Microscopic testing and analysis of drinking water filters after the final life cycle, using an experimental stand

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to develop a testing infrastructure, under laboratory conditions, for the drinking water filters used in the household. The mechanical filtration of existing nanoparticles in drinking water distributed to the large public is a very important aspect of ensuring a high level of drinking water quality, at the final consumer-the household user, regardless of the conditions of supply or its distribution. Moreover, the importance of increasing the quality of domestic drinking water is reflected by the need to encourage its consumption, to the detriment of bottled PET packaging (polyethylene terephthalate), which confers a number of disadvantages in relation to environmental protection and consumer's health. In order to achieve the proposed goal, a computer aided design (CAD) was developed and an experimental stand was designed and built to allow different categories of constructive and structural filters to be tested. The filters were chosen according to well established criteria. Their testing was aimed at identifying the potential and characteristics of mechanical filtration of existing nanoparticles in drinking water. Finally, using the atomic force microscopy technology (AFM), it was possible to microscopically investigate the nanofiltration results performed using the sample of tested filter elements and their classification according to the quality of the filtration obtained.