Introduction
Water purification is the process of making water clean for human consumption or domestic use. In this study, we will learn about the methods of water purification and the need to purify water. Some of the ways of water purification are the use of chemicals, water boiling and reverse osmosis water technology, water-ionizing filter, and the ultra violate sterilizer method among others. In the study, we will discuss how these methods are in use in the Middle East. (“Water Treatment Plant, part 2”).
The specific purpose of the study
The specific purpose of the study is to describe and explain the methods of water purification in the Middle East. This is to determine the methods used for water purification and to establish its importance to the Middle East community. In general, the study is also to bring out the importance of purifying water for human consumption or domestic use.
Water purification is as important as life. As we understand, water is something that cannot be separated from man’s activities, we all need water to live, actually, without water, many activities will not run and well health conditions will deteriorate and with no time humanity will not exist. This is one crucial thing in life and that is why we must consider water purification not only in the Middle East but all over the world.
Let us begin the study by considering modern water purification in the Middle East. Well, as time expires it brings new years named modernity, for this reason, new technologies have emerged. These technologies are modern ones, this, therefore, leads to the modern ways of doing things. In this study, we are to explore the modern ways of water purification. Over years, water has been purified using different methods, called traditional methods and other simple methods that could help to make water pure but they were not very reliable. This has led to the need to discover other perfect ways to make sure that water is pure or clean for human consumption. The discoveries of these new methods currently are the modern ways of water purification.
Let us look at these modern methods of water preservation. The first method that we will discuss is water desalination. Sincerely this method is not modern as such, but it is still one common method of water purification. Water desalination is the process of making water pure through the removal of salt from it. Water desalination entails the distillation process. Below is a simple diagram to demonstrate this process.
In the process, water is heated and above the heating container, there is cold water to provide the cooling effect. The cooling effect causes condensation to the hot water vapor resulting in distilled water. The water collected from this process is distilled water which is free from impurities and is healthy for human consumption.
This is one of the most used methods in the Middle East because the main source of water in this place is seawater. Because most of the Middle East seas are salty, this method has been adapted in providing clean water. This method has matured in the Middle East and has supported the community in getting a reliable water supply (“Sea Water Desalination” par 7). This method is also very expensive in terms of hydroelectric power. It consumes a lot of power to run the process of water distillation that will cater to the need of the whole community of the Middle East. The diagrams below show a view of a water desalination plant and equipment (Brine Concentrator) used in water desalination plants.
Underwater desalination, another method is very effective in extracting salt from the water and leaving water pure for human consumption. This method is called reverse osmosis water filter. This method is also very effective and has been adapted in the Middle East. Let us explain how this method functions. This method uses the principle of osmosis. Osmosis is a principle that occurs in nature. It is the movement of molecules from areas of strong concentration to those of weak concentration. Reverse osmosis is different from diffusion and therefore in it water molecules move from areas of weak concentration to those of strong concentration. This happens through a semi-porous membrane. The membrane allows water molecules but other big molecules and ions are trapped. Among the trapped substance are glucose and bacteria. This process will end at the point where osmosis on both sides of the semi-permeable equalizes. After the equalizing of osmosis, the process stops then on both sides there will be contents to collect. One side will contain purified water molecules while the other side will contain the impurities collected from the water. If the ordinary osmosis was to be used then water will pass through the semi-permeable membrane. Here reverse osmosis has been used with pressure to enable the other material to go through thus separating water. The pressure forces water to pass through the semi-permeable membrane and be collected on the other side. This allows it to collect water and other impurities separated. This method is being one of the most popular ways of water purification. In the Middle East, this method has been adopted but because it is an expensive method, it has not become very popular.
Another interesting and most modern method of water purification that has been adopted in the Middle East is the ultraviolet water filter. The above diagrams show examples of Ultraviolet Water Filters.
This has been considered the most safest and effective way of water purification. The term ultraviolet filters do not mean filters used to filter water. In this process, a lamp produces ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet ray produced by the lamp is used to kill bacteria that cause bacterial diseases. This method is considered the safest method for water purification because there is no chemical added to the water. This method can is compared to the use of chlorine and other chemicals, which can have some side effects. This method requires that a container be put on a lamp that produces ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light will in turn kill dangerous microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses which cause health hazards to man. Dussert says that this water preservation method is very important because it kills many types of bacteria and viruses (Dussert Pp 1). This method is another expensive in terms of hydroelectric power.
Water ionization is another good method of water purification that has been adapted in the Middle East. This is method is an important one because of its nature of purifying water. The water filters used in this process are set to remove large amounts of contamination in water, all the organic and inorganic contamination. Into the water filter, there are embedded carbon silver blocks to provide effective purification. In the water, filters there are negatively charged electrons, which attract the positive irons in water. This will result in water with only negatively charged electrons. The resulting water is alkaline. Alkaline water is very healthy for human consumption because it maintains the optimum bodies PH. Alkaline water also helps in the elimination of accumulated toxins in the human body. This ensures healthy conditions. Not the less, alkaline water makes food testier. In the Middle East, this method is also used to purify water but it is limited because it being an expensive method (Barker, par 14). The expense of the preparation of this water comes because of the platinum equipment used in the process of water ionization. This equipment is very expensive (“About Water Ionization” par1).
One type of water purification that looks like a traditional method is distillation. This is because it is a method used over decades (“The Distillation Process par 3”). Actually, under the methods used in the present world for water purification, distillation is still one of the most important. This includes this method among the modern ways of water purification method. There are water-distilling plants that are contributing to the present sources of water purification. This method is widely used in the Middle East up to the present and it is among the first plants of water purification in the Middle East. The importance of studying all these modern methods of water purification in the Middle East was to bring up the understanding of the water situation in the Middle East. In the Middle East, the main source of water is seawater and most water bodies around this area are salty. This means that water cannot be taken, used for human consumption, or domestic use. To use water, purifying it should be considered. Water has many different types of purifications methods as those discussed in the study. The essence of learning the different methods of water purification method is to bring understanding on the provision of clean water for both human consumption and animal use. This also provides knowledge on different great methods that have been adapted in the present world to purify water.
Tentative Bibliography
Baker, Marcia M. “Generating Water and Power in the Desert: Beautiful, and Necessary.” Schiller Institute. Schiller Institute., 2001. Web.
Dussert, Bertrad W. “Trends and Developments in the UV Water Treatment Industry.” Google.com. (n.d). Web. 2009.
“Seawater Desalination Remains Critical to Meet Water Requirements Across the Middle East and North Africa, Finds Frost & Sullivan.” Weblog post. PR HUB. Taragana, 2009. Web.
“The Distillation Process.” Excelwater. Excel Water Technologies, 2007. Web.
“Water Treatment Plants.” Allwaterpurification. Allwaterpurification.com. (n.d) Web. 2009.