Technical Data
How does active ceramics work?
Active ceramics can play a big part in living a healthy lifestyle.
This page is primarily for those of you who wish to delve into the depths of how this relatively new media works. The information below should provide you with an insight into how our active ceramics provide the quality of water we expect.
Any questions that can’t be answered by this Technical sheet – please get in touch for an answer in layman’s terms (a Glossary of Terms can be found at the end of this document – for anything else there’s Google).
Benefits of ceramic spheres
Composition
Active ceramics, used for the treatment of water and other liquids, are produced as spheres, having a layered structure around a central nucleus or ‘seed’ and a complex open structure, which can exchange ions (zeolite), through minute electrolytic cells, which become active when in contact with an electrolyte such as water.
Softening
Active ceramics “soften” water in a relatively unconventional manner – known as conditioning. Ecopure filters DO NOT remove nutrients such as Ca and Mg through ion exchange, but rather hold the particles in suspension by lowering the surface tension of water. This is brought about due to the very strong redox reaction caused by active ceramic spheres rubbing together when water passes between them. This holding of particles in suspension is what prevents limescale and rust particles from developing. Scale will be inhibited in cold and warm water applications up to boiling point.
Hardness tests are only effective if using the Dynes scale method. Testing by TDS (total dissolved solids) or PPM (parts per million) are ineffective. Active ceramics should not be used as a “softener” however – the conditioning process is a by-product of the filtration process.
Advantages
Most bacteria have a short life expectancy and when deprived of nutrition or the wrong environmental conditions, quickly expire. A bacteriostatic product will prevent or inhibit bacteria growth in the water or in the filter over time.
Disinfection can be performed by physical or chemical means, leading to sterilisation (killing off of any microorganisms). Physical means involves using heat, radiation (UV, FIR, infra-red), barrier filtration and ultra sound. Chemical involves dosing with chlorine, hydrogen peroxide etc.
When immersed in water, active ceramics display physical properties of semi conductivity, magnetic properties and light emission (in the far infra-red spectrum). The radiation emitted by the active ceramics are sufficient to excite molecules in the water thereby stimulating the oxidation process. The oxidation by electrolysis of water is a potent disinfectant (redox reaction), with anaerobic bacteria (see glossary) – Legionella and E.Coli – being the most sensitive to attack and therefore most quickly controlled/eliminated.
Bacteria reaction
Bacteria are attracted by the chemical activity and rough surface of the active ceramics where they attach themselves to the surface. Whilst there, the electrolytic process destroys the DNA and/or membrane around the cell and so prevents the ability to thrive or reproduce.
Over the surface of the ceramic minute cells are formed, comprising pairs of cathodes and anodes, where water is electrolysed, splitting into its component hydrogen and oxygen albeit in a complex manner.
While the hydrogen readily escapes, the oxygen so produced provides a powerful oxidising reagent capable of inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms and, indeed, killing them.
The significant advantage of active ceramics over other products used to control bacteria is that the electrolytic process begins immediately as water flows over and around the spheres… and is continuous and consistent thereafter, whatever the operating conditions.
Redox reaction
Active ceramics contain a mixture of different metals such as platinum, silver and copper. When the ceramic spheres rub together the dissimilar metals create a redox reaction thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Where KDF uses copper and zinc to create this redox reaction, the active ceramics contain metals further apart on the periodic table – and hence create a far stronger redox reaction. This is known to be up to 20 times stronger than using copper and zinc.
The strong electrolytic action created by the active ceramics also enables the media to be that much more effective in removing heavy metal minerals. A stronger magnetic reaction enables finer metal particles – which may escape through other filters using KDF – to be contained within the Ecopure filter.
Active ceramics contain a mixture of different metals such as platinum, silver and copper. When the ceramic spheres rub together the dissimilar metals create a redox reaction thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Where KDF uses copper and zinc to create this redox reaction, the active ceramics contain metals further apart on the periodic table – and hence create a far stronger redox reaction. This is known to be up to 20 times stronger than using copper and zinc.
The strong electrolytic action created by the active ceramics also enables the media to be that much more effective in removing heavy metal minerals. A stronger magnetic reaction enables finer metal particles – which may escape through other filters using KDF – to be contained within the Ecopure filter.
Far Infrared Ray
FIR rays are part of the sunlight spectrum which is invisible to the naked eye – also known as Biogenetic rays. These rays have been proven by scientists to promote the growth and health of living cells in plants, animals and humans.
FIR rays cause resonance with water molecules, which in turn ionizes and activates water molecules in our cells and blood thereby improving blood circulation and health conditions. Apart from the health benefits of FIR rays, they are also used globally to do the following:
- Softening of hard water and purification of water
- Eliminating bad odours - water and air
- Pain relief
- Improve perspiration systems
- Promote better sleep
- Purification of air
- Beauty care
- Speed up repair of body cells
- Balance acidity levels in the body
- Normalise blood cholesterol
- Prevent growth of moulds
- Better plant growth
Glossary of terms
Dynes scale
Dyne per centimetre is traditionally used to measure surface tension. The surface tension of water dictates its “wettability” measured in dynes per centimetre. Pure water has a surface tension of 72 dynes/cm.
Ultimately, by reducing the “wetness” of the water by way of active ceramics, will reduce the surface tension of the water enabling it to absorb scale which is already present in pipework.
Water hardness
Conventional water softeners use ion exchange to remove calcium and magnesium from the water, therefore reducing the potential for them to bind together and cause scale. The ion exchange can be done with small doses of hydrochloric acid (WAC – weak acid cation exchange) or salt/ sodium (SAC – strong acid cation exchange). In both these instances the healthy Ca and Mg minerals are removed from the water and replaced by Na (salt) or another such compound.
Active ceramics treat water through conditioning and thereby retains healthy minerals whilst reducing chance of limescale build up – through Ca and Mg binding.
Permanent hardness vs. Temporary hardness
Temporary hardness is what is found in one’s kettle, machinery, taps and work surfaces. It is calcium deposits which form when water is heated. Calcium and Magnesium minerals bind to form calcium or magnesium carbonate (CaCO3 or. MgCO3). When water is boiled, this mineral is removed from the water.
Permanent hardness is not possible to extract from water by boiling. Only chemicals can be used to remove the minerals such as ion exchange, or reduce the surface tension of water to prolong the binding process.
Bacteria types
Anaerobic bacteria
Do not require oxygen for growth, and therefore are found to thrive in water. The presence of oxygen (by way of oxidation when talking about a redox reaction) in the water will prevent further growth of bacteria as well as kill off the majority of bacteria which exists. E.Coli and Legionella are examples of anaerobic bacteria.
Anaerobic bacteria
An organism/ bacteria which can survive in an oxygenated environment and is often seen as bright green algae on river rocks, on the rock behind a waterfall, in water fountains etc. Generally these are seen to be healthy bacteria but are not found in municipal water.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H20) into oxygen (02) and hydrogen (H2) gas by way of ion exchange between an anode and a cathode. Usually electrodes (metal probes) are used to show how electrolysis takes place. Active ceramics contain tiny particles of dissimilar metals and therefore these ceramic spheres act as the electrodes needed for electrolysis to take place.
Essentially an electrical voltage occurs between the molecules and the active ceramic spheres.
While the hydrogen readily escapes, the oxygen produced provides a powerful oxidising reagent capable of inhibiting growth of bacteria and killing them. Electrolysis will also affect other molecules within the water including Calcium, Magnesium, metals etc. The higher the impurities in the water, the higher the electrical conductivity of the water.
Electrolysis is the overall effect under which the following activities occur:
- Electrolytic action
- Oxidation
- Redox reaction
- Reduction in surface tension of water
Electrolytic action means that metals in contact – especially dissimilar metals – tend to trade electrons which cause a corrosion/ magnetism whereby particles become stuck to each other.
Redox reaction is essentially 2 processes:
- oxidation - where electrons are lost
- reduction - where electrons are gained
These 2 processes happen simultaneously. It explains all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed. Electrons are transferred between molecules creating new elements eg. chlorine is changed into benign, water-soluble chloride. Chlorine is used extensively in dosing municipal water to kill any bacteria which may exist but is also a dangerous chemical to ingest, and far worse a chemical to absorb via the skin – ie in showers and baths. Ecopure filters convert chlorine to chloride thereby creating a benign, non-toxic soluble which the body can easily break down.
Legionella
Legionella Pneumophilia is a gram-negative bacterium that’s distributed in natural and manmade freshwater habitats. They are small, rod-shaped cells 1-2 microns in length and 0.5 micron wide.
Legionella is thought to be contracted by inhalation of water droplets in which the organism is aerolised.
Aspiration is another method of contracting the disease – the bacteria enters the lungs by way of secretions entering the lungs on choking, rather than going into the stomach as per normal.
The Legionella organism is one of the top 3 causes of sporadic, community-acquired pneumonia.
The majority of outbreaks are associated with buildings such as hotels, factories, hospitals, nursing homes and office blocks. Due to the fact that Legionella is so difficult to distinguish from other forms of pneumonia, many cases go unreported.
Legionella is treated by high dosing of chlorine and other chemicals on an annual basis. Further preventative measures can be taken by facilities management in using Ecopure products to reduce the chances of bacteria growth – shower head filters, whole house/ building systems, and hard water treatment.
These units will kill the bacteria in a number of ways:
- A stronger redox reaction caused by the active ceramics will ensure that the electrolytic reaction and oxidisation do not allow growth of the bacteria, as well as killing it off on contact with the filter
- Eliminating scale and the build up thereof prevents the Legionella bug from "hiding" and breeding behind limescale in pipes. When Chlorine dosing does take place, it often cannot get behind scale build-up which will leave pockets of Legionella active