Reverse Osmosis in Water Purification

Reverse Osmosis is originally a natural process that happens even in our body. As a technology for water purification it came into existence about 40 years ago. First reverse osmosis water filters were used for sea water purification. Soon after being invented reverse osmosis water purification systems spread and were installed in houses in the 1970s as home water purification technologies. While distillation water filters popular at that time were quite expensive and needed a lot of energy reverse osmosis water filters became a viable alternative to them.

The whole technology is quite simple. The base of the process is a semi-permeable membrane. The water comes through the membrane under pressure. In nature this process occurs when the solution on the one side of the membrane has a high concentration (for example of salt) than the solution on the other side. The liquid with higher concentration rushes through the semi-permeable membrane to the part where the concentration is lower. Thus the concentration of liquid is balanced. In a reverse osmosis water filter water forced to move through the membrane comes off purified. Molecules of salt are larger than molecules of water and they stay behind the membrane while pure water comes through. In the same way all the contaminants that are larger than water molecules are separated.

But like any other water filter reverse osmosis water filter has both advantages and disadvantages.

Reverse osmosis water filter is a very reliable when it comes to drinking water purification. But as a result of water purification process we get mineral-free water. Molecules of minerals are usually larger than the molecules of water and they are trapped by the membrane. Salt, lead, manganese, iron, calcium and many harmful particles are removed.

But not all the molecules of the contaminants are larger than water molecules. So reverse osmosis water filters do not separate all the harmful elements. Public water sources often contain chlorine and volatile organic chemicals that may be intentionally added for the purposes of disinfection. Both chlorine and VOCs molecules are smaller than water molecules and they can easily pass through the semi-permeable membrane and get into the drinking water.

In water purification systems based on reverse osmosis alkaline mineral constituents are removed from water. As a result water becomes acidic. It can make harm to the human body. When the body gets too acidic water calcium is taken from the bones and teeth to neutralize the increased acidity. Some minerals are natural in water. And when they are removed the taste of water differs and water becomes unhealthy to drink.

Notwithstanding the fact that reverse osmosis water filters are more effective and economic than distillation water filters they still waste a lot of water. Generally a reverse osmosis water filter wastes 3 parts of water for every part of pure water.

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Categories Type of Water Water Filters Recent Articles The Advantages of Whole House Water Filters Water Filters against Bottled Water Why We Choose Pure Water Well Water Filters	Reverse Osmosis in Water Purification Reverse Osmosis is originally a natural process that happens even in our body. As a technology for water purification it came into existence about 40 years ago. First reverse osmosis water filters were used for sea water purification. Soon after being invented reverse osmosis water purification systems spread and were installed in houses in the 1970s as home water purification technologies. While distillation water filters popular at that time were quite expensive and needed a lot of energy reverse osmosis water filters became a viable alternative to them. The whole technology is quite simple. The base of the process is a semi-permeable membrane. The water comes through the membrane under pressure. In nature this process occurs when the solution on the one side of the membrane has a high concentration (for example of salt) than the solution on the other side. The liquid with higher concentration rushes through the semi-permeable membrane to the part where the concentration is lower. Thus the concentration of liquid is balanced. In a reverse osmosis water filter water forced to move through the membrane comes off purified. Molecules of salt are larger than molecules of water and they stay behind the membrane while pure water comes through. In the same way all the contaminants that are larger than water molecules are separated. But like any other water filter reverse osmosis water filter has both advantages and disadvantages. Reverse osmosis water filter is a very reliable when it comes to drinking water purification. But as a result of water purification process we get mineral-free water. Molecules of minerals are usually larger than the molecules of water and they are trapped by the membrane. Salt, lead, manganese, iron, calcium and many harmful particles are removed. But not all the molecules of the contaminants are larger than water molecules. So reverse osmosis water filters do not separate all the harmful elements. Public water sources often contain chlorine and volatile organic chemicals that may be intentionally added for the purposes of disinfection. Both chlorine and VOCs molecules are smaller than water molecules and they can easily pass through the semi-permeable membrane and get into the drinking water. In water purification systems based on reverse osmosis alkaline mineral constituents are removed from water. As a result water becomes acidic. It can make harm to the human body. When the body gets too acidic water calcium is taken from the bones and teeth to neutralize the increased acidity. Some minerals are natural in water. And when they are removed the taste of water differs and water becomes unhealthy to drink. Notwithstanding the fact that reverse osmosis water filters are more effective and economic than distillation water filters they still waste a lot of water. Generally a reverse osmosis water filter wastes 3 parts of water for every part of pure water.
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