Article: A Layman's Guide To Inorganic And Organic Contaminant Removal By Standard Filtration Methods

By Robert LeConche, President, Shelco Filters

The basic definition of organic compound is a compound that contains carbon atoms. Therefore, any compound that does not contain carbon is an inorganic compound. This is a good general rule to use. However, like most rules, there are exceptions. Some notable exceptions are carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gases along with minerals like calcium carbonate (calcite) which are inorganic compounds.

Plant operators, maintenance engineers and mechanics, specifying engineers, installation technicians, and others involved in inorganic and organic contaminant removal are oftentimes called upon to choose and apply filtration solutions. To best make these decisions, it is helpful to review information and updated insight on basic filtration technologies, along with their advantages and disadvantages.