subject: Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Pharmaceuticals From Water Supplies? [print this page] Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Pharmaceuticals From Water Supplies?
According to a recent Associated Press article, there are trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in water supply systems across the nation and into Canada, so this is an important question to research.
To answer the question, does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water supplies; let us first consider what an RO water filtration system does. Reverse osmosis pushes water through a membrane that allows H2O molecules to pass through, but traps particles larger than that, delivering water that is stripped of some contaminants and all minerals.
So does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water supplies? Possibly, there may be some degree of reduction. But there is a filtration solution that will remove more of the potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals in water supply faucets. At most, a consumer can hope to significantly reduce, by as much as 99%, the amount of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that have been found.
Any pharmaceutical particle that is smaller than an H2O molecule will pass through a reverse osmosis membrane and into your cup for drinking or pot for cooking.
Pharmaceuticals in water supply systems are introduced as a result of our bodies not metabolizing all of the medications we take. The leftovers pass through us and are flushed down into our sewer system. That waste water enters the municipal storage plant to be filtered and directed back to our homes. By the time that it gets there, it has run through at least two RO stages, but since they have found pharmaceuticals in water supply tanks ready to be sent to customers, then the answer to "does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water" is clear. A simple "no" will do.
Many water treatment facilities add chlorine to disinfect and remove harmful bacteria. Research as shown though that water treated with chlorine, when combined with certain pharmaceuticals in water supply systems can actually increase the toxicity of both. Chlorine causes enough health problems and now we have to deal with drugs, too.
In trying to determine does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water supplies and is it the right solution for my family, keep in mind that RO filtration systems do not remove chlorine. Plus, they are expensive and have to be continually maintained.
Also, RO water purifiers create several gallons of polluted, waste water for every gallon that is drinkable. So even though an RO filtration system may remove some pharmaceuticals in water supply systems, it won't remove them all and in the meantime, you are flushing many gallons of undrinkable water back into the system.
Pharmaceuticals in our water supply systems is problematic. Though drug studies are done to determine side effects, those studies do not examine ingesting life-long trace amounts. Research is only now being done which shows the effects on developing cells. These trace levels seem to reduce their growth.
Several nationwide studies have attempted to answer the question of does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water supplies, since treatment facilities use them. With the knowledge that the answer is "no, not completely", you can definitely find a more reasonably priced system that is even more effective.
Judith Pratt is passionate about maintaining optimum health naturally.To find the results of her extensive research on the best value for money, top quality, Water Filter Systems at factory prices go to: http://www.clean-water-filtration.com
