Purifying water for its many various uses – from drinking and recreation to industrial and agricultural processes to the safe return of water to the environment – is increasingly important to enhancing health and sustainability as a growing population creates more and more demand on clean water supplies. The chemicals that are used to treat water must be very specialized, with the capability to remove contaminants while leaving little or no trace of their presence in the end product.

Coagulation and flocculation is often the first step in this process, causing particulate contaminants to bind together and form larger particles that can be more easily removed through sedimentation. Then comes filtration and disinfection to neutralize any potentially harmful microorganisms, as well as any remaining contaminant particulates.