PART B Manufacturing: Distilled Water

MIGUEL RAMIREZ
Industrial Separation Processes

Within the manufacturing industry, distilled water is bottled and sold. In order to
obtain this water, it must be extracted from a mixture, which can be found in the
hydrosphere. This mixture is known as seawater. Seawater must go through
many industrial separation processes to become distilled and safe for human
consumption. These processes include screening, storage, pH adjustment,
removal of coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection
and distillation. Due to contaminants and unwanted minerals in the seawater, it
must be purified.

Seawater is a mixture of approximately 85.84% Oxygen, 10.82% Hydrogen,
1.94% Chlorine, 1.08% Sodium, 0.1292% Magnesium, 0.091% Sulphur, 0.04%
Calcium, 0.04% Potassium, 0.0067% Bromine and 0.0028% Carbon, along with
many other minerals.

Properties of the Mixture Used in the Separation and Products for
Separation and Its Uses

The seawater collected from the hydrosphere is subject to many industrial
separation processes. This includes screening, coagulation and flocculation
(particle aggregation), sedimentation, filtration, and distillation. When the
original seawater is put through screening, large solid particles and debris are
separated. The large particle size enables this mixture to be separated using this
process. These are distributed into the appropriate environment. The
subsequent separation process the mixture undergoes is the removal of
coagulation and flocculation. The products of this separation are the suspended
particles in the mixture. This includes and is not limited to clay, sand, algae,
bacteria, viruses and protozoa. The particle size and collection of the particles
enables this mixture to be separated using this process. These particles are
distributed into the environment. Some organic materials collected from this
process can be extracted and mixed with other minerals to create fertiliser.
Afterwards, the remaining mixture goes through sedimentation and filtration.
This process separates small particles from the mixture. This process removes
even smaller and unsettled particles from the mixture. The collected solids are
just smaller particles of the collected particles from separation of particle
aggregation. This includes and is not limited to clay, sand, algae, bacteria, viruses
and protozoa. These, as with particle aggregation, are distributed into the
environment. Again, organic material is collected and used for fertiliser. The
property that allows the separation of this mixture is particle size. Finally, the
mixture goes through the process of distillation. In this separation, contaminants,
solute, salt (NaCl) and any other remaining pollutants are separated from the
mixture, resulting in 99.9% pure water. The salt is collected separately. From
here, it can be used as table salt, for human consumption. These remnants are
disposed of and distributed into the environment. The property, which enables
this separation method to be employed, is boiling point. Afterwards, the water is
collected and is ready for human consumption. These are the properties of the
mixture, which enabled it to be used in the separation method, and the products
of separation and their uses.
PART B Manufacturing: Distilled Water

MIGUEL RAMIREZ
Issues Associated with Wastes from Processes Used

The separation of the mixture using these processes is not perfect. These
processes produce many unwanted wastes or by-products. These by-products
create a big issue with the environment, environmentalists, councils and
government. All processes produce by-products, however these are minute and
have very little impact. The process of disinfection however, produces these
harmful by-products.

There are many processes and chemicals that can be added to a mixture, in order
for it to be disinfected. Some include Chlorine, Chloramine (NH2CL), Chlorine
Dioxide and Ozone. The use of Chlorine as a disinfectant reacts with the organic
minerals in the mixture and forms trihalomethanes (THMS) and haloacetic acids
(HAAs). These are classified as carcinogens; that is, an agent that causes cancer.
These by-products are very dangerous and are heavily regulated by water and
environmental groups and companies. To reduce the amount of these
carcinogens being created, organic material must be effectively removed from
the mixture. This lessens Chlorine reactions with the material and in turn,
reduces the carcinogens generated. Although the use of Chlorine creates these
by-products, it is still widely used as it is very efficient, cost-effective and easily
accessible.

Because of the dangerous by-products, Chloramine is sometimes used as an
alternative. It is not as fast and effective as Chlorine. It does not however, form
the harmful THMs and HAAs. It produces nitrate, a much less harmless by-
product. Chloramine however, is corrosive and can dissolve through material.
This is the reason it is not widely utilised.

Chlorine Dioxide is a disinfectant that is rarely used. It reacts much faster than
Chlorine however, creates excessive amounts of Chlorite. Chlorite is an oxidizer
that when reacts with organic material, becomes very explosive. For this reason,
Chlorine Dioxide is rarely used, with few advantages to promote its use.

Ozone (O3) is a very powerful oxidizing agent. It is very unstable and works well
against many pathogens and microorganisms. It leaves no residue in the water,
making it supposedly clean to use. In addition, it produces comparatively fewer
by-products and does not affect the taste and colour of the mixture. Although the
advantages of using this disinfectant are great, it releases a suspected carcinogen
called bromate. Due to the unsure nature of its by-product, Ozone is used less
than Chlorine as a disinfectant, although it is still used widely.

All processes of separation produce a by-product. This can be both harmful and
safe. A contentious debate is underway regarding the disposal of the products of
separation, the by-products. For example, unwanted solids collected through
screening, sedimentation, filtration and separation of particle aggregation and
the unwanted minerals and other substances collected through distillation. Also,
variations in the process of disinfection generate numerous by-products. It is
argued that these by-products are not properly controlled or disposed, damaging
the four main spheres of the Earth; the Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere
PART B Manufacturing: Distilled Water

MIGUEL RAMIREZ
and Biosphere. On the other hand, manufacturers and supporters argue that
these processes are necessary to ensure that people get the products that they
need to survive, such as purified water. They argue that the benefits outweigh
the risk. The debate is still going, with not much progress being made and both
sides at a stalemate. Issues with wastes (by-products) of industrial separation
methods are still being resolved, through research in alternative methods or
reduction of by-products. These are the issues associated with wastes from
processes used.



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