Iron is an essential nutrient needed by the body. It helps produce hemoglobin, an important red blood cell component and transports oxygen throughout the body.
Iron helps ward off anemia and fatigue by increasing hemoglobin production, thus increasing blood count. Iron overload occurs when consumed in higher doses, which is more than the body’s therapeutic level.
Medically known as Hemochromatosis, it causes weight loss, joint pain, and fatigue. The same signs and symptoms occur when the body's iron level is lower than the therapeutic level, commonly known as Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA).
When left untreated, hemochromatosis can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and liver disorders. Only blood tests can reveal hemochromatosis.
The Different Types of Iron in Drinking Water and Where It Can Be Found
Iron can be found in food and can be synthetically produced as a supplement for those who have iron-deficiency anemia and need to produce more red blood cells. Since synthetic iron is an essential health supplement, certain irons are present in water, too.
Iron can turn water from clear to brown or red and, when consumed, has a metallic taste. Iron is also one cause of turbidity, and rusted water pipes cause sediments in the water.
Iron reduction is successful when proper iron identification starts, wherein iron is differentiated from water and all other substances found in drinking water. Iron reduction processes are designed to reduce iron found in water and identify typical symptoms associated with iron.
Little do we know, there are different kinds of iron found in the environment, and those are:
-
Iron bacteria are live microorganisms that require food and oxygen to survive and grow. Though not harmful to humans or animals, the presence and growth of iron bacteria in water supplies are mainly responsible for clogged pipes, foul odor, and a metallic taste in drinking water.
-
Sequestrated iron – mostly found in municipal water supplies wherein a sequestering agent is added to water to keep iron in the ferrous state ( the condition of iron while it dissolved in water and makes the water clear) that hinders iron from undergoing a ferric state ( the condition where iron is dissolved and water turns to red)
-
Heme iron – is usually formed with organic compounds that are present in water.
What is Iron Reduction, and How is Iron Removed from Drinking Water
With a little background of the different types of iron in drinking water, sequestrated iron is the only iron that is almost safe to be consumed. Though iron bacteria can be treated through chlorination, chlorine is still a chemical and can be toxic.
Since heme iron is a compound formed with organics in water, it doesn’t react with iron-reducing treatment.
Thus, it must be treated with other technologies, mainly chemical reagents. Like chlorine, the chemicals used to treat heme iron are also toxic, especially when pure chemicals are used.
Iron reduction is usually the process of removing iron from drinking water. For it to be successful, the type of iron in drinking water should be identified first and differentiated from other substances.
Two technologies are used in iron reduction: Ion Exchange and Oxidization.
With ion exchange, ferrous iron (a cation) can be easily removed by transferring ion charges between an aqueous solution and a solid. Oxidation introduces oxygen into the water supply, turning clear water into red water by simply converting the iron's ferrous to solid ferric.
Once converted to a solid particle, iron is filtered and removed from the water supply. With advancing technology, an automatic back-washing filter is generally used to remove the converted iron particles.
Ensure the filter is back-washed regularly to prevent foul-smelling filter beds that can cause health problems.
How safe is drinking water?
Although oxidized and undergoing ion exchange in water supplies, iron can still be found in drinking water, especially at home.
After all, the water is being treated back at the public water system, but it isn’t potable when foul-smelling, brownish water comes out of the pipes due to a clogged water line caused by iron bacteria.
It could only mean that iron is still present in drinking water, causing turbidity, metallic taste, and sometimes sediments.
With the use of Berkey, you can now be at ease that you and your family are drinking clean water.
← Older Post Newer Post →