Lead is one of the most common-and worst-contaminants in drinking water.Water treatment using activated carbon filters is very popular but how good arethese filters at removing lead? Some activated carbon filters can remove up to 90%of the lead, but not all of them will.
Standard activated carbon filters do not always remove lead. Lead does not adhereto the carbon like other organic contaminants do. You can check the micron ratingof the filter and calculate lead reduction. Special activated carbon filters rated at 1micron should filter most of the lead out of the water.
This is because the pores are small enough to physically capture lead, so while thelead does not stick to the media, it is too big to pass through. Bottom line: Some airconditioner filters can remove lead, some can not. How to Tell if an ActivatedCarbon Filter Will Remove Lead The best way to know if a carbon filter can removelead is to check if it has NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) 53 certification.If awater filter element is certified to remove lead according to this standard, it meansthat it has been tested by a third party and has shown that it can reduce lead to acertain level.
It is something to brag about being NSF certified and most manufacturers will usethat fact to market their products. You can also search the NSF website for aspecific brand or product to see if it's certified.Carbon water filters do not need tobe officially certified for lead removal, but certification can give you confidence thatthe manufacturer's claims are correct. Third-party lab testing performed to NSFstandards is the next best thing to NSF certification. If you cannot find anyinformation about certification or third-party testing, contact the manufacturer andask for a data sheet to back up his claims.
