Consumption of water filters expanded over the years, ranging from fabric filters that cost 30 cents apiece to 100 dollar water filter pitchers and even a workstation unit that costs thousands of dollars.
The national water agency in Singapore conducts stringent tests on samples collected from the supply to the pipe to ensure the water is always clean, making Singapore's city water among the healthiest in the world.
With contaminants eliminated and minerals added, water filter supporters claim the water is cleaner and healthier. Companies that sell water filters and alkaline water also make a long variety of claims in their advertising, ranging from better digestive health to cleansing and even prevention from cancer.
But can these assertions be verified? Can minerals like magnesium, zinc, and calcium be added to water to make it more palatable while also filtering out contaminants like fluoride and chlorine? To find out, two samples of water were sent from the same location—one from the tap and the other processed via a reverse osmosis RO filter—to a lab.
With the use of laboratory Testing and Control Services, it was discovered that the chlorine level remained constant, at 0.1 mg/l. Yet, the fluoride content in the filtered water was lower: 0.1 mg/l as opposed to 0.5 mg/l in the tap water. Although this was the case, Singapore's water is only allowed to contain 0.7 mg/l of fluoride. It is safe as long as it stays below that.
Regarding the additional minerals, the tests revealed that the zinc concentration in the filtered water had not changed noticeably, however the magnesium value had gone up by 1 mg/l. Nevertheless, the tap water's calcium content fell from 13 mg/l to 1 mg/l. The overall material richness actually decreases if we add up the three minerals that we have noticed in our analysis. This indicates that the filter takes out more minerals than it adds. The overall material richness actually decreases if we add up the three minerals that we have noticed in our analysis. This indicates that the filter takes out more minerals than it adds.
Where Do The Marketing Claims Stand?
A food scientist was questioned regarding the truthfulness of a number of marketing claims throughout its research, including the promises that filtered water can cure cancer, enhance digestive health, and be more easily absorbed by the body. According to senior lecturer in food science and technology at the National University of Singapore, alkaline water is supposed to help balance stomach acids. The acid is actually there to aid with metabolism, which is the fact. It no longer digests as well if you neutralized it. There is no justification for anyone to want to balance their stomach's chloride.
Regarding the argument that the smaller water particles in filtered water make it easier to absorb, water particles are the same size whether they pass through a filter or not.
Working of These Filters
Simple water filters to complex under-the-sink systems all types of water filters are available on the market. Nevertheless, they can be divided into two major groups: those that purge toxins from the water and those that assert to change the water. Cation - exchange filtering and alkaline filtration are the two most prevalent types of controls in the latter group. Hard water can be softened using an ion exchange filter. Calcium and magnesium are abundant in hard water, which the filter's resin for ion exchange traps and releases soft water as a result. Coffee lovers prize this soft water because they think the lack of particles can stop lime scale build-up from clogging coffee makers.
Although alkaline filters the water by running electric current through. Many individuals think that the created alkaline water is healthy. The other group of filters uses activated carbon, a common element in many filters, to remove impurities from water.