Contaminant removal from a water stream is performed by combining current filtration technologies and staging them in common sense ways proven to be the best for any given application.
The following chart shows common contaminants and many of the technologies recognized to aid in their filtration and removal:
Algae – Cadmium
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) |
Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. |
Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) |
Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algae | – | X | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | X |
| Aluminum | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Ammonia/ Ammonium (NH3, NH4) |
X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Arsenic (SA) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bacteria | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Barium (BA) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Benzene (C6H6) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bicarbonate (HC03) |
– | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand |
– | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – |
X |
X |
| Cadmium (Cd) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
X |
– | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culate |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Membrane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) |
Oxidation/ Reduction |
Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) |
Settling (Gravity) |
Skimming (Flotation) |
Softening (Deminer- alization) |
Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) |
Stilling Well |
Ultra- filtration |
Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algae | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Aluminum | X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Ammonia/ Ammonium (NH3, NH4) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Arsenic (SA) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Bacteria | X | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X |
| Barium (BA) | X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Benzene (C6H6) |
– | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bicarbonate (HC03) |
X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand |
– | – | X | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Cadmium (Cd) |
X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | X |
Carbon – Chromium
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Carbon Tetrachloride (CCL4) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chloride (CL) |
– | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chlorine (CH2) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chlorobenzene (C6H5CL) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chloroethane (CH3CH2CL) |
– | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – |
– |
| Chloroform (CHCL3) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chromated Copper Arsenate |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chromium (Trivalent) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Chromium (Hexavalent) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Carbon Tetrachloride (CCL4) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chloride (CL) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Chlorine (CH2) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chlorobenzene (C6H5CL) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chloroethane (CH3CH2CL) |
– | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chloroform (CHCL3) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chromated Copper Arsenate |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chromium (Trivalent) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Chromium (Hexavalent) |
X | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
COD – Dichloropropene
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| COD (Chemical OxygenDemand) |
–
|
X | X | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | X |
| Copper (Cu) |
X |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Cyanide (NACN)(KCN) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Dichloro- benzene (C6H4CL2) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichloro- ethylene (CH3 CHCL2) |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichlorophenol | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichloropropene | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) |
– |
– |
X |
– | X | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | X | X |
| Copper (Cu) | X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | X |
| Cyanide (NACN)(KCN) |
– | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichloro- benzene (C6H4CL2) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichloro- ethylene (CH3 CHCL2) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichlorophenol | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dichloropropene | – | – | – | – | – |
X |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Di-N-Butyl Pathalete – Gasoline
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Di-n-Butyl Pathalete |
– | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-O- Cresol |
– | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-Phenol | – | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-Toluene | – | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ethylbenzene | – | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fluorine | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fluoride (F) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fats, Oil, Grease (FOG) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | X |
| Gasoline | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Di-n-Butyl Pathalete |
– | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-O- Cresol |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-Phenol | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dinitro-Toluene | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ethylbenzene | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fluorine | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fluoride (F) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Fats, Oil, Grease (FOG) |
– | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Gasoline | – | X | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Hexachloro-benzene – Mercury
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Hexachloro- benzene |
– | – | – |
X |
X |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hydrogen (H) |
– | X | X | – |
– |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| HydrogenGas(H2) | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Iodine (I) | – | – | – | – |
– |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Iron (Fe) | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
X |
– | – |
| Led (Pb) | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Manganese (Mn) |
X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mercury (Hg) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Hexachloro- benzene |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hydrogen (H) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| HydrogenGas (H2) |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Iodine (I) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Iron (Fe) |
X |
– | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | X | – |
| Led (Pb) | X | – | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | X | – |
| Manganese (Mn) |
X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | X | – | – | X | – |
| Mercury (Hg) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
Methyl Chloride – Potassium
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Methyl Chloride |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MethylIsobutyl Ketone |
– | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Napthalene | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nickel (Ni) | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Nitrate (NO3) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Nitrobenzene | – | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nitrophenol | – | X | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Phenol | – | X | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Phosphate (PO) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Phosphorus(P) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Potassium (K) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Methyl Chloride |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Methyl- Isobutyl Ketone |
– | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Napthalene | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nickel (Ni) | X | – | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Nitrate (NO3) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nitrobenzene | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nitrophenol | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Phenol | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Phosphate (PO) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Phosphorus (P) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Potassium (K) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Radon – Suspended Solids
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Radon (Rn) | – |
X |
X |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Radium (Ra) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Selenium (Se) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Silver (Ag) |
X |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Sodium (na) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Strontium (Sr) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Sulfate (So) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Surfactants | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Suspended Solids |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | X | X |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Radon (Rn) | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Radium (Ra) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Selenium (Se) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Silver (Ag) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sodium (na) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Strontium (Sr) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sulfate (So) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Surfactants | X | – | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Suspended Solids |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – |
Tetrahydufuran – Zirconium
| Contaminant | Activated Alumina | Aeration | Air Stripping | Carbon | Carbon Activated Gran (GAC) | Carbon Activated Powder | Chlorination | Coalescers | Cyclonic Separation | Deionization D.I. | Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) | Diffused Air Floatation DAF |
| Tetrahydofuran | – | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thallium (Ti) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Thorium (Th) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tin (Sn) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – |
| Titanium (Ti) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Toluene | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Trichlorobenzene | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Trichloroethylene | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Uranium (U) | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Urea | – | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| WaterSoluableOils | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Xylene | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Zinc (Zn) | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – |
| Zirconium (Zr) |
X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Contaminant | Floc- culation |
Hydro- carbon Absorption |
NANO Filtration (Mem- brane) |
Oleophilic (Oil Loving) | Oxidation/ Reduction | Ozon- ation |
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) | Settling (Gravity) | Skimming (Flotation) | Softening (Deminer- alization) | Solids (Screen, Bag, Cartridge) | Stilling Well | Ultra- filtration | Ultraviolet (U.V.) |
| Tetrahydofuran | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thallium (Ti) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thorium (Th) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tin (Sn) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Titanium (Ti) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Toluene | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Trichlorobenzene | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Trichloroethylene | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Uranium (U) | – | – | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Urea | – | – | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Water Soluable Oils |
X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – |
| Xylene | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Zinc (Zn) | X | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Zirconium (Zr) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Please note: This chart of filtration technologies was compiled from other sources, and therefore
Pan Pacific Environmental Group and Western Water Products cannot guarantee its accuracy.
For details contact Pan Pacific Environmental Group or email us from our Literature Request Page