At Lowry Engineering we engineer and build water treatment solution to address the rigorous standards set by the EPA and other regulatory agencies. Below are the main categories of contaminants that our solutions eliminate.
Radionuclides
Problem
The health concerns from prolonged consumption of short lived radionuclides come from the fact that these contaminants are radioactive, and may cause physical damage to tissue. Concern for ingestion of uranium is based upon metal toxicity and may lead to kidney damage.
Research
Lowry Engineering conducted and published much of the pioneering research on radionuclides, especially radon, in drinking water, beginning in 1980. Removal of radon from drinking water by both granular activated carbon (GAC) and by air stripping were defined and developed by Lowry throughout the 1980’s. Based on this work, the generally accepted method for removing radon from water is air stripping.
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Radon is a gas and can be removed from drinking water using air stripping. The technology we use is our own, patented,DeepBubbleTM (NOTE TM should be superscripted in all places) air stripping system. Other radionuclides, including radium and uranium, are removed by ion exchange. The design of your specific case will be based on the flow rate, contaminant, contaminant concentration, as well as requirements for disposal of the radioactive material. Learn more...
VOCs
Problem
Exposure to VOCs has the potential to cause a wide range of serious health problems, from anemia and decrease of blood platelets to liver problems, cancer, and nerve damage. For these reasons, the U.S. EPA regulates individual VOCs in drinking water.
Research
Lowry Engineering has been removing VOCs from drinking water for over 30 years, having completed definitive research throughout the 1980’s on removing gasoline contamination caused by leaking underground storage tanks (LUST). Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive manufactured in the 1970’s, was shown to be one of the most difficult to strip VOCs. In 2014, Lowry Engineering conducted a study for the U.S. EPA on the effectiveness of air stripping 13 VOCs from drinking water as part of the process of updating current regulation of VOCs in drinking water.
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Many of the regulated VOCs are volatile enough to be removed by air stripping. The technology we use is our own patented DeepBubbleTM multi-stage diffused bubble air stripper system. The specific system design for any given application is determined by water flow rate, water temperature, particular contaminant(s) and their concentration(s), as well as some other water quality parameters.
Learn more...Corrosion Control / pH Adjustment
Problem
The main health concern with corrosive drinking water is that it becomes contaminated with lead and copper. Consuming these metals in sufficient amounts can cause liver and kidney damage, as well as physical and mental development issues in children.
Research
We have published papers that define the removal of carbon dioxide as a solution to corrosive groundwater and associated lead and copper issues. (See published papers under “corrosion” in Resources section.)
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DeepBubble systems are designed to provide a non-chemical solution to problems with corrosion (Pb & Cu) in distribution systems. The natural carbon dioxide is air-stripped and the pH is raised. Superior water quality is achieved using air stripping versus chemical addition. Operation is much easier. Air stripping eliminates the need for an addition of caustic and/or phosphates.
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