Arsenic is a naturally-occurring element in groundwater throughout the world. It has no taste, color or odor, but its presence in drinking water can cause serious health effects.

In addition to naturally occurring arsenic, which is by far the largest source, arsenic can also occur due to pesticides, mining, and computer chip manufacturing.

For highly efficient, cost-effective arsenic removal treatment from drinking water, ADI's patented MEDIA G2® water treatment technology is capable of reducing arsenic levels to less than 2 ppb, even from concentrations as high as 1200 ppb. The MEDIA G2® technology has treated hundreds of millions of gallons of arsenic contaminated water since 1999 with this arsenic adsorption technology. Communities around the world are turning to ADI International to meet EPA and WHO guidelines.

Because of the negative health effects of ingesting arsenic, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization have established a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion in drinking water. In the USA, compliance with the EPA limit is required by January 2006.

Over five percent of the community water systems in the United States which serve over 10,000,000 people, require treatment to meet the new limit.

ADI's highly efficient, cost effective arsenic removal system consists of pressure vessels containing MEDIA G2®. Although MEDIA G2® water treatment system was developed for adsorbing arsenic, it will also remove iron, manganese, chromium, uranium and other dissolved metals.

ADI's MEDIA G2® is a natural compound, not a synthetic compound. It is produced in North America and consists of granular, calcined diatomite upon which ferric (iron) hydroxide is chemically bonded. Iron attracts the arsenic in water and binds it to the media by chemisorption.

MEDIA G2® arsenic filtration systems work well in the pH range of 5.5 to 7.5, and unlike many other adsorbents, it is not affected by high concentrations of sulfate, chloride, iron or silica.

The ADI arsenic removal system operates in a down-flow mode, typically providing 5 - 10 minutes residence time. As the media in the filters becomes saturated with arsenic, the concentration in the treated water begins to increase. Before this concentration reaches the maximum allowable contaminant level (break through), the media is either replaced or regenerated in-situ.

Media G2 Industrial System	Media G2 Commercial System

US WATER has partnered with

who is the exclusive North American distributor of ADI's MEDIA G2®,
which has been used worldwide since 1998.

Institutional:
The first installation in the United States occurred in early 1999 with the retrofit of an existing activated carbon filtration plant at Rose Hill Center, a small health care facility in Michigan. The plant consists of six 36" diameter filters; retrofit included replacement of the activated carbon with MEDIA G2® and installation of an automated pH control system to maintain filter inlet pH at 6.5. The plant has been monitored by the USEPA since start-up, and continues to reduce arsenic from 30 ppb to <3 ppb.

Commercial:
Two arsenic removal systems were installed at a bottled water facility in California in 1999. Each system consists of two 8' diameter stainless steel filter vessels operating in parallel, and treats 250 gpm, reducing arsenic from 10 ppb to 2 ppb. Since the filters do not alter the chemistry of the water, except removing arsenic, the water is able to maintain the important natural spring water designation.

Municipal:
The first international use of this technology occurred in March, 1999 with the installation of a 100gpm plant in New Zealand. Arsenic at this location averages 26 ppb. A plant consisting of two 5' diameter vessels was installed outdoors on a concrete slab. It operates unattended, except for backwashing every 2 - 3 months. Outlet arsenic is <5 ppb.

There are now over two dozen plants installed worldwide, all reducing arsenic to less than 5 ppb. 

Residential:
A residential system looks like any filtration tank and takes up a small amount of floor space.  A typical system is pictured to the right.

For More Information on ADI's Arsenic Removal Process

Download PDF of Media G2 Brochure

Unlike other iron-based adsorbents, MEDIA G2® adsorption media can be regenerated 4 to 5 times, in a process which takes only a few hours. The volume of waste produced in regeneration is typically less than 0.1% of the volume of treated water. Of significance is the fact that the residuals generated from regeneration, as well as the spent media itself, are non-hazardous according to USA EPA's TCLP test.

MEDIA G2® was the first adsorbent of its type to be certified by NSF International to Standard 61. It also complies with FDA regulations, and has been performance-verified by ETV Canada (EPA/NSF ETV verification is underway in the US).

Arsenic Removal is not something to be taken lightly.  Therefore, in order to properly size a system, a Certified Water Specialist/Application Engineer from US WATER must visit the site to be treated, carefully documenting fixtures, pipe size, location, available space, drain access and other logistical issues.  Additionally, five (5) gallons of the the water containing arsenic must be shipped to the ADI/WATTS laboratory so that testing may be performed to certify that the arsenic can indeed be removed.  This takes approximately ten (10) days to two (2) weeks.  At the conclusion of the test, ADI will provide a detailed analysis, proforma and cost analysis of the Media G-2 system recommended.  We will not provide a "guesstimate."  THE TESTING & ANALYSIS SERVICE IS FREE!