Effectiveness of water filters for carafes and water bottles
- Le charbon français
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
🫗 Portable Water Filter — French Activated Carbon
đź’ˇ A zero-plastic, effective and traceable solution
Designed for water bottles, carafes, and on-the-go use, our water filters combine activated vegetable carbon with a 60°C compostable PLA support. They offer advanced filtration without generating plastic waste.
🔬 Technical Performance
What is the BET surface area?
The BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area measures the specific surface area available for adsorption in a porous material. It is expressed in m² per gram : the higher it is, the more pollutants the carbon can retain .
Our activated vegetable carbon has an exceptional BET surface area of 1100 m²/g , guaranteeing maximum adsorption of micropollutants and fine and durable filtration — well beyond market standards.
Criteria | Result | Method |
Carbon content | 98% | Physico-chemical analysis |
Specific surface | 1100 m²/g | BET Method |
Ash content | EC No. 231/2012 | |
Methylene blue adsorption | 100% in 24 hours | Comparative visual test |
Hardness (GH) | reduction from 16°d to 4°d | Test at H+1 |
Alkalinity | +200% (240 ppm vs 80 ppm) | Test at H+1 |
pH | slightly alkaline (8.4) | Test at H+1 |
What does activated vegetable charcoal retain in tap water?
The substances it attracts and eliminates very well
Activated carbon excels at capturing organic (carbon-based) molecules and certain chemicals specific to water treatment.
Chlorine: This is its primary target in domestic water. Activated carbon neutralizes chlorine very quickly, instantly eliminating bad taste and odor from tap water.
Chlorination by-products (THMs): When chlorine reacts with organic matter, it creates trihalomethanes (THMs), which are potentially harmful. Activated charcoal effectively captures them.
Pesticides and Herbicides: Many agricultural chemicals (such as atrazine or lindane) are bulky organic compounds that easily become trapped in the pores of charcoal.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): This includes residues of industrial solvents, fuels or chemicals (such as benzene) that can seep into groundwater.
PFAS ("perennial pollutants"): Although the pores of the CAG eventually saturate quickly with these substances, it remains one of the recommended technologies for reducing perfluoroalkyl acids present in water.
2. Substances that it retains poorly (or not at all)
Because its surface is relatively neutral, conventional activated carbon does not attract dissolved ions or inorganic minerals. It allows the following to pass through:
Limescale (Calcium and Magnesium): Activated carbon is not a water softener. The water will remain just as hard after filtration.
Nitrates and Chlorides: As we have seen, these ions have no affinity with coal.
Heavy metals (lead, copper, mercury): Standard granular activated carbon does not retain them well. For this, the carbon must be specifically modified (often impregnated with resins or treated catalytically).
Fluoride: If your water is fluoridated, charcoal will not remove it.
🎯 Key Benefits
Made in France in our workshops
Multi-level filtration : micropollutants, chlorine, organic residues
Zero plastic : PLA support compostable at 60°
Natural and plant-based : activated charcoal made from recycled coconut shells
Portable size : 30g for 1L or 15g for 500ml, ideal for water bottles and travel.
Compatible with PFAS tests (efficacy confirmed by scientific literature)
Sustainable alternative to outdoor filter bottles (Water-to-Go, Lifestraw)
Superior effectiveness compared to imported charcoal sticks (uncertain quality, no traceability)
Ecological consistency: local production, compostability, zero waste
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