FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question:
What makes the SEYCHELLE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES Ionic-Adsorption Micro-Filtration System the BEST?
A The primary reason our filters perform better than other filtration systems is that each product is designed to guarantee the greatest amount of reduction per contaminant.
The Micro-Porous plastic body of the filter contains thousands of interconnected
omni-directional pores, each being a uniform 2 micron in size. In addition to
pore size control, our micro-porous filters have 3 proprietary media impregnated
within that are coordinated carefully for the reduction of potentially harmful
contaminants. The mechanical filtration is superior in efficacy in the removal
of what is referred to as the A, B, C, D and R of water contamination:
A esthetic – unpleasant taste and odors, cloudiness, silt, sediment, chlorine, chlorine by products
B iological – harmful microscopic pathogens such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other cysts and spores.
C hemical – toxic chemicals: Trihalomethanes, PCB’s PCE’s, detergents, and pesticides
D issolved solids – including heavy metals such as aluminum, asbestos, cadmium, chromium 6, copper, lead, arsenic and mercury
R adiological – Radon 222
Seychelle’s exclusive Ionic-Adsorption Micro-Filtration™ combines the different concepts of filtration including adsorption, absorption, chemical bonding and chelation. It reduces specifically all areas of contamination through the exclusive design and impregnation of proprietary media with outstanding filtration capabilities.
Question:
Why are the Seychelle Portable Water Filtration Systems better than bottled water?
A Three basic reasons: First - The US EPA, NSF and ANSI Certified Testing Results of our filters assure you consistent quality, great-tasting water each and every time. Our water filtration systems are the most tested products of their kind in the world. Efficacy and quality are guaranteed and on record. Many bottled waters, especially in developing countries, are not guaranteed and actual water sources unspecified.
Second - the Seychelle portable water filtration bottle is affordable, efficient, cost effective and can be filled from any convenient water source anywhere, anytime.
Third - the Seychelle system produces up to 100 gallons of great-tasting filtered water; equal to 757 half liters of bottled water at a fraction of the cost!
Question:
Will the Ionic-Adsorption Micro-Filtration System wear out?
A The filter will not wear out, per se. However, the maximum filtering capability gradually diminishes and when the water flow is too low, it’s time to replace the system.
Question:
Who performs the tests for the filters efficacy and for what elements specifically?
A In the United States, water filtration products are tested by independent laboratories to verify the exact capabilities and performance. All Seychelle filters are extensively tested by only the highest quality, US approved laboratories certified to test under the strictest EPA, ANSI & NSF standard methods and protocol. The gallon volume of filtration capacity is tested to NSF standards 42 & 53. In addition, Seychelle filters have been tested in sixteen (16) foreign countries.
All five areas of contamination A,B,C,D and R are tested. See Laboratory Test results for exact percentage reduction.
Question:
Is there a problem with activated carbon filters harboring or breeding bacteria or other contaminants within the filter itself?
A Bacteria can grow on anything, but the key to this product concept is to periodically clean the filter. Most consumers use a Granulated Activated Carbon GAC filter element in a manner that the systems are either attached to the faucet or permanently installed under the sink counter. The major problem is that the water is allowed to collect after use, and this is when bacteria grows or multiplies. Bacteria will grow most effectively in a dark, moist atmosphere, especially if there is no disinfectant in the remaining water. The main reason for the bacteria build-up is that filters cannot sanitize themselves automatically. With our bottle products, simply flush with a 1/8 teaspoon of chlorine in one quart of water through the system and then rinse and flush with filtered water. Or, place a Redi-Chlor water disinfection tablet in the bottle and let it stand for thirty 30 minutes.
Seychelle has not received one report of bacterial growth on one of its filters since its introduction fourteen (14) years ago.
Question:
How is the capacity formula of 100 gallons filter use determined?
A Seychelle performs continuous flow tests that exceed 400 gallons. For chlorine removal, the testing laboratories run the filters with heavily spiked water for over 500 gallons without any break-through of residual chlorine or other surrogates used.
Question:
It is mandatory to flush the systems before initial use?
A It is imperative that all filtering systems be flushed before initial use to insure all minute particles that may have gathered during manufacturing are rinsed from the units. Please refer to product manuals for exact instructions for each product in our line.
Question:
Please describe the various solutions available to eliminate our water quality concerns…
A The Solutions:
Boiling water: Not a method of filtration or purification. It may serve as a method for killing bacteria in an emergency. Very little else is removed by boiling. The sediment, dissolved solids (heavy metals), bad tastes and odor in a concentrated form as well as toxic chemicals remain. Boiling is not recommended as a solution.
Bottled Water: Quote from Consumer’s Digest, June 1996: “Bottled water is expensive. It is often priced 700 times higher than tap water and may be of questionable quality. Bottled water is clearly an alternative…an overused one. Past studies have shown that bottled water wasn’t much better than tap water in terms of purity. Costs vary dramatically.
Distillation: Water distillation is a very time consuming process of thermal separation and evaporation. Water is heated in a chamber, usually metal, to produce steam. The steam passes to a cooling chamber and is then condensed into refined product water. In theory, sediment, pathogens, chemicals and dissolved solids are removed as separation takes place. Some contaminants – chloroform, THM’s, and other organic chemicals – have a lower boiling point that water. Distillation is effective at removing most contamination in source water. Energy is required, either electricity or gas, in order to operate, which create a per gallon cost of up to $.60. Maintenance and cleaning are necessary for ultimate performance. Initial costs can range from $500 to $1,200.
Water Softeners: Works on the principle of Ion Exchange by adding sodium ions to exchange calcium/magnesium ions which are the water hardness minerals. This process is effective for home maintenance. It makes washing clothing easier, and dish washing more efficient by reducing soap requirements, keeping dishes, sinks, showers and tubs spot free. The process is not recommended for drinking water due to the increase in sodium.
Reverse Osmosis RO: A direct function of pressure, forcing water against a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane, due to its very small pore sizes has the ability to separate the pure water molecules from most contaminants in water. Reverse Osmosis must be used with a pre-filter to keep the membrane clean and a granulated activated carbon GAC post-filter to remove various volatile organic compounds. It takes 4-10 gallons of tap water to produce 1 gallon of purified water! It can be purchased in countertop or under the counter models costing $250 to $750.
Filtration : There are two basic types of filtration…mechanical and adsorption. Commonly referred to as sediment or activated carbon, each of these filters is used for a specific purpose. Mechanical filters can be designed to be as small as 2 microns to filter pathogens larger than 2 microns; or larger in porosity, up to 25 microns for sediment or suspended materials in source water. Granulated Activated Carbon or GAC filters are small granules that are extremely porous with a high surface ability for adsorbing organics from the water such as chlorine, agriculture and industrial toxic chemicals. There are many varieties of filters. Effectiveness varies with the kind of carbon, design, volume, and dwell time how long the water is exposed to the filter upon passage. Cost Varies.
