A method for preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block, a nano-enabled activated carbon block produced by the method, a household water filtration system comprising the nano-enabled activated carbon block, and a method for filtering tap water using the household water filtration system are provided. The method includes contacting a solution including a metal(lic) precursor (e.g. a titanium compound and/or an iron compound and/or a zirconium compound) with activated carbon particles such that the solution fills pores of the activated carbon particles. The method further includes causing a metal (hydr)oxide (e.g. titanium dioxide and/or zirconium dioxide and/or iron oxide) to precipitate from the solution thereby causing metal oxide nanoparticles to become deposited within pores of the activated carbon particles. The method also includes preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block from the activated carbon particles having metal oxide nanoparticles deposited within the pores thereof.

A system containing a reactor vessel including zero valent iron media, a source of a conditioning additive, a source of a reaction additive, and a process control subsystem is disclosed. A method for reducing a concentration of one or more contaminants in contaminated water including contacting zero valent iron media with a conditioning additive, contacting contaminated water with conditioned zero valent iron media, and introducing a reaction additive is also disclosed. The conditioning additive and reaction additive may each contain an aluminum salt.

The embodiments described herein include an apparatus for adapting an existing water fountain having a water supply line and an existing bubbler assembly for dispensing water to a filtered water fountain. The system includes an adapter base in fluid communication with the water supply line, a housing assembly secured to the adapter base, and a bubbler head assembly secured to the housing assembly for dispensing water. A filter cartridge assembly is disposed within the housing assembly and is in fluid communication with the adapter base and the bubbler head assembly.

Provided are an extract, which is a fractionated component 1 of a water extract of a plant powder, wherein the fractionated component 1 is a fractionated component having a fractionation molecular weight of 12,000 or greater, wherein an ethanol-undissolved component of the fractionated component 1 exhibits a peak attributable to carboxylic acid in a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) measurement and exhibits a peak attributable to cellulose in a gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) measurement, and wherein an ethanol-dissolved component of the fractionated component 1 exhibits a peak attributable to carboxylic acid in the FT-IR measurement and exhibits a peak attributable to a plant protein in the GC-MS measurement, and a water-purifying agent containing the extract.

A reagent system for treating heavy metal-contaminated materials is provided and includes an oxidizer, a soluble phosphate, and an alkaline hydroxide source, such as a caustic soda or lime. A method of treating mine waste bearing one or more heavy metals is also provided and includes the step of admixing a reagent system with heavy metal-containing material to preferentially reduce the leachability of heavy metals and form precipitates and complexes of low metal solubility that remain stable within the host solid matrix for long durations in acidic and abrasive conditions.

A filter material composing a ceramic clay having an interconnected network of pores formed from cellulose fiber combustion is useful for removing chemical and biological contaminants from a water supply. Coating the ceramic clay with lanthanum enhances the removal of anionic species of As(V), As(III), Cr(VI), microbes and virus.

A method of treating water to remove selenium and/or mercury that is dissolved in the water. The method includes adding an acid to the water to reduce the pH, adding a metal reagent to the water that is effective to reduce the selenium and/or mercury to a lower oxidation state, and then removing the reduced selenium and/or mercury from the water.

An organic polymer composition (OPC) comprising guanidinium-containing A units interconnected with B units of the formula *—R*).sub.r, wherein each asterisk (*) in A units denotes a connection point with an asterisk in B units; R is a hydrocarbon linking group containing at least one carbon atom; r is an integer of 1, 2, or 3; and the composition necessarily includes an anionic species X.sup.m− with a magnitude of charge m of at least 1, wherein the sum of negative charge provided by anionic species X.sup.m− counterbalances the total positive charge provided by the A units. Also described herein is a method for removing one or more oxoanions from an aqueous source by (i) contacting the aqueous source with the above described OPC to result in absorption of the oxoanion into the OPC to produce an oxoanion-containing OPC; and (ii) removing the oxoanion-containing OPC from the aqueous source.

A filter media for implementation in a sugar purification process that allows for a significant increase in sorbent material while maintaining, and enhancing the decolorization and. hydraulic properties. The filter media incorporates sorbent material, fiber having specific properties that allows for small particle sorbent material without jeopardizing the hydraulic properties of the media, and an electrolyte. The sorbent material is an inorganic, an adsorption, or ion exchange media, or a metal-organic framework. The implementation of this filter media in a sugar purification process eliminates the need for a clarification step during refining while providing for enhanced decolorization and hydraulic properties for fluid flow.

An apparatus for the treatment of acid mine drainage and selective recovery of at least one of metals, critical elements, sulphuric acid and water is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one electrochemical reactor, at least one catholyte reservoir and at least one anolyte reservoir for containing the acid mine drainage and a buffer, respectively. The reservoirs are in fluid communication with the at least one electrochemical reactor. The apparatus also includes at least one sensor for monitoring a pH of a contents of the reactor; and a power source for supplying an electrical current to the at least one electrochemical reactor. The electrical current is supplied until a predetermined pH is reached for the selective recovery of the at least one of metals, critical elements, sulphuric acid and water. A process for the treatment of acid mine drainage is also disclosed.