  in  water  treatment  for  many  years,  the  exact  mechanism  of  water  transport 
and  solute  rejection  is  still  debated.  The  underlying  question  is  whether  these  membranes  are 
non-porous  and  diffusion  driven,  or  whether  they  contain  very  small  pores  for  preferential  (size 
exclusion)  convective  transport  of  the  solvent.  There  are  several  theories,  or  models,  on  the 
rejection  mechanisms  of  osmotic  membranes  of  which  three  are  most  commonly  accepted. 

Solution-Diffusion  Model 

The  solution-diffusion  model  describes  penneation  through  a  dense  membrane  that  is  permeable 
but  non-porous.  Water  and  solutes  dissolve  into  the  membrane,  diffuse  through  the  solid 
material,  and  re-liquefy  on  the  permeate  side.  In  this  model,  separation  occurs  due  to  the 
different  flux  of  solutes. 

Pore  Flow  Model 

This  model  considers  convective  flow  through  a  porous  membrane.  Water  and  solute  flux  is 
coupled  with  separation  occurring  due  to  sieving.  Since  many  solutes,  namely  salt,  are  similar  in 
size  to  water  molecules,  physical  sieving  would  not  be  efficient.  An  apparent  limitation  of  this 
model  is  the  small  pore  size  required,  less  than  0.1  nm,  for  separation  to  occur. 

Preferential  Sorption-Capillary  Flow  Model 

This  model  describes  a  porous  membrane  where  water  is  preferentially  sorbed  to  the  surface  and 
transported  through  the  membrane  due  to  concentration  gradient.  Membranes  with  low  dielectric 
constants  prefer  water  molecules,  creating  a  layer  of  low  solute  concentration,  in  essence 
blocking  the  solutes  from  contact  with  the  membrane  surface  and  therefore  preventing  passage. 
Osmotic  potential,  to  pull  water  across  a  membrane  from  a  less  to  more  solute  concentrated  side, 
has  also  been  applied  to  IWPDs  in  a  passive  form.  By  using  a  non-offensive  solute  on  the 
membrane  product  side,  water  will  naturally  pass  across  the  membrane  to  the  higher  solute 
concentration.  Sometimes  termed  forward  osmosis,  this  process,  simply  termed  osmosis  (O)  for 
this  paper,  utilizes  the  same  pathogen  reduction  mechanisms  as  that  of  conventional  RO. 


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Adsorption 

Adsorption  is  a  mass  transfer  operation  in  which  contaminants  present  in  a  liquid  phase  are 
accumulated  on  a  solid  phase,  thereby  being  removed  from  the  liquid.  The  constituent  being 
adsorbed  is  referred  to  as  the  adsorbate  and  the  solid  onto  which  the  constituent  adsorbs  is  the 
adsorbent.  The  degree  of  adsorption  is  affected  by  attraction  of  the  three  following  interfaces: 
adsorbate/adsorbent,  adsorbate/water,  water/adsorbent.  The  strength  of  the  adsorbate/adsorbent 
interface  as  compared  to  the  others  will  determine  adsorption  efficacy.  Dissolved  species  are 
concentrated  onto  the  surface  by  physical  attraction  or  chemical  reaction.  Physical  adsorption  is 
by  nonspecific  binding  mechanisms  such  as  Van  der  Waals  forces.  This  binding  is  reversible, 
where  adsorbates  may  desorb  in  response  to  a  decrease  in  solution  concentration.  Chemisorption 
entails  specific  attraction  where  chemical  binding  transfers  electrons  between  the  adsorbent  and 
adsorbate.  Physical  adsorption  has  weaker  forces  and  bonding  energies,  operates  over  longer 
distances,  and  is  more  reversible  than  chemical  adsorption.  Chemical  adsorbates,  which  can  only 
form  a  layer  one  molecule  thick  due  to  specific  bonding,  may  have  several  different  attractive 
forces.  Polar  compounds  having  a  slightly  positive  and  negative  end  and  molecules  orient 
themselves  to  lower  their  combined  free  energy,  creating  a  dipole  attraction.  The  negative  end 
attracts  the  positive  end  of  another  molecule  fonning  a  dipole-dipole  bond.  More  important  to 
water  treatment  is  the  dipole-dipole  bond  with  water,  termed  hydrogen  bonding.  These  bonds 
are  very  strong  and  are  responsible  for  water  being  a  liquid  at  room  temperature.  Hydrogen 
bonding  between  the  water  molecule  and  adsorbate  competes  with  adsorbate/adsorbent 
attraction.  By  maximizing  physical  attraction,  covalent  bonding  and  Coulombic  forces,  all  of 
which  are  not  involved  in  adsorbate/water,  water/adsorbent  interaction,  we  can  increase 
adsorption  efficacy.  Water  pH,  molecule  size,  and  adsorbate  solubility  all  play  roles  in 
adsorption  and  affect  species  (polar,  neutral,  ionic)  differently.  Since  adsorption  is  not  a  primary 
mechanism  for  pathogen  reduction  these  interactions  will  not  be  further  discussed  but  can  be 
found  elsewhere  (references  3-5).  During  the  adsorption  process,  dissolved  species  are 
transported  into  the  porous  structure  of  the  adsorbent  material  by  diffusion,  then  adsorbed  onto 
the  interior  surface  of  the  grain.  Porous  adsorbent  materials  have  very  large  internal  surface 
areas  (400  -  1500  m2/g),  and  pore  volume  (0.1  -  0.8  mL/g)  (reference  3)  creating  many  sites  for 
adsorption  to  occur.  Three  commonly  used  commercial  adsorbents  include  zeolites 
(aluminosilicates),  synthetic  polymeric  adsorbents,  and  activated  carbon.  A  notable  affect  on 
adsorption  with  the  most  common  adsorbent,  activated  carbon,  is  water  pH.  In  order  for 
electrostatic  interactions  to  contribute  to  removal  by  adsorption,  particle-media  charges  must 
attract  the  particle  to  the  media  surface.  Since  most  particles  in  natural  waters  posses  a  negative 
charge,  media  should  posses  a  positive  charge.  As  pH  increases,  activated  carbon  becomes  less 
positive  until  a  point  of  zero  charge  (PZC)  is  reached  (reference  4).  At  a  pH  above  this  point, 
electrostatic  interactions  repel  particles  from  the  surface,  inhibiting  adsorption.  Depending  on 
the  carbon  used  the  PZC  may  range  from  a  pH  of  less  than  4  up  to  greater  than  10  (reference  4). 


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Ion  Exchange 

Ion  exchange  for  drinking  water  is  a  process  in  which  ions  within  the  water  stream  are  adsorbed 
to  the  surface  of  resins  and  exchanged  for  a  less  offensive  ion  that  is  then  imparted  into  the 
finished  water.  A  generic  representation  of  softening  using  a  sodium  resin  is  shown  below,  with 
R  representing  the  exchange  resin. 

R-(Na+)4  +  Ca+2  - — ►  R-(Ca+2)  +  (Na+)4 

Similar  to  adsorption,  ion  exchange  is  powered  by  electrostatic/electrochemical  attraction  in 
which  ions  of  opposite  charge  attract,  however,  with  ion  exchange,  the  presaturant  ions  on  the 
resin  are  released  into  the  water.  For  ion  exchange  to  occur,  the  presaturant  ions  cannot  be 
present  in  the  bulk  fluid.  Natural  tendency  to  equilibrate  will  favor  ions  both  in  the  bulk  fluid  as 
well  as  on  the  resin  surface,  therefore  equilibrium  will  occur  if  given  enough  time  (reference  6). 
Resin  beads  are  usually  0.04  to  1.0  mm  in  diameter  and  made  by  materials  such  as  polystyrene 
divinylbenzene.  Favorable  ion  exchange  resins  are  reversible,  and  once  all  exchange  sites  are 
exhausted  they  can  be  restored  through  regeneration,  although  eventually  irreversible  fouling 
will  occur.  Regeneration  usually  consists  of  several  bed  volumes  of  highly  concentrated 
regenerant  followed  by  rinse  water.  To  date,  the  most  common  use  of  ion  exchange  has  been  for 
softening,  although  heavy  metal  reduction  and  resins  designed  for  specific  ion  reduction  are  also 
becoming  more  commonplace.  There  are  four  common  ion  exchange  resins,  classified  as  either 
strong-acid  cation,  weak-acid  cation,  strong-base  anion,  or  weak-base  anion.  The  cation 
exchange  resins  are  negatively  charged  resins  often  used  for  calcium  and  magnesium  removal, 
while  the  less  common  anion  resins  are  positively  charged  for  the  removal  of  nitrate  and  other 
anions.  Both  strong-acid  and  strong-base  resins  are  effective  throughout  all  pH  ranges,  with  the 
weak-acid  and  base  resins  effective  only  within  narrow  alkaline  and  acidic  pH  regions, 
respectively.  The  preference  of  the  ion  exchange  resin  to  attract  one  ion  over  another  is  termed 
its  selectivity  sequence.  Ions  are  ranked  based  on  separation  factors,  or  the  ratio  of  the  affinity  of 
the  resin  to  favor  the  ion  compared  to  the  presaturant  ions  already  attached  to  the  resin.  In 
general,  with  dilute  solutions,  ion  exchange  resins  prefer  ions  with  the  highest  charge  and  lowest 
degree  of  hydration.  If  both  anion  and  cation  removal  is  required,  different  resins  can  be  run  in 
series  or  mixed  bed  resin  columns  can  be  used  to  produce  deionized  water.  In  this  case,  strong- 
acid  resin  of  the  H+  form  and  strong-base  resin  of  the  OH'  form  are  mixed  with  the  resultant 
presaturant  ions  released  forming  water.  In  this  case  no  ions  are  imparted  to  the  finished  water. 

A  major  drawback  of  mixed  bed  resins  is  that  the  resin  must  be  separated  before  regeneration  can 
occur.  Since  IWPDs  are  not  designed  to  be  regenerated,  these  drawbacks  are  not  applicable. 

ROLE  OF  PATHOGEN  IN  FILTRATION  SEPARATION  MECHANISMS 

The  primary  difference  between  pathogens  for  reduction  during  filtration  is  size.  Approximate 
sizes  are  as  follow:  viruses  0.005  -  0.3  pm,  bacteria  0.1  -10  pm,  Cryptosporidium  oocysts 
4-6  pm,  Giardia  cysts  8-12  pm.  Common  filters  used  in  IWPDs  have  pore  sizes  between 


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0.2  and  2  jam,  although  some  exist  outside  of  this  range.  Primary  reduction  mechanisms  for  each 
pathogen  vary  with  purification  technology,  with  generalizations  based  on  pathogen  morphology 
as  follows.  (1)  Based  on  size  exclusion  alone,  filter  retention  of  Cryptosporidium  oocysts  and 
Giardia  cysts  is  likely  for  properly  functioning  devices.  It  is  generally  assumed  that  if  a  filter 
can  reduce  Cryptosporidium  oocysts  then  Giardia  cyst  reduction  is  likely  (reference  7). 

Utilizing  filters  where  the  primary  means  of  reduction  is  by  size  exclusion,  latex  microspheres 
have  been  used  as  surrogates,  demonstrating  the  lack  of  importance  of  other  mechanisms  for  cyst 
reduction  (references  1,  8).  (2)  Bacterial  reduction  by  filters  is  based  on  adsorption  as  well  as 
size  exclusion  (reference  9).  Reduction  by  microporous  media  with  pore  sizes  of  0.45  pm  or  less 
will  likely  provide  adequate  bacterial  reduction  based  on  size  exclusion  alone.  Clean  bed 
filtration,  utilizing  larger  pore  sizes  will  likely  not  meet  the  bacterial  reduction  requirements  of 
references  1  and  10.  (3)  Due  to  the  extremely  small  size  of  viruses,  reduction  by  size  exclusion 
to  the  levels  required  in  references  1  and  10  is  unlikely,  unless  utilizing  very  tight  membranes 
such  as  for  osmosis.  Extensive  literature  exists  demonstrating  viral  adsorption  onto  microporous 
filters  as  well  as  how  water  quality  affects  viral  reduction  (references  9  and  1 1-24).  Particles 
immersed  in  aqueous  solutions,  including  viruses,  develop  a  surface  charge  by  adsorbing  ions  on 
its  surface  (reference  1 1).  The  charge  of  viruses  has  been  shown  to  play  a  significant  role  in 
adsorption  onto  surfaces  and  this  charge  changes  with  pH.  Similar  to  the  ZPC  of  activated 
carbon,  the  pH  at  which  viruses  have  no  net  charge  is  called  the  isoelectric  point  (pi).  Below  this 
pH,  viruses  are  positively  charged,  and  above  this  point  they  are  negatively  charged.  Coupling 
filters  that  are  positively  charged  at  a  pH  where  the  viruses  are  negatively  charged,  with  the 
difference  in  charge  minimized  (e.g.,  near  both  pi)  promotes  the  most  efficient  adsorption 
(reference  12).  From  this,  it  is  apparent  that  no  single  combination  of  adsorbent/adsorption 
conditions  exists  to  give  optimum  reduction  of  all  viruses  for  all  water  qualities  (reference  12). 
Increasing  electrostatic  and  or  hydrophobic  interactions  by  the  addition  of  chemicals  such  as 
magnesium  sulfate  (reference  13)  or  by  specially  treating  the  filter  to  promote  a  positive  charge 
at  natural  water  pH  will  increase  virus  retention  (references  14-17).  One  study  investigating 
coliphage  reduction  by  a  0.2  pm  microporous  filter,  showed  reduction  based  on  adsorption  as 
well  as  size  exclusion  (reference  9).  Initial  retention  on  clean  bed  filters  was  based  on  inertial 
impaction  due  to  adsorptive  forces,  resulting  in  low  to  moderate  reduction  and  highly  affected  by 
flow  rates,  water  quality,  and  membrane  material.  As  cake  formed  on  the  surface  the  primary 
reduction  mechanism  changed  to  direct  interception  at  the  surface  due  to  reduction  in  pore  size 
(reference  9).  Reduction  efficacy  was  less  affected  by  water  quality  but  still  showed  some 
susceptibility  to  changes  in  flow  rate.  Virus  reduction  by  adsorption  or  size  exclusion  on 
capillary  formed  membranes  is  unlikely  to  consistently  meet  the  requirements  of  reference  1 . 

IWPDs  USING  MEMBRANE  FILTRATION 

Membrane  Filtration 

A  membrane  is  a  thin  layer  of  semi-permeable  material  that  is  capable  of  separating  materials 
when  a  driving  force  is  applied  across  the  surface.  This  separation  into  two  phases 


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(concentrations)  creates  a  chemical  potential  between  the  two  sides  of  the  membrane  that  is 
based  on  the  physical  and  chemical  properties  of  the  materials  being  separated.  Membranes  are 
not  considered  to  be  passive  materials  but  are  termed  functional  materials  whose  performance 
characteristics  are  based  on  the  nature  of  the  elements  to  be  separated  and  the  driving  force. 
Membranes  are  classified  based  on  the  size  or  molecular  weight  cutoff  (MWCO)  of  the  solutes 
they  are  capable  of  rejecting.  Membranes  used  in  water  treatment,  in  order  of  decreasing  pore 
size/MWCO,  are  microfilters,  ultrafilters,  nanofilters,  and  osmotic  membranes.  In  addition  to 
the  pore  size,  membranes  are  also  classified  based  on  their  structure,  either  symmetric  or 
asymmetric.  Symmetric  membranes  contain  consistent  pores,  porosity,  and  transport  properties. 
Asymmetric  membranes  contain  complex  pore  structure  with  pore  size,  porosity,  and  transport 
properties  changing  with  depth.  Asymmetric  membranes  contain  a  thin  active  layer  where 
separation  occurs,  supported  by  a  thicker,  more  porous  support  structure  to  provide  membrane 
integrity.  Currently  available  IWPDs  utilize  micro  and  osmotic  membrane  filters.  Membranes 
are  complex  materials  and  are  often  difficult  to  classify  due  to  minor  differences  in  materials  and 
structure.  The  following  information  gives  general  information  on  the  most  common  types  of 
membranes  used  in  IWPDs.  Membrane  configurations  within  IWPDs  are  commonly  oriented  as 
flat  sheet,  pleated  sheet,  or  hollow  fiber.  With  respect  to  pathogen  reduction  efficacy,  membrane 
orientation  is  not  a  factor.  Due  to  lack  of  information  provided  by  manufacturers,  and  the 
proprietary  nature  of  IWPDs,  not  all  types  of  membranes  found  in  IWPDs  will  be  discussed. 

Polymer  Microfilter  Membranes 

Polymer  microfilter  membranes  used  in  IWPDs  are  thin  sheets  up  to  about 
200  pm  thick  or  hollow  fiber  microporous  membranes  having  diameters  of  70  to  600  pm  and 
thicknesses  similar  to  thin  sheet  membranes.  These  membranes  are  engineered  with  specific 
properties  for  different  applications  and  can  be  made  of  many  materials.  Common  materials  may 
be  polycarbonate  (PC),  cellulose  acetate  (CA),  or  polyethersulfone  (PES).  Each  material 
contains  properties  that  affect  membrane  performance.  In  general,  increasing  hydrophilicity 
(contact  angle  less  than  90  degrees,  e.g.,  does  not  repel  water  molecules)  will  decrease  fouling 
potential  and  increase  flux.  Membranes  that  are  biologically  inert,  operate  over  a  wide  pH  and 
temperature  range,  and  are  chemically  resistant  are  the  most  desirable  for  water  treatment. 
Detailed  descriptions  on  the  production  of  these  membranes  can  be  found  in  reference  25. 

Microbial  pathogen  reduction  mechanism  by  polymer  microfiltration  membranes  is 
based  on  pore  structure.  Capillary-pore  membranes,  often  made  of  PC,  are  thin  (about  10  pm) 
and  consist  of  uniform  cylindrical  pores,  reject  microbes  based  on  size  exclusion  alone,  and  are 
generally  given  an  absolute  pore  size  rating.  In  theory,  these  membranes  should  reject  all 
microbes  greater  than  the  pore  size,  but  in  practice,  defects  in  pore  size  manufacturing  as  well  as 
seams  and  seals  within  the  device  will  prevent  total  rejection  of  larger  organisms.  During  use, 
capillary-pore  membranes  will  build-up  rejected  solids  on  the  surface  of  the  membrane.  This 
build-up  will  decrease  the  effective  pore  size  of  the  membrane  and  increase  headloss.  As  this 
clogging  increases,  so  does  the  ability  of  the  membrane  to  reject  microorganisms.  Clean 


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capillary-pore  membrane  micro  filters  have  pore  sizes  down  to  0. 1  pm,  which  can  be  expected  to 
reject  bacteria  and  protozoan  cysts,  but  have  minimal  effect  on  virus  reduction.  In  contrast  to 
capillary-pore  membranes,  tortuous-pore  membranes  are  thick  (about  150  pm),  consist  of 
sponge-like  structure  where  sieving  as  well  as  depth  filtration  mechanisms  dominate,  and  have 
increased  flux  over  capillary-pore  membranes.  These  are  often  made  of  CA  or  PES.  Pore  sizes 
vary  with  depth  and  spatially  with  direction.  In  addition  to  sieving,  microbes  are  adsorbed  onto 
the  media  as  described  in  the  above  sections  on  depth  filtration  theory  and  adsorption.  Due  to 
more  efficient  separation  mechanisms,  these  membranes  have  been  shown  to  retain  particles 
orders  of  magnitude  smaller  than  the  nominal  pore  size  (reference  25).  Tortuous-pore 
membranes,  like  capillary-pore  membranes,  have  pore  sizes  down  to  about  0.1  pm,  making  these 
efficient  at  retaining  bacteria  and  protozoan  cysts,  but  not  effective  at  sieving  viruses.  Due  to  the 
adsorptive  nature  of  these  membranes,  it  has  been  shown  that  several  log  virus  reduction  can  be 
achieved  but  results  are  inconsistent  and  drop  with  continued  production  (references  3  and  25). 
Polymer  microfilter  membranes  are  very  effective  at  reducing  particulate  matter  and  based  on 
pore  size  should  be  able  to  reduce  water  turbidity  to  below  1  nephelometric  turbidity  unit  (NTU). 
Due  to  the  small  pore  size  of  these  membranes  they  are  prone  to  fouling,  especially  with  the 
dead-end  configurations  used  in  IWPDs.  Pre-filtering  and  a  cleanable  or  backwashable 
configuration  will  reduce  fouling. 

Osmotic  Membranes 

Osmosis  uses  pressure,  RO  or  solute  gradient  osmosis,  to  drive  the  solvent  through  a 
dense,  nonporous  membrane  (some  models  consider  a  porous  membrane)  that  will  retain  salts 
and  solutes  down  to  very  low  molecular  weights.  Natural  osmotic  pressure  induces  travel  from  a 
less  to  a  more  concentrated  solution.  A  pressure,  in  excess  of  the  osmotic  potential,  must  be 
applied  to  reverse  this  flow  (RO).  Osmotic  potential  is  a  function  of  the  molar  concentration  of 
the  solute.  In  essence,  smaller  molecules  create  higher  osmotic  potentials.  Pressures  to  reverse 
this  natural  tendency  can  be  high.  Twice  the  osmotic  pressure  is  common  in  design  with 
seawater  separations,  with  pressures  of  5  to  8  MP  are  typically  used.  The  mechanism  of 
separation  for  RO  is  solution/diffusion  +  exclusion  as  explained  above.  Separation  is  based  on 
the  solubility  and  diffusivity  of  materials  in  the  membrane.  RO  membranes  are  usually  made  of 
hydrophilic  cellulose  acetate  materials,  cellulose  ester  plastics,  or  composites  such  as  a  cross- 
linked  polyamide  on  a  polysulfone  and  fabric  base.  CA  membranes  along  with  other  non¬ 
composite  membranes  are  termed  asymmetric.  The  entire  membrane  is  composed  of  the  same 
material  with  the  pore  size  decreasing  as  you  approach  the  surface.  In  nonporous  asymmetric 
membranes,  the  surface  skin  is  dense  with  a  porous  support  membrane  underneath  of  the  same 
material.  Composite  membranes  are  anisotropic  where  the  top  layer  and  sublayer  originate  from 
different  material.  The  top  dense  layer  sits  on  top  of  a  porous  material,  usually  an  asymmetric 
membrane.  Composites  can  be  designed  for  certain  selectivities,  but  presently  are  less  common 
than  CA.  CA  membranes  can  resist  a  low  level  chlorine  residual,  but  are  very  susceptible  to 
biological  degradation.  RO  membranes  are  very  thin  ranging  from  0.25  to  4  pm  to  increase  flux 
through  the  membrane  as  flux  is  inversely  proportional  to  membrane  thickness.  They  operate 


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ideally  at  pH  4  to  6.5  and  at  temperatures  below  30°  C.  Water  flux  increases  with  temperature  as 
long  as  temperature  remains  within  the  ideal  range  of  the  membrane  material.  Membrane 
configuration  may  be  plate  and  frame,  spiral-wound,  tubular,  or  hollow  fine  fiber.  The  most 
common  configuration,  spiral-wound,  contains  sheets  of  membranes  separated  by  spacer  sheets 
then  rolled  together  around  a  feedwater  spacer.  The  hollow  fine  fiber  configuration  is  similar  to 
that  used  for  micro  filtration  but  incorporating  tighter  membranes.  Increased  surface  area, 
resulting  in  higher  flux,  and  less  fouling  are  benefits  of  the  hollow  fine  fiber  design. 

Osmotic  membranes  are  classified  based  on  MWCO  with  mechanisms  of  removal 
described  in  an  above  section.  Measured  in  dalton,  these  membranes  are  capable  of  rejecting 
molecules  with  a  mass  of  >  100  dalton  regardless  of  charge.  Generally  speaking  rejection 
efficacy  favors  multivalent  ions,  branched  isomers,  and  increasing  molecular  mass.  Based  on 
size  exclusion  alone,  osmotic  membranes  are  capable  of  retaining  species  as  small  as  0.0001  pm 
(reference  26).  These  membranes  can  remove  most  all  natural  water  contaminants  known, 
although  no  treatment  can  universally  remove  everything.  Microorganisms,  salts,  hardness,  and 
organic  chemicals,  among  many  others  can  be  removed,  whereas  most  dissolved  gases  such  as 
hydrogen  sulfide  and  carbon  dioxide  will  not  be  removed  (reference  26).  IWPDs  utilizing 
osmotic  membranes  are  historically  designed  for  salt  water  desalination.  With  the  introduction 
of  IWPDs  using  osmosis,  application  to  fresh  water  has  been  considered.  Currently,  IWPDs 
using  RO  or  O  should  be  capable  of  reducing  waterborne  pathogens  (bacteria,  cysts,  and  viruses) 
to  levels  considered  acceptable  for  human  consumption,  as  recommended  by  the  EPA  (reference 
1).  Devices  using  osmotic  membranes  will  produce  the  lowest  NTU  water  of  all  membrane 
materials.  IWPDs  using  RO  are  historically  not  designed  for  natural  water  purification  where 
turbid  water  may  quickly  foul  the  membrane.  RO  units  will  perform  most  efficient  for 
desalination  were  particulate  matter  is  not  a  concern.  RO  use  in  IWPDs  for  natural  waters  would 
require  very  efficient  pre-filtering,  as  by  another  membrane  process  such  as  microfiltration,  and 
is  therefore  not  considered  a  viable  technology.  IWPDs  using  O  will  also  produce  extremely  low 
NTU  water  and  will  not  be  affected  by  particulate  matter  regardless  of  natural  water  turbidity. 
Since  O  devices  do  not  use  pressure  to  force  water  through  the  membrane,  no  cake  is  formed  at 
the  media  surface  and  no  pre-filtering  is  required. 

IWPDs  USING  CERAMIC  MICROFILTRATION 

Ceramic  microfilters  are  made  from  inorganic  ceramic  pastes  derived  from  powders  of  alumina 
(AEO3),  zirconia  (Zr02),  and  titanium  (Ti02).  These  pastes  are  extruded  and  sintered  at  high 
temperature  to  form  membrane  supports  with  macro  pores.  Subsequently,  submicronic  powders 
are  laid  on  the  supports  to  create  smaller  pore  diameters.  This  process  creates  a  symmetric 
material  with  high  chemical,  mechanic,  and  thennal  resistance  that  can  be  formed  in  a  variety  of 
shapes  including  candles,  discs,  and  tubes  (reference  27).  Pore  structure  is  tortuous  path  depth 
filtration  with  symmetric  pores  throughout  the  depth  of  the  filter.  With  pore  sizes  down  to 
0.1  pm,  ceramic  microfilters  are  efficient  at  retaining  bacteria  and  cysts  through  adsorption  and 
depth  filtration  mechanisms.  At  the  household  level  utilizing  untreated  water  sources,  ceramic 


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filter  use  has  been  shown  to  reduce  coliform  bacteria  resulting  in  greater  than  70%  reduction  in 
cases  of  diarrhea  (reference  28).  As  with  other  microfilters,  no  mechanism  exists  to  adequately 
reduce  virus  concentrations.  Commercially  available  ceramic  microfilters  are  often  impregnated 
with  silver  to  discourage  microbial  growth  on  the  media  surface.  This  is  intended  solely  to  limit 
growth  on  the  media  and  will  have  no  effect  on  bulk  water  pathogen  reduction.  Ceramic 
microfilters  are  very  effective  at  reducing  particulate  matter  and  based  on  pore  size  should  be 
able  to  reduce  water  turbidity  to  below  1  NTU.  Due  to  the  small  pore  size  of  these  filters  they 
are  prone  to  fouling,  especially  in  dead-end  configurations  used  in  IWPDs.  For  IWPD  use, 
ceramic  filters  are  designed  to  be  mechanically  cleaned  by  scraping  particulate  build-up  from  the 
media  surface.  The  ability  to  clean  this  media  multiple  times  makes  these  filters  a  very  effective, 
but  high  maintenance,  technology  for  use  with  turbid  waters.  Due  to  the  small  pore  size  of  these 
membranes,  pre-filtering  is  required. 

IWPDs  USING  FIBER  AND  FABRIC  FILTRATION 

Fiber  and  fabric  microfilters  can  be  made  of  compressed  or  cast  fibers  such  as  cellulose  papers, 
woven  fabrics,  and  glass,  in  addition  to  numerous  other  materials  (reference  29).  The  most 
common  to  IWPDs  are  fiber  microfilters  made  of  material  such  as  borosilicate  glass.  These 
filters  are  symmetric  depth  filters  with  pores  sizes  down  to  about  0.2  pm.  Pathogen  reduction 
follows  depth  filtration,  adsorption,  and  straining  mechanisms.  Clean  bed  pathogen  reduction 
may  entail  Van  der  Waals  interaction  and  electrostatic  interactions  as  well  as  straining  based  on 
size  exclusion.  After  continued  use,  cake  formation  will  likely  make  straining  the  predominant 
rejection  mechanism.  Consistent  reduction  of  bacteria  and  cysts  based  on  size  exclusion  is 
expected.  No  mechanisms  exist  to  consistently  reduce  virus  to  the  standards  of  reference  1. 

Fiber  and  fabric  microfilters  are  very  effective  at  reducing  particulate  matter  and  based  on  pore 
size  should  be  able  to  reduce  water  turbidity  to  below  1  NTU.  Due  to  the  small  pore  size  of 
these  filters  they  are  prone  to  fouling,  especially  in  the  dead  end  configurations  used  in  IWPDs. 
With  proper  design,  such  as  allowing  for  mechanical  cleaning  by  way  of  scraping  the  surface, 
these  filters  can  be  highly  effective  at  treating  turbid  waters.  Non-cleanable  filters,  requiring 
replacement  once  clogged  are  not  as  desirable  for  turbid  waters.  Due  to  the  small  pore  size  of 
these  membranes,  pre-filtering  is  required. 

IWPs  USING  CARBON  FILTRATION 

Carbon  Filtration 

Carbon  used  for  water  treatment  can  be  of  three  different  fonns;  granular,  powdered,  block. 
Granular  activated  carbon  (GAC)  for  water  treatment  is  often  made  from  wood,  peat,  lignite, 
coal,  or  coconut  shells.  Manufacturing  consists  of  carbonization  and  activation.  Carbonization 
is  conducted  in  the  absence  of  air  at  temperatures  up  to  700°  C,  while  activation,  or  oxidation,  is 
accomplished  at  temperatures  of  800  -  900°  C  in  the  presence  of  oxidizing  gases  such  as  steam 
or  CO2.  Activation  bums  off  anything  volatile,  leaving  highly  porous  grains  with  large  surface 


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areas.  Grain  size  varies  with  typical  values  between  0.4  mm  and  2.5  mm.  Powdered  activated 
carbon  (PAC)  is  made  of  the  same  materials  as  the  granular  form,  but  activation  can  entail  either 
gas  or  chemical  processes.  The  final  product  is  powder  with  typical  particle  sizes  ranging  from 
10  to  100  pm.  Carbon  block  is  produced  by  sintering  powdered  carbon,  thennoplastic  binders, 
and  other  additives.  Material  is  extruded  or  molded  under  heat  and  pressure  to  form  a  hollow 
filter  block  of  just  about  any  shape  or  size.  Absolute  control  over  pore  size  is  possible  as  well  as 
engineering  for  specific  contaminant  reduction.  Carbon  blocks,  unlike  GAC,  contain  increased 
surface  area,  do  not  exhibit  channeling,  and  contain  an  order  of  magnitude  smaller  pore  size 
resulting  in  increased  adsorption  capacity  (reference  30).  Commercially  available  carbon  block 
is  often  impregnated  with  silver  to  discourage  microbial  growth  on  the  media  surface.  This  is 
intended  solely  to  limit  growth  on  the  media  and  will  have  no  effect  on  bulk  water  pathogen 
reduction.  When  carbon  adsorption  capacity  becomes  exhausted,  regeneration,  involving  the 
desorption  of  solutes  from  the  media  without  affecting  the  media  surface,  and  reactivation, 
entailing  partial  regeneration  affecting  the  media  surface,  are  conducted  to  restore  the  media  for 
future  use. 

Pathogen  Reduction 

GAC  has  no  specific  mechanism  for  pathogen  reduction  beyond  that  typical  of  other  granular 
media  (reference  31).  Typically  larger  in  size  than  most  filter  media,  pathogen  and  particulate 
removal  by  GAC  is  poorly  accomplished  by  the  straining  and  depth  filtration  mechanisms 
described  in  an  above  section.  PAC,  like  GAC,  is  used  for  taste  and  odor  reduction,  and  is  not 
considered  an  effective  barrier  to  pathogens.  Carbon  blocks  have  been  shown  to  effectively 
reduce  pathogens  from  water  (references  32-34).  Pathogen  reduction  by  carbon  blocks  can 
follow  any  of  the  three  generally  accepted  particle  reduction  mechanisms  for  porous  media;  cake 
filtration  (surface  retention),  depth  filtration,  or  adsorptive  filtration.  Depending  on  pore  size, 
pathogens  may  be  retained  based  on  size  exclusion  alone.  As  cake  forms  on  the  media  surface, 
exclusion  of  smaller  particles  due  to  decreased  pore  size  is  considered  a  predominant  reduction 
mechanism  (reference  33,  34).  Carbon  block  surface  charge  may  play  an  important  role  in  clean 
bed  filtration.  The  surface  charge  of  carbon  block  is  based  on  the  pH  at  which  the  surface  is  not 
charged,  called  the  PZC  (reference  4).  At  pH  below  this  point  the  surface  is  positively  charged 
and  above  this  point  negatively  charged.  Since  pathogens  generally  possess  a  negative  charge,  as 
pH  decreases,  reduction  should  increase  due  to  electrostatic  interactions.  It  has  been  shown  that 
initial  reduction  due  to  electrostatic  or  Van  der  Waals  attraction  is  followed  by  straining,  as  the 
negatively  charged  particles  neutralize  the  surface  of  the  carbon  block  (reference  32).  When  pH 
was  above  the  PZC,  pathogen  reduction  based  on  adsorption  was  ineffective.  Proprietary 
chemically  treated  carbon  blocks  are  available  that  have  been  shown  to  be  capable  of  reducing 
bacteria,  cysts,  and  viruses  by  the  requirements  of  reference  1  (reference  32).  Little  is  known 
about  the  proprietary  chemical  treatment  and  the  exact  pathogen  kill  mechanism  is  unclear.  With 
respect  to  available  IWPDs,  carbon  blocks  with  pore  sizes  of  1  pm  or  greater  are  common. 

Based  on  this,  cyst  reduction  would  be  likely,  and  except  for  specially  treated  carbon  blocks, 
consistent  bacterial  and  viral  reduction  would  not  be  expected  to  the  reduction  requirements  of 


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reference  1 .  Granular  carbon  filtration  will  retain  some  particulate  matter  based  on  particle  size. 
As  a  cake  forms  on  the  surface,  increased  removal  will  occur.  Clean  bed  granular  carbon  alone 
will  not  likely  reduce  water  to  less  than  1  NTU.  Carbon  block  filtration  will  reduce  particulate 
matter  with  efficacy  based  on  block  pore  size.  Again,  particulate  size  will  be  a  factor  in  retention 
within  carbon  blocks  which,  as  used  currently  in  IWPDs,  have  a  pore  size  of  about  1-2  pm. 
Granular  carbon  will  not  likely  be  the  limiting  treatment  technology  requiring  pre-filtering  for 
IWPDs,  as  an  additional  pathogen  reduction  mechanism  will  be  present  that  will  dictate  required 
pre-filtration.  To  reduce  clogging,  pre-filtering  is  beneficial  when  using  carbon  block,  but  not 
required  as  shown  by  current  device  configurations. 

IWPs  USING  ION  EXCHANGE 

Ion  exchange  is  not  a  proven  technology  for  pathogen  reduction.  IWPDs  utilizing  ion  exchange 
must  employ  an  additional  mechanism  to  adequately  reduce  microbial  contamination.  Microbial 
growth  can  occur  within  ion  exchange  beds,  possibly  resulting  in  increased  contamination  due  to 
microbial  growth  sloughing  into  the  effluent  stream.  One  non-conventional  ion  exchange 
process  has  shown  much  promise  at  inactivating  pathogens.  Iodine  ion  exchange  resins, 
primarily  of  the  tri-iodide  or  penta-iodide  form,  have  been  extensively  studied  and  are  considered 
effective  at  pathogen  inactivation  through  disinfection  mechanisms  (references  29,  35).  Ion 
exchange  is  not  designed  for,  and  will  not  be  effective  at,  reducing  particulate  matter.  Pre¬ 
filtering  is  necessary  to  avoid  fouling  of  the  resin. 

CONCLUSION 

The  effectiveness  of  filtration  as  the  primary  mechanism  to  reduce  pathogens  in  IWPDs  is  based 
on  the  technology  used  as  well  as  the  raw  water  quality.  Filtration  utilizing  microporous  filters 
primarily  reduces  pathogens  by  size  exclusion  due  to  surface  or  depth  filtration  mechanisms. 
Adsorptive  interactions  contribute  to  pathogen  reduction  during  the  initial  filtration  until  cake 
formation  occurs  where  charge  neutralization  limits  the  effectiveness  of  this  mechanism.  For 
IWPDs  using  size  exclusion  as  the  reduction  mechanism,  bacteria  and  cyst  reduction  is  possible 
dependant  on  pore  size.  The  small  size  of  viruses  prevents  retention  by  size  exclusion  to  the 
reduction  requirements  for  purifying  natural  water.  Adsorption  of  viruses  has  also  been  shown 
to  be  inadequate  to  consistently  meet  requirements  for  producing  microbiologically  safe  water. 
Carbon  filtration  performs  similar  to  granular  or  microporous  filters  with  equivalent  pore  sizes. 
Proprietary  chemically  treated  carbon  surfaces  have  been  shown  to  meet  reduction  requirements 
for  microbiologically  safe  water  but  may  be  sensitive  to  water  characteristics  such  as  pH. 

IWPDs  using  osmotic  membranes  are  the  most  effective  at  reducing  pathogens  although  pressure 
driven  osmotic  devices  will  quickly  foul  when  used  with  fresh  water  sources.  For  IWPDs, 
filtration  will  decrease  the  particulate  matter  present  in  turbid  water  with  efficacy  based  on  pore 
size.  The  ability  of  the  IWPD  to  perform  properly  with  turbid  water  sources  is  dictated  by  the 
pre-filter  configuration  and  ability  to  clean  the  media  surface. 


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Table.  Summary  of  the  Pathogen  Reduction  Efficacy  and  the  Effect  of  Particulate  Matter 


on  IWP  Filtration  Technologies. 


Technology 

Summary 

Membrane 

Microfilter 

Expected  effectiveness  at  reducing  bacteria  and  cysts.  Microfilter  pore 
size  too  large  to  adequately  reduce  viruses,  requiring  additional  treatment. 
Common  configurations  limit  the  effectiveness  of  membrane  surface 
cleaning  making  this  technology  susceptible  to  fouling  from  particulate 
matter.  Degree  of  fouling  directly  related  to  efficacy  of  pre-filter. 

Straining  as  well  as  depth  filtration  mechanisms  may  be  involved  in 
microbial  and  particulate  rejection  based  on  membrane  structure. 

Ceramic 

Microfilter 

Expected  effectiveness  at  reducing  bacteria  and  cysts.  Microfilter  pore 
size  too  large  to  adequately  reduce  viruses,  requiring  additional  treatment. 
Ability  to  scrape  rejected  material  from  the  microfilter  surface  enables 
flow  to  be  restored  after  fouling.  Frequency  of  cleaning,  and  length  of 
filter  useful  life  directly  related  to  efficacy  of  pre-filter.  Straining  as  well 
as  depth  filtration  mechanisms  can  be  involved  in  microbial  and 
particulate  rejection. 

Fiber/Fabric 

Microfilter 

Expected  effectiveness  at  reducing  bacteria  and  cysts.  Microfilter  pore 
size  too  large  to  adequately  reduce  viruses,  requiring  additional  treatment. 
Filters  designed  to  be  cleanable  should  provide  some  ability  to  restore 
flow  after  fouling.  Frequency  of  cleaning,  and  length  of  filter  useful  life 
directly  related  to  efficacy  of  pre-filter.  Non-cleanable  filters  highly 
susceptible  to  fouling.  Straining  as  well  as  depth  filtration  mechanisms 
may  be  involved  in  microbial  and  particulate  rejection. 

Reverse  Osmosis 

Effective  at  reducing  bacteria,  viruses,  and  cysts.  Technology  is  not 
designed  to  treat  fresh  water  sources  and,  therefore,  requires  very  effective 
pre-filtering  to  prevent  membrane  fouling.  Not  a  feasible  IWP  technology 
for  microbial  or  particulate  reduction  of  fresh  water. 

Osmosis 

Effective  at  reducing  bacteria,  viruses,  and  cysts.  Technology  is  passive, 
eliminating  the  fouling  effects  of  turbid  water,  and  eliminating  the  need 
for  pre-filtration.  Slow  production  of  fluid,  exacerbated  by  cold 
temperatures. 

Granular/Powdered 

Carbon 

Not  considered  effective  at  reducing  bacteria,  viruses,  or  cysts.  Granular 
media  is  often  too  large  to  effectively  reduce  pathogens  based  on  size 
exclusion  and  is  not  considered  effective  at  depth  filtration  mechanisms. 
Powdered  carbon  is  used  solely  for  taste  and  odor  reduction  and  is  not 
effective  at  pathogen  reduction.  Particulate  matter  affects  these 
technologies  similar  to  conventional  granular  media. 

Carbon  Block 

Expected  effectiveness  at  reducing  cysts.  Consistent  reduction  of  bacteria 
is  not  expected  due  to  the  pore  size  of  carbon  blocks  commonly  used  in 
IWPs.  Not  effective  at  adequately  reducing  viruses,  although  proprietary 

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media  has  shown  some  promise.  Pathogen  reduction  based  on  size 
exclusion  and  depth  filtration  mechanisms.  Effects  of  particulate  matter 
similar  to  other  technologies  of  similar  pore  size.  Pre-filtration  and 
cleanable  filters  will  decrease  fouling  from  particulate  matter. 

Ion  Exchange 

Not  considered  effective  at  reducing  bacteria,  viruses,  or  cysts.  Iodine  ion 
exchange  resins  have  been  proven  effective  at  pathogen  inactivation 
through  disinfection  mechanisms.  Particulate  matter  fouls  ion  exchange 
resin  and  therefore  prefiltration  is  necessary. 

PREPARED  BY:  Arthur  H.  Lundquist,  Environmental  Engineer 
DATED:  March  2006 


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APPENDIX  A 
REFERENCES 


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2.  Baker,  M.N.  and  Taras,  M.J.,  1981.  The  quest  for  pure  water:  The  history  of  theTwentieth 
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&  Sons,  Inc.,  New  Jersey. 

4.  Sontheimer,  H.,  et.al.,  1988.  Activated  Carbon  for  Water  Treatment,  2nd  ed.,  AWWA, 
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5  Pontius,  F.W.  (ed),  1990.  Water  Quality  and  Treatment.,  4th  ed.  McGraw-Hill,  Inc., 

New  York. 

6  Owens,  D.L.,  1985.  Practical  Principles  of  Ion  Exchange  Water  Treatment.  Tall  Oaks 
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7.  Hunter,  D.,  2000.  “Control  of  Cryptosporidium  in  Water  Systems  Using  Cartridge 
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8.  Long,  W.R.,  1983.  “Evaluation  of  Cartridge  Filters  for  the  Removal  of  Giardia  lamblia  Cyst 
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9.  Farahbakhsh,  K.  and  Smith,  D.W.,  2004.  “Removal  of  Coliphages  in  Secondary  Effluent  by 
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13.  Farrah,  S.R.,  1981.  “Chemical  Factors  Influencing  Adsorption  of  Bacteriophage  MS2  to 
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20.  Sobsey,  M.D.  and  Cromeans,  T.,  1984.  “Effects  of  Bentonite  Clay  Solids  on  Poliovirus 
Concentrations  from  Water  by  Microporous  Filter  Methods,”  49(4),  pp.  795-798. 

21.  Guttman-Bass,  N.  and  Catalano-Shennan,  J.,  1985.  “Effects  of  Humic  Materials  on  Virus 
Recovery  from  Water,”  Applied  and  Environmental  Microbiology,  49(5),  pp.  1260-1264. 

22.  Jacangelo,  J.G.,  Madec,  A.,  Schwab,  K.J.,  Huffman,  D.E.,  and  Mysore,  C.S.,  “Impacts  of 
Feedwater  Quality  and  Operational  Conditions  on  the  Removal  of  Viruses  and  Bacteria  by 
Low-Pressure  Membrane  Filtration,”  AWWA  Water  Quality  Technology  Conference,  2002. 

23.  Lukasik,  J.,  Scott,  T.M.,  Andryshak,  D.,  and  Farrah,  S.R.,  2000.  “Influence  of  Salts  on 
Virus  Adsorption  to  Microporous  Filters,”  Applied  and  Environmental  Microbiology,  66(7), 
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24.  Hill,  W.F.,  Akin,  E.W.,  Benton,  W.H.,  and  Metcalf,  T.G.,  1972.  “Virus  in  Water  -  II. 
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Water Applied  Microbiology,  23(5),  pp.  880-888. 


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25.  Porter,  M.C.  (ed),  1990.  Handbook  of  Industrial  Membrane  Technology.  Noyes 
Publications,  New  Jersey. 

26.  Mallevialle,  J.  (ed),  1996.  Water  Treatment  Membrane  Processes.  McGraw-Hill,  Inc.,  New 
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27.  Weber,  R.,  Chimiel,  H.,  and  Mavrov,  V.,  2003.  “Characteristics  and  Application  of  Ceramic 
Nanofdtration  Membranes,”  Annals  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences,  984,  pp.  178-193. 

28.  Clasen,  T.F.,  Brown,  J.,  Collin,  S.,  Suntura,  O.,  and  Cairncross,  S.,  (2004).  “Reducing 
Diarrhea  Through  the  Use  of  Household-based  Ceramic  Water  Filters:  A  Randomized, 
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29.  World  Health  Organization,  2002.  Managing  Water  in  the  Home:  Accelerated  Health 
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30.  Rice,  P.J.,  1994.  “The  Ins  and  Outs  of  Carbon  Block  Filters,”  Water  Technology,  pp.  64-65. 

3 1 .  U.S.  Environmental  Protection  Agency,  EPA/600/R-01/1 10,  200 1 .  Controlling  Disinfection 
By-Products  and  Microbial  Contaminants  in  Drinking  Water,  Washington,  DC. 

32.  Koslow,  E.E.,  Nielsen,  S.C.,  and  Rook,  M.J.,  2002.  “The  Quest  for  the  Holy  Grail: 
Microbiological  Carbon  Block  Filters,”  Water  Conditioning  &  Purification. 

33.  Lau,  B.,  Harrington,  G.W.,  Anderson,  M.A.,  and  Tejedor,  I.,  2005.  “Physiochemical 
Aspects  of  Cryptosporidium  Surrogate  Removal  in  Carbon  Block  Filtration,”  Journal  of  the 
American  Water  Works  Association,  97(2),  pp.  92-101. 

34.  Lau,  B.,  Harrington,  G.W.,  Anderson,  M.A.,  and  Tejedor,  I.  “ Cryptosporidium  Surrogate 
Removal  by  Point-of-use  Carbon  Block  Filters,”  AWWA  Water  Quality  Technology 
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35.  U.S.  Army  Center  for  Health  Promotion  and  Preventive  Medicine,  2005.  Technical 
Information  Paper:  Iodine  Disinfection  in  the  use  of  Individual  Water  Purification  Devices, 
Aberdeen  Proving  Ground,  Maryland. 


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