In 1992, USEPA designated the popular KDF Process
Medium as a "pesticidal device," by recognizing its
bacteriostatic value when used in carbon filters.
In 1992, KDF 85® and KDF 55® Process Media
were certified by NSF International to its Standard 61 for
drinking water.
In 1997, ten years after KDF Fluid Treatment,
Inc. became a member of the Water Quality Association, the WQA
listed KDF media in its Glossary of Terms and Residential Water
Processing and, also that year, KDF 55 Process Medium was
certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 42 for drinking water.
Our cartridges contain more KDF relative to
the carbon than other brands. KDF is far more expensive than
carbon. Many companies use just a little of it to be able to
say that they have it.
In addition to the KDF media meeting two
different NSF standards, all the materials used in our water
purifier cartridges are approved by the appropriate agencies:
FDA, EPA, NSF & Water Quality Association.
Carbon
Carbon is a great workhorse media that has
been used in water treatment for many, many years. Its greatest
service is removing chemicals, which includes most of the
agricultural, automotive and industrial wastes that pollute our
waters.
Carbon is effective on chlorine, but the
amount of chlorine in city water would saturate and exhaust the
carbon very rapidly. For this reason, carbon only filters should
be changed VERY frequently. Many people are not aware of this.
By preceding carbon with KDF in a water
treatment system, the carbon is protected, as the KDF takes care
of the chlorine. Thus the carbon will have a much longer useful
life in dealing with the chemicals that are in the water in
lesser amounts than chlorine.
KDF and carbon together are a great team in
removing the spectrum of problem contaminants in tap water, from
bacteria, algae to heavy metals and other inorganic as well as
organic chemicals.
Solid Carbon Block
Our water systems containing solid carbon
block have been tested and certified according to the NSF
Standard No. 42 for chlorine, taste and odor reduction in
drinking water; and the NSF Standard No. 53 for drinking water
health effects in regard to reduction of cysts. These units are
also registered with the EPA for being a "pesticidal device", as
they eliminate parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
Some cities are now using chloramines, a
compound of chlorine and ammonia, instead of chlorine itself.
Chloramines are more stable than chlorine, but are
still somewhat toxic. KDF does not remove the ammonia portion of
chloramines, but carbon does. Chloramines do not saturate carbon
as quickly as chlorine. We recommend a dual system with the
second unit of solid carbon block in cities using chloramines.
Fluoride Removal
The one common chemical in city water that
these media do not remove enough of is fluoride. KDF reduces it
to some degree, but for more thorough removal we have another
media called "Alumina", which is very effective on fluoride.
To take care of fluoride, as well as the other
problem chemicals in most city water, we recommend a KDF +
Alumina cartridge in the first housing followed by a solid
carbon block in the second housing.
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