- 31
- Aug
For anybody that is wondering how pure is distilled water, the answer would be dependent of their definition of purity. A pure water solution that is 100% pure, would result in water that is totally free of anything that is not water, removing everything, whether it was good for our health or not. When looking for drinking water, this is not the kind of purity we want.
All of the naturally occurring waters on the planet contain some degree of dissolved minerals. Those minerals contribute to good health and hydration. Within the body, they are referred to as electrolytes. The two most important are sodium and potassium.
Keep in mind, if you are wonder how pure is distilled water for drinking that is not the right kind of purity. The distillation process removes anything that has a higher boiling point than water and all dissolved minerals. Some chemicals, like chlorine and its byproducts cannot be removed with only distillation. If these chemicals need to be removed, extra steps would have to be taken.
When a pure water solution for drinking is required, you would want one that is free of all chemical contaminants, while retaining the trace minerals. This is pretty much the exact opposite of what results from distillation. A pure water solution without trace minerals is useful in certain industrial settings and other applications. It is the best option for coolants and is recommended for use in humidifiers and steam irons.
One factor that greatly affects the purity of distilled water is the cleanliness of the reservoir. If the reservoir is not sterilized prior to the process, there is a good chance that bacteria will be present. If the apparatus itself is not cleaned thoroughly and frequently, scales will form which has a negative affect on the water’s purity.
Deionization produces a pure water solution that is appropriate for those applications that require a de-mineralized solution. Deionization removes mineral ions. It does not remove bacteria or viruses. It can remove chloride and bromide, to a certain degree.
Reverse osmosis and the use of chemical softeners are options that will reduce the mineral content in water. However, these purification processes are not the best choice for in home purifiers. Multi-stage water purifiers are the best choice for home use. The devices use granular carbon and other media to trap any chemicals and ion exchange to trap metals such as lead. They also use a sub-micron sized channel to filter out cysts and parasites that can resist chemical disinfectants.
Have you ever wondered how pure is distilled water for drinking that is delivered in plastic bottles? As time goes by, the plastic in the bottle will begin to deteriorate, allowing chemicals to leach into the liquid that’s stored in the container. These chemical could be a factor in some health problems and will affect the purity and the taste of the water.
Some companies claim to provide an ultra pure water solution for drinking, but unless you know what purification method they use, you cannot safely assume that these solutions are free of cysts, E-coli, chemicals and other contaminants. Independent evaluations have found all kinds of different contaminants in bottled beverages.
Remember the answer to how pure is distilled water, it does have some uses, but drinking is not among them. When considering your health and safety, as well as good taste, the best bet would be to install a quality purifier on your kitchen tap.
Derek Reeve is a committed researcher of the best and safest drinking water purification systems which are the most effective, efficient and affordable products available.
