The 20th Century: Technological Breakthroughs in Water Purification

IV. The 20th Century: Technological Breakthroughs in Water Purification

The 20th century witnessed remarkable technological advancements in water purifier technology. Reverse osmosis (RO) technology, initially developed for desalinating seawater in the 1950s, was later adapted for household use. RO technology uses a semi – permeable membrane to remove a wide range of contaminants, including salts, heavy metals, and microorganisms. This technology revolutionized the water purification industry, making it possible to produce highly pure water.
Ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) technologies also emerged during this period. UF membranes have pores smaller than those of microfiltration membranes, allowing them to remove smaller particles such as viruses and some organic molecules. NF membranes, with even smaller pores, can remove multivalent ions and some organic compounds. These membrane – based filtration technologies provided more efficient and precise ways to purify water.

The 20th Century: Technological Breakthroughs in Water Purification