Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Arsenic

Inorganic Arsenic is a natural contaminant found in drinking water all around the world. It is one of the natural carcinogens causing cancer of the skin, bladder, and lungs in millions of people worldwide.

Arsenic is a natural substance. But, the exploitation of the water quality, pollution due to industries and human activities has been its primary point of entry into public water supplies.

With plenty of methods available to remove arsenic, you may wonder, does reverse osmosis remove Arsenic?

Keep reading, and you will get your answer:

Arsenic water from a tap water faucet and a reverse osmosis filter

Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Arsenic?

Yes, reverse osmosis water treatment is effective in the reduction of arsenic from drinking water. It filters out contaminants. As a result, it makes the water quality better and safer for drinking. 

Reverse Osmosis systems are more advanced than a standard unit having a carbon filter. It is a more reliable and efficient water treatment targeting the eradication of contaminants.

The process is simple yet effective. Water is passed through a membrane that puts pressure on the contaminants, such as As, heavy metals, etc., and stops them, allowing the filtered water to pass through a dispenser.

Reverse osmosis is one of the most demanding treatment systems that clear the groundwater of pollutants. Consequently, results in the betterment of public health.

The Impact of Arsenic on Our Body

Private Domestic Well owners commonly use Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration units to remove arsenic. These units may reduce the Arsenic concentration to an extent, but water quality is still lower and unsafe.

Long-term exposure to Arsenic can put you on the verge of danger. Many studies have proved that drinking arsenic-containing water creates a point of entry for many diseases in your body.

A study reported that Arsenic from drinking water had been the primary cause of various health problems, including:

  •  Skin Problems
  • Liver Damage
  • Cancer
  • Neurological problems

The Nervous System abnormalities include polyneuropathy, Hallucinations, and Agitation.

Arsenic in drinking water is equally dangerous to kids if they are exposed to it. If you neglect water treatment, it may badly impact children. They get exposed to Arsenic in drinking water, which could induce a more significant adverse effect on their intellectual function.

Not just that, children are widely suffering from growth impairment resulting in poor development scores. Poor Development means they have a lower intellectual function that impacts their life adversely.

How Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Arsenic?

Reverse Osmosis is a process that pushes the water through a semi-permeable membrane, a membrane that allows specific substances to pass through it. Hence, water is passed through the process, and the contaminants, such as lead, pesticides, etc., are left behind. 

RO system has proved to be efficient in removing arsenic, consequently improving the water quality.

In such a unit, there is a consecutive layer of pre-filter, carbon filter, post-filter, and a reverse osmosis membrane to eliminate contaminants from water, including arsenic and fluorine, etc.

The Pre and post-filters ensure that a contaminant like arsenic is out of the water. These filters do forty to sixty percent task of removing arsenic. Super efficient reverse osmosis membrane handles the rest. 

You need to consider the place of installation of RO filtration as well. You can install it at the point of entry, where your home or building gets the water, or at the end of use, at the tap where tap water is filtered only.

Conclusively, the point of use could be economical for you compared to the end-of-entry installation.

Moreover, you may use the whole house reverse osmosis system, which can be a good choice for you. It will ease the game for you and make the water treatment hassle-free.

What does Reverse Osmosis Remove?

Reverse Osmosis cleans pollutants and heavy metals from drinking water and purifies it. Chiefly, the process focuses on passing water containing these particles from a membrane that holds them back.

This water reverse osmosis is a handy program for its purification and cleaning out dirt.

Do All RO Systems Remove Arsenic?

It’s not right to say that all RO Systems remove arsenic because they vary from company to company.  Some brands provide you with a better percentage of cleaning impurities, while others don’t.

You can’t wholly rely on a company for an RO system because efficiency, filter size, and features can differ. As a consumer, you must consider these factors before buying one.

Problem with Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis systems benefit us in many ways, yet you may encounter several problems. Most of these problems could be due to improper maintenance of the RO system that you can fix effortlessly.

Corrosiveness:

Reverse osmosis water treatment can cause corrosiveness in water that destroys metals. But it may not be a problem for people using this filter unit at the point of use to treat drinking tap water.

Water Low in Minerals:

Treating water with a Reverse Osmosis system can result in the reduction of minerals in them. However, the water tastes bland and soothing but is not balanced in calcium and magnesium.

Low Efficiency:

Reverse osmosis RO units usually produce less water in more time. It could be a problem when serving water to a large gathering. Also, it may deny arousing more water after a certain level.

Sometimes, waiting for the water to come out slowly while we are in a hurry becomes hard. But we need to wait because it is made so.

iSpring-Reverse-Osmosis-System

Other Water Filters That Remove Arsenic

Reverse Osmosis is not the only program you can rely on to clean contaminated water, including arsenic, chlorine, and other risk-causing metalloids. We have a list of other systems equally capable of removing dissolved contaminants.

Here they are:

Water Pitcher and Dispenser:

The water pitcher and dispenser is an excellent choice for water treatment and arsenic removal that doesn’t cost you a lot. This portable and lightweight water treatment unit makes it the best choice for college students and young working people.

It has a stunning jug design that not only removes drinking water arsenic but also freezes it. The water pitcher’s lightweight and small-sized dispenser saves you a lot of space and is easy to carry.

Faucet Mounted Filter:

The Faucet Mounted filter system will change your life; it is a compact unit with minimum maintenance and a low cost.

Generally, the unit is effortlessly mounted on the faucet with no tube attachments and drilling. It is a perfect system for removing organic pollutants such as mercury, etc., and arsenic and minerals.

A Faucet Mounted unit doesn’t cost you more bucks as it is pretty economical while high in filter capacity.

Under Sink Water Filter:

You are looking for a comprehensive multi-stage filtration system that fights off all the impurities and enhances your water quality. Then, the Under sink water unit is a perfect match for you.

Generally, it comes up with a reverse osmosis system capable of arsenic removal from the groundwater at the point of use.

It is excellent with filtration, but its bulky and colossal size makes it less favorable for many homeowners.

Countertop Water Filter:

A Countertop Water unit is a drinking water filter best for cleaning water, including chlorine, fluoride, etc. It is the best model for homeowners, but its portability and flexibility make it the perfect choice for everyone.

You can easily remove the faucet adaptor and fit it into your new house without any problem. Comparatively, the Countertop Wate system is better than all other water cleaning units mentioned above.

Look at our detailed guide on the countertop filtration system that will ease the game for you.

Conclusion

Arsenic is a naturally producing metalloid from rocks and soil that impacts our homes’ water supply. We need to consider the treatment of our drinking water by passing it through a membrane under reverse osmosis.

But does reverse osmosis remove Arsenic? The answer is yes. No one can deny the importance of water treatment for the purification and removal of impurities. It results in the sustainability of our environment.

We have tried to clear all the queries related to reverse osmosis. We hope you will enjoy it. If you still have any questions, please ask in the comment section below.