How to Remove Glyphosate From Water?

When you are thirsty, drinking a glass of water is the most satisfying solution to quench your thirst. But satisfaction can be achieved if you are sure that the water in your glass is entirely clean. Unfortunately, most of the world’s population does not have access to clean water. 

Pesticides used to save crops can contaminate water with chemicals and volatile organic compounds. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide whose presence in the drinking water can probably result in cancer. Moreover, it does not change the smell or taste of water, and thus, you can not trace it. 

Such a herbicide should not be in our water supply. But, unfortunately, it is. If your water source has more than 0.1 μg in a liter, it means you are dealing with drinking water compliance failure. You need to remove it from the water. Otherwise, you and your family would be at crucial risk.

removing glyphosate in fruits

5 Effective Ways of Removing Glyphosate From the Drinking Water Supply

Glyphosate can defile drinking water, so here are some commonly employed treatment options for glyphosate removal. 

Chlorination

Chlorination is the most common way of employing chlorine in drinking water. It kills and removes parasites, microbes, and other contaminants. Tap water having a modest amount of chlorine is safe for consumption. However, it is mandatory to add that chlorine dioxide is not as effective as chlorine when it comes to AMPA degradation and glyphosate removal. 

Ozonation

Ozonation is a water treatment that includes the imbuement of ozone into the water—this cycle sanitizes water from numerous poisons, including glyphosate. Ozone is a strong oxidant that helps in degrading glyphosate. However, the oxidation results of other oxidizing agents like hydrogen peroxide are not comparable to ozone for pesticide degradation.

glyphosate-free water using nanofiltration

TiO2/ UV Treatment

According to research, UV treatment alone does not provide significant removal of aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) and glyphosate. If we combine UV with H2O2, it can result in significant degradation of these organic contaminants.

TiO2 with UV is so far the most effective out of these treatment methods. But, it does need ample irradiation time in order to degrade significant amounts of contaminants. Hence, advanced oxidation processes like ozone and chlorine are the first choice because of their cost-effectiveness.

Nanofiltration

A Nanofiltration channel has a pore size of around 0.001 microns. It helps eliminate glyphosate from water. However, the interaction is not quite as successful as chlorination or ozonation. Still, at the end of the day, nanofiltration stops a considerable measure of glyphosate whenever done suitably. Other filtration methods like bank filtration, activated carbon filters, and slow sand filtration do not remove these herbicides from water. 

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is a method used to eliminate a tremendous assortment of foreign substances, including glyphosate, from water. It does so by pushing the water under tension through a semi-penetrable layer. Most of the RO filters also have activated carbon filters for the removal of a wide range of pesticides and contaminants. The contaminants which are left by activated carbon filters are removed by RO membrane, thus ensuring amazing water quality. 

What Is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is included in the list of the most widely used herbicides in the entire world. The USA first enrolled this contaminant in 1974. It exists in a solid or fluid structure. It is a non-selective herbicide with a broad spectrum. It can kill weeds of various varieties, especially annual broadleaf weeds. 

The reported efficiency of this organophosphate in eradicating annual and perennial weeds is the reason for its extensive use in crops. However, according to recent research, it is a Group 2A carcinogen, meaning it can probably cause cancer. That is why it is unsafe for human consumption. 

Tragically, glyphosate remains are available in our water assets, making them unusable. Its concentration is exceptionally high in specific nations like Denmark, Poland, Netherlands, Portugal, and France.

Source of Glyphosate Contamination

Glyphosate is not commonly present in nature. Food sources like bagels, honey, and flour may contain traces of glyphosate. Its most common source is farming and agriculture. It is a weed killer, and thus it is extensively used in crops. The runoff water from these fields is the primary source of glyphosate. 

Glyphosate can likewise get into regular water through soil disintegration and rural satiate. When we shower glyphosate on crops as a herbicide, some spill into the dirt underneath. When downpours or flooding happens, there are chances that water will convey herbicides and glyphosate contained in this dirt into our drinking water sources.

The Symptoms & Danger of Consuming Glyphosate

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide; it is famous because of its fast sorption, degradable nature, and low toxicity. However, lately, its extensive use has resulted in the presence of glyphosate in the drinking water. 

A small amount of this organophosphate is nontoxic for human health. But excess consumption can increase the chances of cancer. It is graded as a class 2A carcinogen.  

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, class 2A carcinogen can “probably” cause cancer. They are working on banning this chemical. 

On the other hand, some other epidemiological studies have found no correlation between glyphosate and cancer. 

Cancer or no cancer, it is still pretty toxic. The major side effects of consumption include excessive salivation, queasiness, regurgitation, and digestion disturbances. It might also cause eye or skin problems. 

According to research, one of the various causes of autism is the excessive intake of glyphosate. Other diseases associated with it are celiac disease, endocrine abnormalities, and leaky gut syndrome, etc. 

Does Water Filter Remove Glyphosate?

Water containing more than 0.1 μg in a liter is unsafe for your well-being. If your wellspring of water has this much glyphosate, you should go for a water treatment strategy.

But does a water filter remove glyphosate? Well, the answer depends on the type of filter you are using. If it is only an activated carbon filter, then it can not remove glyphosate. 

You need an RO system or some ozone or chlorine-based oxidation system for its removal.

Which Water Filters Are Best Used for Glyphosate Removal? 

Glyphosate is an odorless and colorless chemical. It can not be removed by conventional methods. So, no matter if you are using the best under sink filtration system or a water pitcher, you need to ask the vendor if the system is capable of removing glyphosate or not. Here are some filters you can use: 

Faucet Mounted Filter

As the name indicates, faucet-mounted filters are present right beside your faucet. You can install them with your kitchen faucet to get an unlimited supply of clean drinking water. Various types of faucet-mounted filters have various filtration systems. Some of them have robust 5 stage mechanisms to filter out all the harmful chemicals, including glyphosate, from the drinking water. 

Whole House Filtration

Water containing glyphosate is safe for bathing and washing purposes. Still, for all of you, who do not want to leave any stone unturned, a whole house RO filter can prove to be the best. These filters are present beside the entry point of water in your house and filter out any possible contaminant. They ensure contaminant-free clean drinking water for the whole house. 

whole house filtration that removes glyphosate from water

Countertop Water Filters

Countertop filters are perfect for small houses and dorm rooms. You can place the filter on the countertop and use it to filter out harmful contaminants like fluoride, arsenic, glyphosate, and other volatile organic compounds. They take less space and are easily portable. They come in various varieties. It is up to you to opt for a gravity-fed filter that is like a water dispenser or a countertop filter that you can attach to your faucet. 

FAQs on How to Remove Glyphosate From Water?

How do I know if my house is contaminated with glyphosate?

It is a challenging assignment to discover physically whether or not your water source contains glyphosate as it has no smell and color. Without legitimate testing, you can not recognize the presence of these herbicides in your water. A yearly lab test is the best way to know the presence of this herbicide in your water.

Does Zerowater water remove glyphosate?

Yes, Zerowater claims that their filters can remove glyphosate from the water. Some independent tests have also seen a significant reduction of glyphosate from the water filtered through a Zerowater system. 

Does Brita remove glyphosate?

Brita claims to remove multiple chemicals, including chlorine, lead, mercury, cadmium, benzene, asbestos, copper, and zinc from water. But, there is no evidence that they remove glyphosate or not. They do not have this in their contaminant list. 

Conclusion

As indicated by the environmental protection agency, water with more than 0.1 micrograms in a liter of glyphosate is not alright for utilization. Nonetheless, you can utilize it for different purposes. For instance, watering plants, washing garments, washing vehicles, and so forth. But, when it comes to consumption you should be careful and use the methods we have described to remove glyphosate from the water.