Unpleasant odors and bad tastes in municipal water supplies are eliminated by treatment with__________________?
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Answer: C. Activated carbon
Explanation
Activated carbon adsorption removes organic compounds that create unpleasant tastes and foul odors in water. The porous structure of activated carbon traps taste-causing molecules effectively within its internal surface. Filtering water through activated carbon restores natural palatability and freshness to municipal supplies. Activated carbon is produced by heating carbonaceous source materials to create a vast network of pores. Adsorption involves molecules adhering to the surface of porous solids rather than absorbing into their bulk. Granular and powdered activated carbon are widely used in water treatment plants for organic contaminant removal.
Municipal water utilities use activated carbon filters to eliminate seasonal algae-derived taste and odor problems. Drinking water aesthetics matter greatly to consumers who judge water quality based on taste and smell. Advanced water treatment systems rely on carbon adsorption to remove synthetic organic chemicals reliably. Alum acts as a chemical coagulant to aggregate suspended particles, not to absorb taste and odor molecules. Bleaching powder serves primarily as a disinfectant to kill harmful bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms. Copper sulfate is an algaecide used to control algae growth in reservoirs rather than removing dissolved odors.
- Subject
- Engineering
- Category
- Chemical Engineering
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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