Osmosis is a filtration method that follows the thermodynamic principles. In the natural osmosis process, water molecules (solvent) move from a lower solute concentration region to a higher solute concentration region through a semi-permeable membrane. This process continues until the concentration of solute becomes the same on both sides of the membrane. Before explaining, “Is reverse osmosis water good for you?” you need to understand the concept of osmosis and reverse osmosis.
Example of a Real Scenario of Osmosis
Suppose we have taken a container separated by a semi-permeable membrane. On one side we have poured pure water, and on the other side, water with diluted sugar. Now, due to the natural osmosis process, the solvent will move from a lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration until the solution mixture comes into equilibrium. In our case, water will move from a lower sugar concentration mixture to a higher concentration mixture.
Concept of Reverse Osmosis
In the case of reverse osmosis, we generate excessive pressure to overcome the natural osmosis process. The reverse osmosis process is a process where pressure is applied to one side of a semi-permeable membrane so that water molecules cannot move from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. In this case, water moves in the opposite direction due to excessive pressure, that is, from higher solute concentration to lower concentration. As a result, the impurities (solutes) of water get precipitated or filtered out.
Application of Reverse Osmosis
Various industrial plants and water purification plants use this reverse osmosis process to filter out impurities from the solvent. In our everyday life, a water purifier is a great example of the reverse osmosis (RO) process, where this mechanism is used to remove bacteria and other contaminants from the water. Several pollutants, like lead, asbestos, chlorides, fluorides, sediments, and microorganisms, or any other pollutants, are filtered out from the impurified water through the reverse osmosis process in the water purifier.
Reverse Osmosis Process in Water Purifier
Let’s understand how the reverse osmosis process is done in a water purifier. Then we can easily determine is reverse osmosis water is good for you? The reverse osmosis process in a water purifier follows several stages, such as those listed below.
- In the pretreatment stage, it uses a sediment filter to remove large particles from the water body, like chlorine, sediment, or any heavy materials. This prefiltration stage is essential before passing the water through the RO membrane because these heavy particles may damage it.
- The next stage is reverse osmosis filtration, where high pressure is applied, allowing only water to pass through a semipermeable membrane. This RO membrane has very small pores, around 0.0001 microns. So, no other materials other than water can move through it to the other side. The dissolved salt, harmful chemicals, or any microorganisms are filtered out at this stage.
- The filtered-out impurities from the wastewater of the reverse osmosis filtration stage are collected in a storage container and drained out from the purifier by a connected pipe. Some water purifiers use an additional carbon filter to further remove any residual impurities from the purified water distilled through the reverse osmosis process.
Is reverse osmosis water good for you?
RO water is highly purified water without any presence of impurities or heavy metals. The sources of tap water are rainwater, seawater, river water, or well water that contains several impurities with harmful bacteria, and it can create any water-related disease. So, it gives a simple answer to our common question. Is reverse osmosis water good for you? Obviously, distilled pure water without any impurities is always better for our health. Here are the benefits of the reverse osmosis process listed below.
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Good taste and odor
The purified RO water is free from any bad odor and used to have a good taste, as all the impurities are filtered out. Specifically, the carbon filtration removes any bad odor by filtering out microorganisms.
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Reduce Chances of Waterborne Disease
The reverse osmosis process eliminates manganese, lead, arsenic, or any other heavy materials from the water. So, this purified water is safe to use and healthy for people.
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Cost-effective
The reverse osmosis technology in water purifiers is available within budget. Specifically, the bottled distilled water costs more compared to the RO water of the water purifier. Moreover, it is a long-term solution and needs reinstallation of filters after a few months at minimum cost.
Dangers of Reverse Osmosis Water
People believe that RO-filtered water is healthy and safe to consume, as it is free from heavy materials, excess salt, and other impurities. But WHO (World Health Organization) recently raised serious concern over, Is reverse osmosis water good for you? ” It says that RO water must maintain a minimum level of TDS (total dissolved solids) of water approximately within 200-250 milligrams per liter. So, before consuming filtered water from a purifier, we should make sure that the TDS level is maintained within this specified range for a healthier life.
The current research studies of CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute reveal that the reverse osmosis process adopted by various water purifier companies does not maintain the specified TDS range, and as a result, the essential minerals that are a must for the human body are also filtered out during the RO process. In the absence of essential minerals in the water, one can experience severe muscle fatigue, body aches, memory loss, or cramps.
Conclusion
The reverse osmosis process is an advanced technique of filtering impurities from the natural water adopted by water purifier companies. In production and industrial plants, reverse osmosis is widely used for filtration. RO water is healthier and safer to use, but it should maintain a certain TDS level to avoid unnecessarily filtering out essential minerals from the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What kind of disease can occur from consumption of unfiltered water?
There are various waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, and dysentery that can occur from unpurified water consumption.
Q2. Is reverse osmosis water good for you?
Yes. Reverse osmosis water is healthy and safe to use. But one should check the TDS level of purified water. A specified TDS level should be maintained within the purified water to avoid filtration of essential minerals present in natural water.
Q3. How many days can RO water be stored?
RO water can be stored for a few months, but do not consume it after that because bacteria can form within it.
