Access to clean, drinkable drinking water is essential for survival. A portable water filter is one of the best tools that prepper can use to ensure they are always able provide clean drinking water for themselves and their family. The compact, ingenious filters are capable of removing almost all contaminants from water except for the smallest.
Modern water filters can they remove viruses from the water? Some can, but not the majority. It depends on how efficient and rated the membrane is. High performance water filters using a nano-rated membrane, or other methods, will remove most viruses.
Water filters can remove dirt and debris but they may not catch viruses. As we’ve all learned the hard way, viruses can ruin our lives…or worse.We will discuss viruses in the rest of the article and how to remove them.
The size of viruses is Incredible
We must learn about viruses to understand why common water filters are not able to filter out virus. The viruses are small and have a strange life cycle. Their reproduction method is also odd. They are a very diverse and abundant form of microorganism.
The size of viruses can range from 1/10 of a millimeter to 110,00 of a millimeter.
Take a minute to consider that one micron equals a thousandth millimeter. We are dealing with creatures so tiny, they are almost unreal!
They are so small, but they can be quite insidious. By subjugating biological processes carried out by cells themselves, these tiny parasites live and reproduce inside cells. It’s pretty creepy when you think about it.
The sheer number of viruses that are worth discussing is staggering, but the majority do harm to our body once they have entered.
Some make us sick, like influenza and the common cold virus. Some will cause us to be gravely sick. Others will certainly kill us. It’s all from something so small that it can only be seen with significant visual enhancement.
Some water filters are not up to the task
You probably know that it is very difficult to capture something so tiny and insignificant as a virus. Modern water filters work really well.
Their filtration membranes are the secret. They’re usually the second or third stage of the filter, with the previous stage blocking out and filtering larger particles and contaminants.
The pores of a filter membrane are so small that they appear as if it were a single sheet under a magnifying glass. They are still small enough for water to flow through, while allowing even tiny micron-sized or fractions of micron-sized contaminants to be trapped.
may be impressive, but it could still contain openings that are large enough for viruses to get through and into your water. What a huge disappointment.
Next, we need to check the filter package of our water filter. We must first know the exact size of the membranes at each stage.
Understanding Filtration Capability
In general, it is helpful to verify the micron size of a particle that a filter can stop. This figure is usually expressed to the nearest decimal place as a fractional micron.
In this field, the most commonly used shorthand to describe filter capabilities is microfiltration. How capable are these ratings individually? Now let’s take a look at each rating.
A micro-filtration filter is one that can stop any particles larger than 0.1 microns. It is an excellent filter, by anyone’s standards, but it is not enough to meet our needs, since this filter will allow some bacteria, and almost all viruses, through.
Ultrafiltration is next, which can catch all bugs larger than 0.01 microns. It’s a very effective filter, yes, it will catch most bacteria and some viruses. But there are many viruses that are smaller.
Nanofiltration is the final ranking, which can capture any bacteria that exceeds 0.001 millimeters. It is the best water filter for clearing water sources of viruses and will catch virtually all known virus.
Before you choose a water filter, make sure that it has been laboratory-tested and is nanofiltration-rated.
Manufacturers often make big claims about their products that are not true in real life. Their rating for nanofiltration may only be applicable to a small amount of water and a short time period. If you plan to use the filter in an emergency situation, it must be able to provide full-time nanofiltration.
Filtration Methods Specialized
It is possible to purify your water without using any sort of filter. The water will still be of unmatched purity. Distillation is the method. The distillation process converts water into steam, which is then condensed back to water.
It is an easy method to use, provided you are able to pull it off. The process will ensure that everything from the water in question is removed once the steam is created. The sediment, bacteria and viruses, as well as any germs, will remain harmlessly behind, giving you a safe, pure water.
The industrial use of distillation for water desalination or reclamation has been well documented. But for this project, we can make it work with simple powered devices that sit on the kitchen counter. Or even improvise a method in which plastic wrap is used as a “solar-oven” in a remote area.
It is possible to distill on a large scale after a SHTF using nothing but a lab glass set-up and some burners.
Double-Tap!
boil your water after filtering to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination.
The majority of viruses are not able to survive high temperatures, let alone the scorching heat from boiling water.
The conclusion of the article is:
Filters can remove viruses but must also be able to filter out nanoparticles, which are particles that measure a thousandth of a millimeter in size. Most of them are simply not up to it.
The size of viruses varies, and many can slip through even the finest filters in many water filter devices.
You should also understand the filter’s laboratory-rated filtration specification to know how long it will last in normal field conditions.