Can Reverse Osmosis Remove Pharmaceuticals From Water? You Mean Tap Water Contains Drugs
Diet Expert | Oct 03, 2009 | Comments 0
Can reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water? Why would households be asking this question.
Well, the fact is that antibiotics, sex hormones, anti-convulsant are examples of drugs that in the past have been found in tap water despite the water purification process conducted by your local water authority.
Households were perhaps ignorant to this fact until the findings of the study by the Associated Press was revealed. This highly publicized study conducted across 24 major metropolitan cities found pharmaceuticals in water supply of at least 41 million people.
Now people critical of this study may hit back and say the pharmaceuticals found were only in trace amounts. That may be true but think about the long term effect this could have on your health as you drink tap water that has drugs in it.
Fortunately, there is no need to panic. There are water purification products capable of giving you cleaner, safer drinking water. Since reverse osmosis filtration systems were once very popular, people have been wondering ifreverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water.
The answer is, not effectively. Reverse osmosis water filters are capable of removing contaminants that are heavier than or larger than a molecule of water. However, since some pharmaceuticals in water supply have dissolved in water and hence not lot larger than it, reverse osmosis systems are not very effective against them.
You might be wondering if chlorine is effective? No. The chlorination conducted at your municipal water reservoir is excellent for killing bacteria but not for ridding drugs in water.
Activated carbon filters with a multimedia blocks are the way to go. They are capable of removing small very small contaminants including the drugs in water. Plus, they remove many small synthetic chemicals (such herbicides and pesticides) that reverse osmosis cannot remove.
One great way to spot an excellent activated water filter is to check for its NSF rating. NSF is a body that certifies water treatment products among other things. If a product is NSF certified, you can be assured that it ishas achieved a certain standard.
To remove pharmaceuticals from water supply, look for filters that have a NSF 53 rating. The NSF website has a database of filters matching this description.
So look for a quality activated carbon filter if you want to rid your tap water of drugs. I am sure you don’t want your family especially your children consuming drug-contaminated water. Their health my depend on your decision to get a quality water filter today.
We extensively research and compare the various types of home water treatment systems and tell you which ones are able to remove the highest amounts of contaminants from your tap water. Get this free info at http://www.best-water-filter-guide.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized
