Reverse osmosis: harm and benefits of membrane purification of tap water
Are you familiar with the situation when a cloudy liquid of dubious composition comes out of the tap, which also does not smell very pleasant? The problem of high-quality purification of tap water is currently becoming increasingly urgent. Agree, risking your health by drinking tap water is unreasonably expensive. And buying bottles of drinking water every day is an expensive endeavor that takes up a lot of useful time.
To solve this problem, many different filters have been developed. Reverse osmosis units are in high demand. But, at the same time, such systems are shrouded in a number of myths and prejudices. Surely you, like many potential buyers, are concerned about the question of how reverse osmosis works: will the use of “impeccably purified” liquid be harmful or beneficial to the body?
We will help you understand the intricacies of membrane cleaning and find out whether clean water is really as harmful as they say. The article contains the most popular arguments in favor of and against reverse osmosis, and provides visual photos and videos that help evaluate the real advantages of purified water over tap water.
The content of the article:
How reverse osmosis works
The ability of filters that purify water according to reverse osmosis principle, completely rid the water of impurities, which is interpreted by experts not only as an advantage, but also as a disadvantage.
Reverse osmosis as an industrial method of water treatment has been used since the 70s of the last century.First, it was used to desalinate sea water.
Thanks to the improvement of technology, it has become possible to use reverse osmosis filters at home.
The resulting water has a unique degree of purification; in many respects its properties are close to melt water. But it is the melt water of glaciers that is considered the most useful and environmentally friendly.
In the process of reverse osmosis, water is separated from the substances dissolved in it at the molecular level.
A semi-permeable membrane through which a liquid passes under pressure allows only water molecules (as well as other particles of equal or smaller size) to pass through, and retains the vast majority of impurities.
Thus, almost “crystal” water accumulates on one side of the membrane.
Reverse osmosis provides a much higher degree of liquid purification from contaminants than most popular common filtering methods.
Special membranes used in reverse osmosis filters retain mineral and organic impurities, viruses, bacteria, iron, heavy metals, hardness salts, etc.
Being a “molecular sieve”, they protect the consumer from all sorts of unpleasant surprises associated with the deterioration of the chemical and organoleptic properties of water.
Filter design and characteristics
Household reverse osmosis unit usually includes the following key components:
- prefilters (single or multi-stage pre-treatment);
- membrane reverse osmosis;
- post filters (final cleaning);
- storage tank.
The preliminary purification stage allows you to remove mechanical impurities, chlorine, and a number of organic compounds from water. This allows you to maximize the service life of the “heart of the system” - the membrane that performs the main fine water purification.
The standard configuration of a reverse osmosis installation is presented in the photo gallery:
Post-filters are installed for additional deep purification of the liquid, ionization, and improvement of its taste.
Fully “treated” water enters the storage tank, from where it is supplied through a special separate tap for clean water. Usually a crane is also included in the equipment delivery package.
For a reverse osmosis filter to work long, productively and efficiently, a certain amount of water pressure. From 2.8 to 6 atm is optimal.
If the pressure is too low, you need pressure booster pump, in the opposite situation, care should be taken to install a pressure reduction valve.
A properly installed high-quality device works properly for many years - without breakdowns, leaks, or failures. The user only needs to change the cartridges in a timely manner.
The reverse osmosis membrane needs to be changed approximately every 2-4 years. Pre-cleaning filters - once every six months, finishing filters - once a year. You can do this work yourself.
Harms and disadvantages of installing the system
Along with well-deserved praise, reverse osmosis filters are often subject to devastating criticism. This cleaning method, according to many, personifies the saying “the best is the enemy of the good.”
One of the key disadvantages of the installations is their low productivity. Filters are very “scrupulous” in cleaning - for 1 liter of “good” water, about 3 liters of “original liquid” are consumed.
Also among the disadvantages of the devices are:
- dimensions;
- high cost;
- additional costs for the system if the pressure in the water supply is “incorrect”.
But the main “flaw” of the installations is their possible harm to health. It is this fact that worries the minds of consumers the most.
It is known that water that has undergone reverse osmosis becomes practically a distillate. The conclusions of experts regarding the harm and benefits of such liquid have always varied and still differ.
Soviet scientists took the position that water must contain natural minerals - otherwise harm to health cannot be avoided.
The usefulness of the distillate can only be discussed if it is used for a short time. Just because it is good for research and medical purposes does not make it good for the human body.
Regular consumption of water that has passed through a reverse osmosis membrane can lead to disruption of the salt balance, which is one of the most important metabolic processes in the body.
He is responsible for the correct combination of quality and quantity of salts in all anatomical and physiological structures.
Violation of this balance to a greater extent threatens the deposition of salts, to a lesser extent – thinning and malfunction of tissues. The reverse osmosis membrane is a barrier to salt ions and other microelements required by the body.
Lack of salts leads to thinning of bone tissue, causing bones to become brittle. The cartilage tissue also becomes thinner, the cartilage becomes less elastic, and pain occurs when walking and any movements.Arthrosis may develop.
A lack of magnesium can cause arrhythmia, muscle cramps, periodontal disease, and arterial hypertension. Low content or absence of minerals in water negatively affects the condition of tooth enamel.
Reverse osmosis water is far from an ideal product; Being crystal purified, it does not make any contribution to the total amount of nutrients required by the body. This is confirmed by many modern studies.
Enough authoritative data has been collected to state that calcium and magnesium deficiency does not go away without a trace. The risk of not only cardiovascular disease, but also sudden death increases.
Some scientists argue that the constant use of the so-called. soft water with low Ca content leads to fractures in children, pregnancy complications (preeclampsia), and neurodegenerative changes.
The design of a reverse osmosis unit may include a mineralizer that replenishes “important losses.”
But the fact is that the mineralization of already purified water will not provide that harmonious combination of microelements that was originally present in the liquid.
Probably, none of the methods of water enrichment existing in the world is optimal, saturating it with all the important substances.
A number of experts consider it more rational to use those water purification systems that do not require any additional measures to improve the quality and taste of the liquid.
Real benefits of membrane cleaning
Despite a number of disadvantages of reverse osmosis, its advantages cannot be diminished. This is a truly effective water treatment system that can cope with even the most dangerous contaminants.
Water, no matter where we get it from - a city water supply, an open reservoir, a well or a well - contains a large number of harmful and dangerous elements.
Non-compliance of the consumed liquid with sanitary-chemical and sanitary-biological standards has an extremely negative impact on human well-being and health.
The main sources of water pollution are:
- municipal drains;
- municipal waste;
- wastewater from industrial enterprises;
- industrial waste.
They are saturated with various chemical and microbiological contaminants.
Bacteria and viruses that multiply in municipal wastewater can cause many different serious diseases, including:
- cholera;
- bacterial rubella;
- typhus and paratyphoid;
- salmonellosis.
Contaminated drinking water may contain toxic substances, worm eggs, nitrites, and nitrates.
The wastewater from industrial enterprises is replete with almost the entire periodic table. Formaldehyde, phenol, heavy metals, and organic solvents contained in them can cause genetic mutations and cancer, and have a teratogenic effect on the fetus.
Mercury, copper and lead damage the kidneys. Nickel, zinc and cobalt have a negative effect on the liver. They also have a huge negative impact on the cardiovascular system.
Needless to say, constant consumption of water with such a “rich composition” is extremely detrimental to the human body? Therefore, the use of household water treatment plants is not a whim, but a necessity.
Conventional flow-type filters, nozzles, and jugs reduce the amount of harmful impurities in water and reduce their concentration. The taste of the liquid becomes more pleasant, the smell and color disappear.
But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to cope 100% with all pollution with their help. Only a household reverse osmosis filter can help with this.
Devices with a reverse osmosis system are one of the best systems for water purification in the home. They “handle” more than 98% of harmful impurities. No one else water filter: review of the best options, manufacturer ratings” href=”//engineering-en.techinfus.com/vodosnab/filtr-schet/kak-vybrat-filtry-dlya-vody.html”>a filter for home use is not capable of this.
Really high efficiency makes this equipment increasingly popular. People refuse to freeze and boil water in favor of it.
Despite its impressive size, the reverse osmosis unit is completely invisible in the kitchen, as it is installed filter for washing.
The only detail indicating its presence is a separate chrome spout for supplying purified liquid. This faucet is mounted either into the countertop or directly into the sink.
Reverse osmosis filters - equipment that works for the benefit of the whole family. Adults, children and the elderly can drink water that has passed through the purification system without hesitation. You can safely cook with it and mix formulas for newborns with it.
Reverse osmosis water is also good for washing and bathing babies in it. It does not cause irritation or allergies, and is great for sensitive skin prone to rashes.
The purified liquid extends the life of household appliances (irons, coffee machines, etc.).
Reverse osmosis systems remove components from the liquid that interfere with the revelation of the true taste of dishes. And especially drinks. Purified water produces very aromatic coffee and excellent cocktails.
Water that has undergone reverse osmosis ensures impeccable quality of alcoholic beverages, packaged juices, etc.
The absolute safety of the purified liquid is the key advantage of reverse osmosis units. This is an important acquisition for a healthy life.
Many authoritative sources claim that with proper, nutritious, varied nutrition, there is no need to worry about low fluid mineralization. After all, the “lion’s share” of nutrients enters the body from food, and not from water.
Subtleties of reverse osmosis installation
In order for liquid filtration to be truly high-quality, the choice of system must be approached very responsibly.
A selection of photos will familiarize you with the standard stages of assembling a reverse osmosis system:
An important factor is the composition of the raw materials used to manufacture the plastic body of the product. The appearance of the structure should “inspire confidence”; under no circumstances should it emit an unpleasant chemical odor.
A filter made from second-rate raw materials means microcracks, splits, souring inside the housing and no health benefits.
Be sure to pay attention to the quality of connections and fittings - the reliability and durability of the equipment largely depends on them. The best manufacturers of these components are JohnGuest And Organic.
The membrane - a key component of the installation - must be very good. The better it is, the higher the degree of purification of the liquid and the safer its composition.
The best offers on the market are membranes Filmtec (expensive, but with a great resource) and TFC (optimal price-reliability ratio). Their service life can reach 5 years.
Products from Chinese manufacturers usually “fall short” even of the average level of quality, being extremely short-lived.
The filter life is usually 4-15 thousand liters, the average daily productivity is 170-250 liters.A device with a resource of 5000 liters will last a family of 3-4 people for about 2 years.
Few people know that you can make a reverse osmosis system yourself. Step-by-step instructions can be found in this material.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of flow filters and reverse osmosis units:
There is no consensus on the dangers and benefits of reverse osmosis. Even competent experts disagree. But still, you shouldn’t be afraid of reverse osmosis filters “like fire,” because the contaminants contained in tap water are much more dangerous than the imbalance of its mineral composition.
And the devices do a really good job of removing hazardous substances. And this is a strong argument in favor of purchasing them.
Are you thinking about purchasing a reverse osmosis filter? Or do you already have experience using reverse osmosis units and would like to share it? Please leave comments at the bottom of the article. You can also ask a question about the topic of the article here.
The method and system itself is not bad. But due to low productivity, “consumables” have to be changed frequently + they take up a lot of space under the sink, which is a huge minus for small spaces. Also, a lot of scammers have appeared, making door-to-door visits, deceiving grandmothers and taking the last money to install such systems (and it is not a fact that they will install high-quality ones), which has completely discredited the very idea of installing a system in the eyes of many.
I have very old pipes in my apartment. Already dirty and rusty inside. Replacing with plastic ones will cost a pretty penny along with the work. I had to try many water filters.It was impossible to drink; the clothes even turned yellow when washed. Therefore, I decided to spend money once and buy a filter with osmosis. In the end, it still ended up being less pipe replacement. The water became drinkable.
Hello. Don't take it as impudence, just advice. “Very old pipes” are responsible for the condition of the apartment owner. If you live in an apartment on the 1st floor, you most likely will not have such problems. But if it’s higher that a leak caused by their, as I understand it, extremely worn-out condition, it will cost you even more money than a replacement. Moreover, plastic pipes are not that expensive, and you can even replace them yourself. Believe me, I soldered the pipework with my own hands, I know it’s not hard.
The only thing is buying a soldering iron - for 1 apartment, a budget device for about a thousand and a half is enough. I sincerely advise you not to wait for an emergency situation, but to replace the pipework, first going to the management company and making accurate calculations of the sections. And old pipes can still cause trouble, including blockages. Good luck!
Hello Evgeniya, to determine accurate calculations you need to take into account several parameters and one of them is the internal diameter of the pipes. Have you seen a cross-section of a used pipe, when the pipe has a diameter of 40 and there is no clearance in it? So no one will ever give you accurate calculations. I don’t see any point in going around the Criminal Code and Housing Department with this request. Firstly, they will laugh at you and twist their finger at your temple behind your back, then they will cut money from you, and secondly, I doubt that every such organization has a specialist who can make such calculations. So people, put half an inch, if polypropylene then 20, and don’t listen to these armchair experts.
I dare to correct you, but all riser pipes for cold water drainage and sewerage are on the balance sheet of the Housing Office, residents are not obliged to change them!! You just need to write a collective application to the Housing Office. This is a proven method more than once!!!
Andrey, you are deeply mistaken and are misleading others, everything that is inside the house, but outside the apartment, is common property and homeowners, of course, can contact the management for repairs, but payment will be at the expense of the residents of the house, from funds for “maintenance and repair" or "overhaul"
How are the color of clothes in the washing machine and the reverse osmosis filter for drinking purposes related? Or is this illiterate advertising?)
Saved)))) But you still have to change the pipes, or sit without water... You can't filter a puddle with reverse osmosis)))
Reverse osmosis is so merciless that it removes everything from water, including useful elements. The purification is ideal, but such sterile water is also not good. Is it worth buying such systems? Quite, especially if you live in polluted areas or in a house with old pipes (this is especially true for St. Petersburg with its old housing stock). With reverse osmosis, neither rust nor pesticides with sticks will be a problem. But there will be little benefit from such water, although it will no longer cause harm, which is already good. If, after osmosis, you return to the water the useful things that it lost during the purification process, then it can be safely consumed). But in most cases, reverse osmosis is an overly aggressive means.
Anna, life is dangerous in general. Reverse osmosis is a great tool. And any tool must be used with the head.
I appeal to those who say that water after osmosis is “dead”. You are deeply mistaken that there is anything useful in drinking water. There are no vitamins there. There are trace elements, but they are not absorbed by the human body. In order to meet the need for water, you need to drink 8 liters per day.
Long-livers (Okinawa, Yakutia, mountainous Azerbaijan) drink water that is obtained by melting glaciers. At the same time, the beds of mountain rivers along which melt water descends are not polluted even by sand deposits. As a result, any impurities are excluded. All the rest of the water in the world passes through layers with a huge content of minerals and heavy metal salts, which gradually settle in the body.
Search the Internet for information about the long-lived Hunza people.
Melt water and distilled water are two big differences.
No need for horror stories about water from an OO filter. Water contains low levels of essential elements for humans. A person receives these elements from food. The diet must be balanced. If you eat only sandwiches, then no amount of water will help. I have been using OO water for 12 years; my wife’s pregnancy and the growth and development of her children went through it. Proper nutrition is the key to health. And food from OO water tastes better due to better extraction of elements from food.
I just use it with mineralizers and everything is fine for 8 years now.
Paul Brague lived to be 94 years old and drank distillate. His relatives drank distillate for 4 generations.
Read about this swindler on the Internet, he even changed his date of birth by many years and died of illness.
I drank distillate when I started getting into it. I even bought a distiller specially (it costs the same as osmosis).I drank for 2 weeks and noticed a deterioration in my health: weakness, dizziness, slow reaction, and quality of life decreased. The food remained the same. But I am a young and healthy person. I stopped drinking distillate and switched back to regular bottled water. And the condition returned to normal. Now I make cosmetic hydrolates in a distiller (at least it was useful for something!). And I'm afraid of osmosis. I'd rather buy water. Although it seems to me that osmosis does not completely purify the water, it is not a pure distillate, otherwise everyone would already have health problems. Its 100% purification is greatly exaggerated.
Paul Bragg
Date and place of birth: February 6, 1895, Buttesville, Indiana, USA
Date and place of death: December 7, 1976, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
It doesn’t work out well 94 and 81
The water obtained after filtration by reverse osmosis becomes acidic, literally and figuratively, so it cannot be of the same quality as melt water, because... melt water is alkaline. The article is clearly misleading on this matter.
Even if the water after reverse osmosis is acidic, it is easy to alkalize it, for example, with lemon in tea)
Do you know that mucus from microorganisms that you drink, praising reverse osmosis, accumulates on the inner walls of a rubber bulb over time?
After 6 years of use, I specially sawed the tank and looked, and everything was as if there was no mucus, nothing. So, let's go without stories, just experience!
Yes, indeed, for reverse osmosis, the formation of a biofilm from microorganisms on the surface of the membranes and the walls of the protective housing is an urgent problem.There is no need to panic and terrify people. Although photographs from the Internet can do this quickly and without unnecessary words (I’ll attach it for clarity, but I’ll make notes).
First of all, you need to understand that the formation of film and algae in cartridges is a natural process, but for such cases preventive measures are provided.
There is a special product for removing films of microorganisms in membranes, called Dutrion, based on chlorine dioxide. Essentially, this is a gas dissolved in water, it easily penetrates through the pores of the membrane and completely destroys the biofilm of microorganisms and algae. The substance is neutral to the materials from which the membranes are made, and its concentration in water is minimal and not harmful to humans.
As a respected expert will comment on the following passages:
on the one hand, “for reverse osmosis, biofilm formation is a problem” despite the fact that “the membrane retains heavy metals, bacteria and viruses” VIRUSES, Karl! But they are much smaller than bacteria, which are also retained by the filter. Where does the biota in the containers come from?? Or do they need to be washed with bleach first?
And where does the article come from with the idiotic figure about water being 98% pure? What about the remaining 2%? It’s a pity you can’t use caps))))) TWO PERCENT!!!! What is this - information and memory for the trip!!!
yes, yes, that’s right, the same thing happens on hydraulic accumulators, boilers, large coffee machines, ice makers (including in refrigerators),
and how many bacteria do humans have in their mouth and intestines?...
and how many people kiss their pets, cats and dogs, who a minute before were licking their own ass.
in general, if the water is from a swamp, then OO is needed, in other cases you can get by with three glasses...
but everyone is free to choose their own happiness...
Our whole family has been using osmosis water purification for 10 YEARS... very satisfied. And if we talk about tap water, it’s disgusting to drink - the smell and taste are just POISON! Anyone who considers clean water harmful, I think that such people do not think at all about their health and especially about their loved ones! Good health to everyone and don’t think twice about it - buy osmosis purification and recommend it to others!
Good afternoon I apologize in advance. Water division occurs 50/50, not 1/3 - this is when the membrane needs to be changed. It all depends on the quality of the water.
Do you people eat only water? Or do you believe soup, borscht, dumplings? And don't add salt to your food? Don't you eat meat? Dill, onions, garlic, nuts, fish? Yes, that means the whole problem is in the water.
Forget about clean tap water. Take it from any village well and boil it. And here are your kidney and bile stones. Good luck.
Our family has been using an OO filter for 18 years. The idea that clean water washes something useful out of the body and disrupts salt metabolism is complete nonsense. A person gets all the necessary substances from food. Water has nothing to do with it.
I installed my first reverse osmosis system, a purely American Atoll, 18 years ago. There are simply no disadvantages of reverse osmosis. What they say about the harm of Osmotic water to the body is complete nonsense. Absolutely all minerals enter the body from food. And in order to cover the daily requirement with minerals and trace elements, you need to drink 2-3 buckets of water, which you physically cannot do. My children have been drinking this water since birth without even boiling it.Which of my friends had problems with kidneys and stones, after installing Osmosis, the problems went away quietly.....
Many Osmosis users have seen firsthand the amount of “dirt” when changing primary mechanical filters. They need to be changed once every 6 months, but if you miss a little time, it’s not a big deal. The very heart of Osmosis is the Membrane. The actual service life of the membrane is at least 5 years and this is from practice. Now I live in a country house and installed industrial Osmosis for the whole house. Now we not only drink clean water, but also use it in all plumbing fixtures (we wash ourselves, take a shower, bath, etc.) The plumbing fixtures always remain in perfectly clean condition. Who else doubts the installation of Osmosis, do not waste precious time. Clean water is the key to your health!
Horror stories about osmosis are nonsense. It’s better to drink completely clean water and cook food in it than with whatever comes from the tap. And if you really want minerals from water, then additionally drink bottled water and everything will be fine.
One complements the other.
But if it is possible to remove harmful impurities from tap water, this is much better than treating kidney stones later.
The funny thing is that normal bottled water is also after osmosis)))))
We have had a Geyser with reverse osmosis for several years now, the Prestige model is called, we are very pleased and the cartridges do not need to be changed often, and the water quality is excellent
We had an OO filter for about 5 years. At that time I worked remotely and, sitting at home, drank only osmo-water. After 2 years of living like this, hair came out. At first I didn’t understand what was going on. THEN, thank God, I got lucky.On business, I went to another city for a month, where I bought bottled water. Hair began to grow. It was only then that I realized that the reason was water. In general, now I only drink bottled ones. I gave up on the filtered one. Even the filter was removed. Everything is fine with my health... I also noticed that this water, if it sits for a day or two, begins to “bloom” and stink, unlike bottled water. So 98% cleaning - yeah, yeah....
And in bottles you buy water straight from a glacier)))) I’ll tell you a secret - 99% of bottled water has undergone OO purification (only on a larger scale). Most have the same technology - water supply (in extreme cases, a well) - OO - bottling - a satisfied customer. And you can stick any label... The only type of water this does not apply to is mineral…. Although they already make artificial mineral water there...
Regarding the question that the water after the OO stood and turned sour. Complete nonsense. I decided to replace the antifreeze in the heating system with water, as the time for replacement had approached. I started to “drip” water from the OO in order to fill it into the heating system. It takes up to 300 liters, so it took maybe a week or two to fill it up. But it so happened that I had to change it after six months. All the time the water stood in a plastic barrel and was at least a drop rotten. Clean and odorless. I suspect that those whose water turns sour after OO, then they don’t have OO.
OSM. makes the water almost distilled, but before it the water goes through three more pre-filters, which do not seem to remove useful salts and other elements. So maybe you shouldn’t use distillate, but make a mixture, say 1 to 3, and the water will be of good purification, but not with complete removal of what is necessary.
Good afternoon.I ask for advice: I want to get cleared of dry residue (about 2200 mg/dm at a standard of 1000 and cleared from the total hardness of fact 14 at a standard of 7) installing filters in the flasks (general purification filter, ion exchange and carbon) did not change the situation. Is it possible to install reverse osmosis at the entrance to all domestic water in the Apartment?
And is it possible to somehow separate this water so that you can bathe with purified water, for example, and use ordinary tap water for washing?
The OO filter reduces mineralization by approximately 20 times. This is not a distillate. The whole family has been drinking this water for 20 years and have not noticed any harm. Food cooked in purified water tastes better. A person receives essential minerals from food, not from water. There would probably be harm if a person only drank purified water but did not eat anything.
The filter with OO is great, I can’t drink any other water.
Regarding the question that the water after the OO stood and turned sour. Complete nonsense. I decided to replace the antifreeze in the heating system with water, as the time for replacement had approached. I started to “drip” water from the OO in order to fill it into the heating system. It takes up to 300 liters, so it took maybe a week or two to fill it up. But it so happened that I had to change it after six months. All the time the water stood in a plastic barrel and was at least a drop rotten. Clean and odorless. I suspect that those whose water turns sour after OO, then they don’t have OO.
If you constantly water home flowers in pots only with purified water from osmosis, they will wither and die. True, not right away - as long as they contain a supply of useful substances from the water, they will last you for some time.