Process for preparing reactive compositions for fluid treatment

#This invention relates generally to the field of solution and fluid treatment devices, primarily to aqueous solution and water treatment, devices for gases and industrial fluids and other aqueous liquids, which modify the components of the gas or aqueous liquid solution passed through them. In its more particular aspects, the invention relates to the field of such devices that reduce chemical and microbiological contaminants, including toxic metals and water treatment chemicals, bacteria and viruses and their components, contained in water or aqueous solutions.

#Purification or filtration of water or other aqueous solutions is necessary for many applications, from the provision of safe or potable drinking water to biotechnology applications including fermentation processing and separation of components from biological fluids, and to industrial processes that require waste stream treatment and recovery of process chemicals. Similarly, the removal of contaminants from fluids used in medical procedures and semiconductor fabrication processes, where ultrapurified fluids are required, and in environments where the fluids will be recirculated, such as aircraft or spacecraft, is also an important application for filtration and fluid treatment materials. In recent years, the need for water filtration and purification in the home has become more recognized, and the competing concerns of energy efficiency and residential fluid quality have lead to numerous filtration products, that purport to remove small particles, allergens, microorganisms, intentionally introduced biotoxins, pesticides, and toxic metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic.

#There are many well-known methods currently used for water purification, such as reverse osmosis, distillation, ion-exchange, chemical adsorption, coagulation, and filtering or retention. Particle filtration may be completed through the use of membranes or layers of granular materials. Other fluid purification techniques involve chemical introduction which alters the state or chemical identity of the contaminant. Examples of chemical additives include oxidizing agents, flocculating agents, and precipitation agents.

#FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a particular embodiment of the invention, namely a water filter housing containing a block filter incorporating, metal phosphates, metal oxides, reduced metals, metal silicates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, or combinations thereof along with granulated activated charcoal (GAC) in a binder matrix according to the invention. A surface reactive silane reagent was used to modify the surface of all materials.

#FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic views of a particular embodiment of the invention, namely a filter material containing complex mixtures of fluid treatment carbon, metal phosphates, metal oxides, reduced metals, metal silicates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, or combinations thereof and a binder matrix in the form of a membrane or sheet. A surface reactive silane reagent was used to modify the surface of all materials.

#As indicated above, one embodiment of the invention includes a composite of loose particulate, fiber or combinations thereof of fluid treatment carbon, metal phosphates, metal oxides, silicates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, silicates, metal hydroxides, or combinations thereof housed in a porous container that allow fluid passage therethrough. In this embodiment the loose particulate material and the container is treated with a surface reactive reagent that yields a surface attached chemical species.

#A more preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a purification material in the form of a block filter containing fluid treatment carbon, metal phosphates, metal oxides, silicates, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, silicates, metal hydroxides, or combinations thereof in a binder, which is typically a polymeric material. In a particular aspect of this embodiment, the invention relates to a block filter that contains a mixture of granulated phosphate minerals, silicates, iron in oxide, hydroxide, or reduced metal form or a combination thereof and granulated activated charcoal (GAC) or bone charcoal or other adsorptive filter media in a binder material, such as a thermoplastic or fluid swellable material, such that the mineral derivatives and GAC and/or bone charcoal are fixed within the binder matrix, and that channeling from flow during water treatment cannot occur. In this particular aspect of the embodiment all materials including the binder are treated with a surface reactive reagent that yields a surface attached chemical species.

#In another particular aspect of this embodiment, the invention relates to a rigid block filter that contains a mixture of silicate minerals and aluminum oxides, titanium oxides, iron oxides, or combinations thereof and granulated activated charcoal (GAC) or bone charcoal or other adsorptive filter media in a binder material, such as a thermoplastic material or fluid swelling material, such that the silicate and aluminum, iron and titanium containing minerals and derivatives and GAC and/or bone charcoal are fixed within the binder matrix, and that channeling from flow during water treatment cannot occur. In this particular aspect of the embodiment all materials including the binder are treated with a surface reactive reagent that yields a surface attached chemical species.