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Water Stations

                Due to our growing population especially in Metro Manila, the need for drinking water became more in-demand. Partially, there is 40 well known water refilling stations. Adding to it was other small businesses of water refilling stations. The question is, what composes a Bottled Mineral Water? And how it was purified? Does these small businesses of water refilling station has the proper equipment in purification of water before they sell it on public?

 Composition of Bottled Water

Process of Purification

• Multimedia sediment filter- removes sediments such as rust, sand and particles that are invisible to the naked eye; employs a total of 5 filters.
• Activated carbon filter- removes all organic chemicals, herbicide, pesticide, offensive odor and bad taste.
• Ion exchanger- replaces hard minerals with soft minerals.
• Reverse osmosis membrane- the heart of the system and the most expensive unit; removes inorganic minerals, bacteria and viruses while retaining its oxygen content. the filter size is very small at less than 0.05 micrometer. The filtration process rejects about 50 percent of raw water volume.
• Post-carbon filter- improves the taste of water
• Ultraviolet lamp- ensures that the water is free from disease-causing micro-organisms.

Refilling Faucet

Purification Equipment

Pollutants

There are two classification of pollutants in our atmosphere; PRIMARY and SECONDARY POLLUTANTS.

Primary Pollutants

Combustion of Solid Waste

Primary pollutants are those pollutants that are emitted from pollution sources directly into the atmosphere. They usually retain their chemical characteristics and therefore, they have direct effects on the atmosphere. A good example of a primary pollutant is ash, which is formed during combustion of solid wastes and carbon monoxide which is emitted from a motor vehicle exhaust.

    

Carbon Monoxide Emitted by Cars

List of Primary Pollutants

• Carbon monoxide (CO)

Created by incomplete combustion (especially bad with older cars
Generates headaches, drowsiness, fatigue, can result in death
Odorless, colorless, poisonous gas 

• Oxides of nitrogen (NOx, NO) 

Emitted directly by autos, industry
NO - nitric oxide

• Sulfur oxides (SOx) 

Responsible for acid rain problemProduced largely through coal burning

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Highly reactive organic compounds

Release through incomplete combustion and industrial sources

 

• Particulate matter (dust, ash, salt particles)

Bad for your lungs

Secondary Pollutants

 

Acid Rain Formation

On the other hand, secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere.

Examples of a secondary pollutant include ozone, which is formed when hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) combine in the presence of sunlight; NO2, which is formed as NO combines with oxygen in the air; and acid rain, which is formed when sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides react with water.

List of Secondary Pollutants

• Sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

  

  Ozone Formation

Can cause respiratory problems

• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Gives air a brownish coloration

• Ozone (O3)

Colorless gas

Has a sweet smell

Is an oxidizing agent - lung tissue to rubber products

Irritates the eyes