Copper sulfate, iron salts, rosin amine salts, and benzalkonium chloride these all chemicals are used to kill algae and blue or green algae, hence known as Algaecides, well Algae are photosynthetic organisms that possess photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll. However, they lack true roots, stems, and leaves characteristic of vascular plants, so we don’t want plants or green colored drinking water, so we remove them.
Everyday Drinking water is purified using chemicals like Algaecides, Antifoams, Coagulants…etc and No! These chemicals do not affect our health but are useful in killing bacteria which do affect our health badly, so let’s know about these few chemicals and how they help in purifying water and make it safer to drink.
The coagulation process involves adding iron or aluminum salts, such as aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, or polymers, to the water. These chemicals are called coagulants and are positively charged. These positively charged particles then attract Negatively charged parts that are dissolved in water and form into lumps of heavy particles and settle down at the bottom of the tank helping in removing small particles from drinking water.
Time to remove unwanted microorganisms from our drinking water for this we use chemicals like Chlorine, Chlorine dioxide, Ozone, Hypochlorite.
Chlorine dioxide is used principally as a primary disinfectant for surface waters with odor and taste problems.
Ozone is a very strong oxidation medium, with a remarkably short life span. It consists of oxygen molecules with an extra O-atom, to form O3. When ozone comes in contact with odour, bacteria or viruses the extra O-atom breaks them down directly, by means of oxidation. The third O-atom of the ozone molecules is than lost and only oxygen will remain.
Neutralizing agents are chemicals used to control acidity of water by increasing or decreasing pH level of water by adding chemicals like sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH), calcium carbonate, or lime suspension (Ca(OH)2) to increase the pH level of water and we add chemicals like diluted sulphuric acid (H2SO4) or diluted hydrochloric acid (HCl) to decline pH level of water.
So, by now, we have user Algaecides to remove algae, then we removed small particles by using Coagulants, and then we killed all harmful bacteria using Disinfectants, and finally, we balanced our drinking water pH level, making it safe and healthy to drink.
Everyday Drinking water is purified using chemicals like Algaecides, Antifoams, Coagulants…etc and No! These chemicals do not affect our health but are useful in killing bacteria which do affect our health badly, so let’s know about these few chemicals and how they help in purifying water and make it safer to drink.
