Microporous Filters with Oxidizing Power for Iron and Manganese Removal from Water

This report describes the development of a microporous filter carrying oxidizing power to convert the ionic species in water from soluble form, such as Fe⁺² and Mn⁺²to insoluble form, thus allowing for their continuous removal in one step. The filters were constructed with a cellulosic fiber network for immobilizing adsorbent particles carrying oxidizing power. The porosity of the filters was controlled by selecting the proper size of the binding fibers and the adsorbent. A number of substances were incorporated into the filter matrix and tested for their ability to remove soluble iron from water. Magnesium peroxide was found to be the most effective and was capable of removing significant quantities of iron from water at high flow rates. Removal is believed to take place by a combination of ferric ion adsorption, oxidation to insoluble ferrous hydroxide and filtration. Construction of filter cartridges demonstrated the effectiveness of the material for home water purification.