The media shield is an important component of select Dupure home water softening systems. Media shields work to reduce or remove chlorine, iron, hydrogen sulfide, lead, mercury, calcium carbonate, magnesium, chromium, bacteria, algae, and fungi in your water supply for better quality drinking water, as well as enhancing your water softener’s ability to protect your appliances from getting clogged with hard-water residue. Learn more about what a media shield is and how it works here.

What is a Water Softener Media Shield?
Dupure’s water softener media shields are a filter-like system located inside of your water softener made up of KDF Process Media. They work by exchanging electrons with contaminants, changing them into harmless components. During this interaction, electrons are transferred between molecules and new elements are created. This helps your home to have cleaner and clearer drinking water, as well as protecting your pipes and appliances from potential damage caused by hard-water buildup.

What does a Water Softener Media Shield Remove/Reduce?

• Chlorine
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Chromium
• Hydrogen Sulfide
• Bacteria
• Lead
• Algae
• Mercury
• Fungi
• Calcium Carbonate

How are Chlorine, Iron, Hydrogen Sulfide and Heavy Metals Removed?

Chlorine
Media Shields can remove over 99% of free chlorine by electrochemically reducing dissolved chlorine gas to water-soluble chloride ions

Iron
Media Shields remove iron from water with KDF Process Media acting as catalysts to change soluble ferrous cations into insoluble ferric hydroxide, which is easily removed by regular backwashing (backwashing is the process of cleaning a filter by reversing the flow of fluid through it).


Hydrogen Sulfide
Your media shield eliminates H2S by converting the hydrogen sulfide gas to insoluble sulfide, an inert, harmless precipitant. When hydrogen sulfide contaminated water enters the Media Shield, the copper in the KDF Media loses an electron and the sulfur gains an electron and copper sulfide and water are formed. The copper sulfide is insoluble in water and can be backwashed off the media. Periodic backwashing eliminates accumulations of the precipitant from the media bed.


Heavy Metals
The KDF media in your Media Shield can remove up to 98% of water-soluble cations (positively-charged ions) of lead, mercury, copper, nickel, chromium, and other dissolved metals. When filtered through KDF media, soluble lead cations are reduced to insoluble lead atoms, which are electroplated onto the surface of the media. Other heavy metals bond to the media and may be recovered when the exhausted media pass through a copper smelter.

Will a Media Shield Control Microorganism Growth?
The KDF media that makes up a media shield helps to control the build-up of bacteria, algae and fungi in organic based media such as GAC filters and in-line carbon filters, extending the life of the carbon as well as protecting downstream RO membranes and ion exchange resins form fouling. KDF Process Media kill bacteria by direct electrochemical contact and by the flash formation of hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide, both of which interfere with a microorganism's ability to function.

Why are Media Shields Important?
Water softener media shields are important for many reasons, providing a layer of protection between your water supply and any chlorine, iron, hydrogen sulfide, lead, mercury, calcium carbonate, magnesium, chromium, bacteria, algae, and fungi that may enter through your plumbing system. They help protect the longevity of the water softener, minimizing blockages and preventing the buildup of particles in the inner filter screen. Additionally, they help keep your home’s plumbing clear of any debris that can lead to expensive repairs down the line.

Have additional questions or want to find out what’s in your water? You can schedule a water assessment here.