2 Effective Ways of Removing Chromium-6 From the Drinking Water
Chromium-6 can enter drinking water through a variety of channels. The presence of this ion in drinking water can be detrimental to one’s health. Because of this, you need to identify ways to improve water quality.
You can effectively remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water using the following four methods.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective ways of removing chromium-6 from water. The process is simple yet highly productive, leading to almost every contaminant from tap water.
During reverse osmosis, semipermeable membranes are brought into use to filtrate water from any unwanted ions, molecules, and heavy particles. You will pass the water through the filtration unit.
The unit forces the water to pass across the unit, which results in the blockage of chromium-6 and other hazardous water contaminants, including arsenic, lead, etc.
Ion Exchange Water Treatment
The ion exchange water treatment is an excellent way of removing chromium-6 ions from water. As the name indicates, ion exchange water treatment comprises a method that exchanges chromium ions from water with other ions during the process.
A treatment unit is made of tiny beads of resin packed like columns. Water containing chromium is passed via the treatment unit during the process, where these ions attach to the resin beads.
This process results in the cleaning of water from chromium and other contaminants like manganese and arsenic.
What Is Chromium-6?
Let’s talk about Chromium so; it is a naturally occurring metal with no taste and odorless nature. Found in rocks, volcanic dust, and living organisms, such as plants and animals, there are two variants of Chromium, Trivalent chromium Cr-3 and Hexavalent chromium Cr-6.
They belong to the same metal, Chromium; they are different in nature and structure. Trivalent chromium is an integral human dietary component, and many vegetables, fruits, and meat serve you with Cr-3.
On the contrary, chromium-6 is a natural component of the environment. However, industrial processes give rise to Cr-6, too.
Moreover, many environmental processes ranging from leakage, poor storage to inadequate practices of industrial wastes disposal are behind the release of hexavalent chromium to the environment.
Source of Chromium-6 Contamination
We already mentioned that Chromium-6 is a natural element of the environment. There are numerous resources of this ion in the earth’s crust. When these resources erupt due to some reasons, such as environmental interference, industrial processes, chromium-6 comes out to the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, it contaminates drinking water, lowering the quality of water. Therefore, making water unfeasible for drinking.
But that’s not it; industrial processes are widely responsible for including chromium-6 in drinking water. For instance, discharge of dyes and paint pigments, chrome plating wastes, and leaching polluting waste sites are significantly contributing Cr-6 to the environment.
The Symptoms & Danger of Consuming Chromium-6
Though Chromium-6 is natural, industrial processes lead to its generous environmental release. There are so many dangers of consuming chromium-6; a few of them are:
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
It is a long-lasting and severe health concern that arises due to exposure to chromium-6 by workers. Mainly, it occurs due to handling materials comprised of hexavalent chromium. This way, the skin is adversely affected.
Also, the skin may develop ulceration, sometimes called chrome ulcers, which are crusted and painless lesions on the skin covered with fluid.
Development of Cancer
Exposure to airborne chromium-6, when at a high level, can result in causing cancer. It means that workers and inhabitants in industrial places are vulnerable to the effects of chromium-6 that can result in cancer.
Therefore, chromium-6 is categorized as one of those carcinogens like other carcinogens.
Other Health Problems
Human health problems, such as respiratory irritation, kidney problem, abdominal pain, erosion, and discoloration of the teeth, are other serious health concerns resulting from chromium-6.
Abdominal problems are associated with liver damage and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Respiratory problems are occupational asthma, respiratory cancer, nose irritation, pulmonary congestion, edema, etc.
A study suggests that hexavalent chromium is responsible for the risk of dying of lung cancer patients that exceeds 1 in 10.
Does Water Filter Remove Chromium-6?
Yes, water filters remove chromium-6 from water. Water containing more than MCL of chromium-6, i.e., 100 parts per billion (ppb), is severely detrimental to your health. If your water supplies have this much chromium-6, you need to hunt for the best water treatment option.
Unfortunately, a typical carbon filter might not be enough to get rid of this ion. You need to look out of the box, such as building a water filtration system that is excellent in eliminating hexavalent chromium from water.
For that purpose, Reverse Osmosis filters are a must. The best countertop RO system can eliminate any contamination with a molecular weight greater than 200.
Which Water Filters Are Used for Chromium-6 Removal?
You will find a lot of water filter options in the market. It’s necessary to research and assess the products before buying them because some may partially remove chromium-6. In contrast, others may fail in providing you with water free from this hazardous ion.
However, our list of the top picks of the best water filters will make it easier for you to choose suitable for you.
Here we go:
Countertop Water Filter
The countertop water filter system is fabulous due to its portability and multi-stage filtration that removes various contaminants, including chlorine, hexavalent chromium, heavy metals, etc.
The best part with this water filter is that you can attach to your faucet and some models that come with gravity-fed filters.
You can get pure and filtered water using a countertop water filter without worrying about maintenance, as the yearly replacement cost is economical.
Faucet Mounted Water Filter
Faucet mounted water filter is one of the easiest and quickest water filters to remove chromium-6 from water. Simple as it seems, you can install it the moment you unbox it, without any tubing and drilling.
The efficiency is higher, filtering up to 0.5 microns and removing contaminants including chromium-6, arsenic, lead, etc.
It’s a filter on the go with lower prices and less yearly replacement cost. Therefore, it is a perfect option to fulfill water treatment needs.
Under Sink Water Filter
An under-sink water filter system is great for homeowners as it is a one-time investment that will provide you with filtered drinking water. It’s a bulky but comprehensive water filter, equipped with a multi-stage filtration system.
The efficiency is high, and it can remove up to 99% of contaminants, including total chromium, lead, arsenic, etc.
Although the price is comparatively higher, it is affordable in replacement cost.
Whole House Water Filter
A whole house water filter is the best choice if you want to get your house to have filtered water throughout the water supply. It is bulky and long-lasting, with a high filtration capacity.
You can choose between various filters depending on the quality of water in your house. It will decide the price of the filter. Though the cost is higher, it is worth the money.
The filter works in three different stages, including:
- Sediment Pre-filter
- Carbon filter
- And, post-filters or UV lamps
These stages effectively remove almost all contaminants, including total chromium, from tap water.
FAQs on How to Remove Chromium-6 From Water
Does distillation remove Chromium-6?
Many ways are effective in removing chromium-6 from drinking water; distillation counts as one of them, too. It is an efficient way to clean tap water from various contaminants, including Arsenic, Chromium, heavy metals, and many more.
How do I know if my house is contaminated with chromium-6?
Several symptoms indicate the contamination of chromium-6. If your house is contaminated, you can determine it by conducting a urine or blood test.
Also, exposure to CrVI or hexavalent chromium creates irritation to your nose and throat, leading to a runny nose, coughing, and sneezing, etc.
Does boiling water remove chromium-6?
Boiling water is an effective way to remove contaminants, including Arsenic and many others, but when it comes to chromium-6 reduction, the efficiency of boiling falls short.
To remove Hexavalent Chromium from drinking water, you need to filter out the water from a high-end water filter.
Conclusion
As per the Environmental Protection Agency report, water with more than the standard Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of Chromium of 0.1 mg/L is hazardous. That is why it is critical to learn how to remove chromium-6 from water.
We hope our guide was helpful for you. Do you know any other method for the removal of this hazardous ion? Feel free to comment below and let us know.