THE BERKEY SECRET

THE FINEST PURIFICATION SYSTEM AVAILABLE

The Black Berkey® purification elements combine the age-old process of micro-porous filtration with state-of-the-art technology and the highest quality materials to bring you the finest water purification system available anywhere.

At Berkey Water Asia Store, we want you to be educated about water purification. Water filtration may be a complex science but this explanation will help you make an informed decision on something as important as the quality of your drinking water. Several methodolo
gies are used to produce the Black Berkey® purification elements.

MICROFILTRATION

Berkey® purification elements are composed of a proprietary formulation of more than six different media types, all constructed into a very compact matrix containing millions of microscopic pores. These pores are so small that they produce what we refer to as a “Tortuous Path” that pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, VOC’s, detergents, cloudiness, silt, sediment and sedimentary minerals, foul tastes and odors must travel through. These paths are so small that these pollutants cannot pass through them and become trapped, eliminating them from your drinking water.

ADSORPTION

Secondly, our media formulation uses unique adsorption and absorption properties. Adsorption creates an ionic barrier similar to surface tension. This barrier is perfectly suited to the micro-porous water filter because it effectively allows the tiny pores to block water contaminants that are smaller than the pore size itself. This blocking process is how the Berkey® water filter is able to remove submicron viruses that other brands of water filters cannot, without the use of obnoxious chemicals like iodine or chlorine. Next, the heavy metals ions (mineral molecules) such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, aluminum, and other dangerous heavy metals are extracted from the water through an Ion exchange process where they are attracted to and transformed by electrically bonding to the media.

FLOW RATE

Finally, Berkey® systems are so effective at removing contaminants from water because of the extremely long “contact period”. Other filtration systems rely on water pressure that forces water molecules through the elements at 60-90 PSI. These water molecules come into contact with the filter media for a mere fraction of a second. By comparison, water molecules passing through the structure of the Black Berkey®elements are drawn gently by gravity and stay in contact with the media for a long period of time. This allows the filter media to be more efficient in capturing contaminants. This advanced technology was developed, refined, and proven through years of diligent, investigative research and testing performed by water purification specialists, researchers, and engineers. The flow rate or time of exposure through the BlackBerkey® purification elements has been calculated to yield the greatest volume of removal of viruses, toxic chemicals, and bacteria.

BLACK BERKEY®PURIFICATION ELEMENTS

FILTRATION SPECIFICATIONS

Black Berkey® Purification Elements are more powerful than any other gravity filter element currently available. The Elements have a unique purification capability that is due to their unique structure. The micro- pores within the Black Berkey® Elements are so small that viruses and pathogenic bacteria are simply not able to pass through them.

Many water filters on the market may claim to be a water purifier, but do not meet the performance specifications required for this classification. In order to be classified as a water purifier, a water treatment device must remove at least 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria and reduce viruses by 99.99%. The Black Berkey® Purification Elements can be classified as water purifiers because they remove 99.9999999% of pathogenic bacteria and 99.999% of viruses, which greatly exceeds the standard. The Black Berkey®Purification Element formulation has been tested by State and EPA accredited laboratories to exceed NSF/ANSI Standard 53.

The Black Berkey® Purification Elements have been tested and confirmed to remove or greatly reduce the contaminants listed below:

VIRUSES – Removed to >99.999% (Log 5)

Exceeds Purification Standard (Log 4):
MS2 Coliphage ; Fr Coliphage.

PATHOGENIC BACTERIA (AND SURROGATES) – Removed to >99.9999%
Exceeds Purification Standard (Log 6): Bacillus atrophaeus (Anthrax surrogate); Raoultella terrigena (Pathogenic Bacteria Surrogate); Salmonella Enterica.

TRIHALOMETHANES – Removed to >99.8%
(Below Lab Detectable Limits):
Bromodichloromethane ; Bromoform ; Chloroform ; Dibromochloromethane.

INORGANIC MINERALS
Removed to Below Lab Detectable Limits: Chloramine; Chloride; Chlorine Residual (Total Residual Chlorine); Free Chlorine

HEAVY METALS (HIGH u0026amp; LOW pH LEVELS)
Aluminum (>99%); Antimony (>99.9%); Barium (>80%); Beryllium (>99.9%); Bismuth (>99.9%); Cadmium (>99.7%); Cobalt (>95%); Chromium (>99.9%); Chromium 6 (>99.85%); Copper (>99.9%); Iron (>99.9%); Lead (>99.9%); Mercury (>99.9%); Molybdenum (>90%); Nickel (>99.9%); Vanadium (>87.5%); Zinc (>99.9%).

PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS CONTAMINANTS – Removed to >99.9%
Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Carbamazepine; Ciprofloxacin HCl; Erythromycin USP; Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim; Bisphenol A; Diclofenac Sodium; 4-para-Nonylphenol; 4-tert-Octylphenol; Primidone; Progestrone; Gemfibrozil; Ibuprofen; Naproxen Sodium; Triclosan.

Pesticides u0026amp; (Semi) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Removed to Below Laboratory Detectable Limits

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane
1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA)
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichlorotrifluoroethane
1,1-Dichloroethane (1,1-DCA)
1,1-Dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE)
1,1-Dichloropropene
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,3-Trichloropropane
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)
1,2-Dibromoethane
1,2-Dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethane (CFC 123a)
1,2-Dichlorobenzene
1,2-Dichlorobenzene-d4
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,2-Dichloropropane
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene
1,3-Dichlorobenzene
1,3-Dichloropropene
1,4-Dichlorobenzene
2,2-Dichloropropane
2,4,5-T
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
2,4-D
2,4-DB
2-Butanone (MEK)
2-Chlorotoluene
2-Hexanone
2-Methyl-2-propanol
3,5-Dichlorobenzoic Acid
3-Hydroxycarbofuran
4-Bromofluorobenzene
4-Chlorotoluene
4-Isopropyltoluene
4-Methyl-2-pentanone
4-Nitrophenol4,4′-DDD4,4′-DDE
4,4″-DDT
5-Hydroxydicamba
Acetone
Acenaphthylene
Acifluorfen
Alachlor
Aldicarb
Aldicarb Sulfone
Aldicarb Sulfoxide
Aldrin
alpha-Chlorodane
Ametryn
Anthracene
Aroclor (1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254, 1260)
Atraton
Atrazine
Baygon
Bentazon
Benzene
Bromacil
Bromoacetic Acid
Bromobenzene
Bromochloromethane
Bromodichloromethane
Bromomethane
Bromoform
Butachlor
Butylate
Butylbenzylphthalate
Carbaryl
Carbofuran
Carbon Tetrachloride
Carboxin
Chloramben
Chlordane
Chloroacetic Acid
Chlorobenzene
Chlorobenzilate
Chloroethane
Chloroform
Chloromethane
Chlorpropham
Chlorprophane
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
cis-1,3-Dichloropropene
cis-Nonachlor
Cycloate
Dacthal Acid
Dalapon
Diazinona
Dibromoacetic Acid
Dibromochloropropane (DBCP)
Dibromomethane
Dicamba

Dichloroacetic Acid
Dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC 12)
Dichloromethane
Dichlorvos
Diclorprop
DieldrinDiethylphthalate
Dinoseb
Diphenamid
Disulfoton
Disulfoton Sulfone
Disulfoton Sulfoxidea
Endrin
EPTC
Ethoprop
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene Dibromide (EDB)
Fenamiphos
Fenarimol
Fluorobenzene
Fluridone
gamma-Chlorodane
Glyphosate
Halo acidic Acids (HAA5)
Heptachlor
Heptachlor Epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene
Hexachlorobutadiene (CCC)
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
HexazinoneIsophorone
Isopropylbenzene (Cumene)
Lindane (Gamma-BHC)
Merphos
Methiocarb
Methomyl
Methoxychlor
Methylcyclohexane-methane
Methyl Paraoxon
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
Metolachlor
Metribuzin
Mevinphos
MGK 264
Molinate
Monochlorobenzene
m-Xylenes
Naphthalene
Napropamide
n-Butylbenzene
Norflurazon
n-Propylbenzene
Oxamyl
o-Xylene
Pebulate
Pentachlorophenol
Picloram
Prometon
Prometryn
Pronamidea
Propazine
p-Xylenes
sec-Butylbenzene
Simazine
Simetryn
Stirofos
Styrene
Tebuthiuron
Terbacil
Terbufos
Terbutryn
tert-Butylbenzene
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
Tetrahydrofuran (THF)
Thiobencarb
Toluene
Toxaphene
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
trans-1,3-Dichloropropene
trans-Nonachlor
Triademefon
Tribromoacetic Acid
Trichloroacetic Acid
Trichloroethene (TCE)
Trichloroethylene
Trichlorofluoromethane (CFC 11)
Tricyclazole
Trifuralin
Vernolate
Vinyl Chloride
and many more*

ALSO REMOVES OR REDUCES:

Arsenic (>99.9%); Escherichia coli (E. Coli) (>99.999%); Fluorene (>99.9%); Manganese (>99.9%); MBAS (>96.67%); Nitrites (>95%); PCB’s (>99.9%); Petroleum Products (Gasoline, Diesel, Crude Oil, Kerosene, Mineral Spirits, Refined Oil- All >99.9%); Selenium (>99.9%); Thallium (>99.5%); Rust; Silt; Sediment; Turbidity; Foul Tastes and Odors.

* for a complete list of all contaminants removed or reduced, please visit our website at www.berkeywater.com. For Heavy Metals, Inorganic Minerals, Pesticides, Petroleum, Pharmaceuticals, Semi-VOC’s, THM’s, VOC’s; reduction exceeded lab detection limits.

HOW BERKEY FILTERS WORK

THE BERKEY WATER PURIFICATION PROCESS

Water filtration is a complex science, we try to use common terms when possible so the explanation is more understandable, if you are interested in the science behind specific water purification methods used by Berkey, please follow the links contained within this page below.

Several well known methods are used to produce the Black Berkey® purification elements. These methods are combined and blended to produce a unique filter process the likes of which the world has never seen. The first line of defense is that the Berkey purification elements are composed of
a formulation of more than six different media types, all constructed into a very compact matrix containing millions of microscopic pores. These pores are so minute that they produce what we refer to as a torturous path that pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, sediment and sedimentary minerals must travel through. These paths are so small that these pollutants physically cannot pass through them and become trapped eliminating them from your drinking water this is known as microfiltration.

Secondly our media formulation uses unique adsorption and absorbtion properties. Adsorption works to create an ionic barrier similar to surface tension. This barrier is perfectly suited to the micro-pourous water filter because it effectively allows the tiny pores to block water contaminants that are smaller than the pore size itself. This blocking process is how the Berkey water filter is able to remove submicron viruses that other brands of water filters cannot without the use of obnoxious chemicals like iodine or chlorine.

Next, the heavy metals ions (mineral molecules) are extracted from the water through an Ion exchange process where they are attracted to and transformed by electrically bonding to the media. Finally, because of their gravity flow nature, water molecules can take several minutes to pass through the filter elements whereas these water molecules passing through other filtration systems pass through in only fractions of a second. This longer contact time between the water molecules and the filter media, provides much greater removal rates of harmful water contaminates not obtainable through conventional pressurized water filtration methods.

As you can see, the Berkey water purifier incorporates several different scientific methods to produce unmatched drinking water quality. We are able to do all of this and still maintain simplicity. All that you as a Berkey user are required to do is simply pour water into the unit. All of the processes mentioned above will continue to work for you behind the scenes for many years to come. This long filter life allows you to produce purified drinking water for a few cents a gallon.

BERKEY BENEFITS

Enjoy the benefits of Berkey purified water at home or outdoors.

Features and Benefits of Berkey® Purification Systems

HEALTHY

Why are the Berkey® systems the benchmark in gravity fed water purification? It’s simple- they remove viruses, harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, unhealthy contaminants and impurities to below detectable levels, while leaving in the essential minerals your body needs. The result is the most healthful, delicious water available.

POWERFUL

Berkey® systems can easily purify ordinary tap water, yet are powerful enough to efficiently purify raw, untreated water from sources such as remote lakes and streams. In the event of natural disasters and emergencies when treated water may not be available, your Berkey® is essential.

ECONOMICAL

Berkey® systems are the most economical water purification system you can own. The long life of the Berkey®Purification elements allows you to enjoy purified water for about two cents per gallon. Compare that to the cost of bottled water!

CONVENIENT AND PORTABLE

Berkey® systems are easy to assemble and operate without tools, electricity, water pressure or plumbing. When traveling, or if space is limited, the top and bottom chambers of most of our systems nest within each other for easy transport.

PROVEN

Our independent lab results speak for themselves. Click here to view how the test results for our Black Berkey®elements exceed expectations for gravity purification.

View Test Results