Improve water quality at home. How to independently check and improve the quality of drinking water
The composition of water can be different. After all, on the way to our home she encounters many obstacles. There are various methods for improving water quality, the general goal of which is to get rid of dangerous bacteria, humic compounds, excess salt, toxic substances, etc.
Water is the main component of the human body. It is one of the most important links in energy information exchange. Scientists have proven that thanks to the special network structure of water, which is created by hydrogen bonds, information is received, accumulated and transmitted.
The aging of the body and the volume of water in it are directly related to each other. Therefore, water should be consumed every day, making sure that it is of high quality.
Water is a powerful natural solvent, therefore, when it encounters different rocks on its way, it quickly becomes enriched with them. However, not all elements found in water are beneficial to humans. Some of them negatively affect the processes occurring in the human body, others can cause various diseases. In order to protect consumers from harmful and dangerous impurities, measures are being taken to improve the quality of drinking water.
Ways to improve
There are basic and special methods for improving the quality of drinking water. The first involves lightening, disinfection and bleaching, the second involves procedures for defluoridation, iron removal and desalting.
Decolorization and clarification remove colored colloids and suspended particles from water. The purpose of the disinfection procedure is to eliminate bacteria, infections and viruses. Special methods - mineralization and fluoridation - involve the introduction of substances necessary for the body into the water.
The nature of the contamination determines the use of the following cleaning methods:
- Mechanical – involves removing impurities using sieves, filters and gratings of coarse impurities.
- Physical – involves boiling, UV and irradiation with γ-rays.
- Chemical, in which reagents are added to wastewater, which provoke the formation of sediments. Today, the main method of disinfecting drinking water is chlorination. Tap water, according to SanPiN, must contain a residual chlorine concentration of 0.3-0.5 mg/l.
- Biological treatment requires special irrigation or filtration fields. A network of canals is formed that are filled with wastewater. After purification by air, sunlight and microorganisms, they seep into the soil, forming humus on the surface.
For biological treatment, which can also be carried out in artificial conditions, there are special structures - biofilters and aeration tanks. A biofilter is a brick or concrete structure, inside of which there is a porous material - gravel, slag or crushed stone. They are coated with microorganisms that purify water as a result of their vital activity.
In aeration tanks, with the help of incoming air, activated sludge moves in wastewater. Secondary settling tanks are designed to separate bacterial film from purified water. The destruction of pathogenic microorganisms in domestic waters is carried out using chlorine disinfection.
To assess the quality of water, you need to determine the amount of harmful substances that ended up there after treatment (chlorine, aluminum, polyacrylamide, etc.) and anthropogenic substances (nitrates, copper, petroleum products, manganese, phenols, etc.). Organoleptic and radiation indicators should also be taken into account.
How to improve water quality at home
To improve the quality of tap water at home, additional purification is required, for which household filters are used. Today, manufacturers offer them in huge quantities.
One of the most popular are filters whose operation is based on reverse osmosis.
They are actively used not only at home, but also in catering establishments, hospitals, sanatoriums, and manufacturing enterprises.
The filtration system has an auto-flush that must be turned on before filtration begins. Through the polyamide membrane through which water passes, it is freed from contaminants - cleaning is carried out at the molecular level. Such installations are ergonomic and compact, and the quality of filtered water is very high.
Water Purification: Video
The quality of water consumed by modern people often leaves much to be desired. The bad liquid that we drink and cook with is a direct path to various diseases, which is nothing good. What should I do? Various options are available for improving water quality.
First is distillation. The principle of obtaining purified liquid is distillation through a device similar to moonshine - the water boils, evaporates, cools and turns back into ordinary water. It is not recommended to use such water for a long time, as it washes away beneficial substances. It’s quite a hassle to make the distillate yourself, but they say it’s great for fasting days – the body is cleansed very efficiently.
Secondly, you can use water from wells. The main thing is to make sure that the liquid does not contain harmful substances, especially fertilizers and pest control products. Ideally, you still need to carry out a laboratory assessment of the water - it is impossible to find a 100% pure liquid today, and only an experimental method can show what kind of chemistry is in your case.
The third method used to improve liquid performance is settling. During settling, heavy fractions and D2O effectively “leave” (that is, they settle and precipitate), while chlorine is not completely removed, but it is still quite well removed. What’s good about settling is its simplicity and cheapness, but what’s much worse is dubious convenience, long waiting times, and small amounts of water.
The next technique aimed at improving the quality of water resources is infusion on stones containing flint. We are talking directly about flint, as well as chalcedony, amethyst, rock crystal, agate - their special composition allows not only to remove harmful impurities, but also to give the water a number of homeopathic properties. By the way, silicon water effectively enhances the effect of infusions of medicinal herbs. Please note that it is better to take smaller stones, since they have a larger contact area. With constant use, stones should be soaked in a saline solution and under no circumstances washed under water whose temperature is above 40° C. The infusion process takes about a week; it is best to take glassware for this purpose, although enamel pans are also suitable. The bottom layer of infused water is not recommended. The resulting liquid does not need to be boiled - it is already suitable for drinking and cooking. Silicon-saturated water has a positive effect on the liver and kidneys, improves metabolic processes, and can be used for weight loss.
Another fairly common “home-grown” method of improving water quality is thawing it. Thawed liquid significantly improves the functioning of organs and systems, the composition of blood and lymph. It is useful for thrombophlebitis, high cholesterol, hemorrhoids, and metabolic problems.
Cleaning with acid, boiling, activated carbon, silver - these are all also working methods that you can use at your discretion.
The most effective and at the same time easy to use are special filters and cleaning systems. A professional consultant will help you find the optimal solution.
Physical and chemical indicators of water quality. When choosing a water supply source, the physical properties of water such as temperature, smell, taste, turbidity and color are taken into account. Moreover, these indicators are determined for all characteristic periods of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter).
The temperature of natural waters depends on their origin. In underground water sources, the water has a constant temperature regardless of the period of the year. On the contrary, the water temperature of surface water sources varies over periods of the year in a fairly wide range (from 0.1 °C in winter to 24-26 °C in summer).
The turbidity of natural waters depends, first of all, on their origin, as well as on the geographical and climatic conditions in which the water source is located. Groundwater has insignificant turbidity, not exceeding 1.0-1.5 mg/l, but water from surface water sources almost always contains suspended substances in the form of tiny parts of clay, sand, algae, microorganisms and other substances of mineral and organic origin. However, as a rule, the water of surface water sources in the northern regions of the European part of Russia, Siberia and part of the Far East is classified as low-turbidity. On the contrary, water sources in the central and southern regions of the country are characterized by higher water turbidity. Regardless of the geographical, geological and hydrological conditions of the location of the water source, the turbidity of water in rivers is always higher than in lakes and reservoirs. The greatest turbidity of water in water sources is observed during spring floods, during periods of prolonged rain, and the lowest in winter, when water sources are covered with ice. The turbidity of water is measured in mg/dm3.
The color of water from natural water sources is due to the presence in it of colloidal and dissolved organic substances of humic origin, which give the water a yellow or brown tint. The thickness of the shade depends on the concentration of these substances in the water.
Humic substances are formed as a result of the decomposition of organic substances (soil, plant humus) to simpler chemical compounds. In natural waters, humic substances are represented mainly by organic humic and fulvic acids, as well as their salts.
Color is characteristic of water from surface water sources and is practically absent in groundwater. However, sometimes groundwater, most often in swampy low-lying areas with reliable aquifers, becomes enriched with swampy colored waters and acquires a yellowish color.
The color of natural waters is measured in degrees. According to the level of water color, surface water sources can be low color (up to 30-35°), medium color (up to 80°) and high color (over 80°). In water supply practice, water sources are sometimes used whose water color is 150-200°.
Most rivers in the North-West and North of Russia belong to the category of high-color, low-turbidity rivers. The middle part of the country is characterized by water sources of medium color and turbidity. The water of rivers in the southern regions of Russia, on the contrary, has increased turbidity and relatively low color. The color of water in a water source changes both quantitatively and qualitatively over periods of the year. During times of increased runoff from areas adjacent to the water source (melting snow, rain), the color of the water, as a rule, increases, and the ratio of the color components also changes.
Natural waters are characterized by such quality indicators as taste and smell. Most often, natural waters can have a bitter and salty taste and almost never sour or sweet. An excess of magnesium salts gives water a bitter taste, and sodium salts (table salt) give it a salty taste. Salts of other metals, such as iron and manganese, give water a ferrous taste.
Water odors can be of natural or artificial origin. Natural odors are caused by living and dead organisms and plant debris in water. The main odors of natural waters are marshy, earthy, woody, grassy, fishy, hydrogen sulfide, etc. The most intense odors are inherent in the water of reservoirs and lakes. Artificial odors arise due to the release of insufficiently treated wastewater into water sources.
Odors of artificial origin include petroleum, phenolic, chlorophenol, etc. The intensity of tastes and odors is assessed in points.
Chemical analysis of the quality of natural water is of paramount importance when choosing a method for its purification. Chemical indicators of water include: active reaction (hydrogen indicator), oxidability, alkalinity, hardness, concentration of chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, iron, manganese and other elements. The active reaction of water is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions. It expresses the degree of acidity or alkalinity of water. Typically, the active reaction of water is expressed by the pH value, which is the negative decimal logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions: - pH = - log. For distilled water, pH = 7 (neutral environment). For a slightly acidic pH environment< 7, а для слабощелочной рН >7. Typically, for natural waters (surface and underground), the pH value ranges from 6 to 8.5. Highly colored soft waters have the lowest pH values, while underground waters, especially hard ones, have the highest.
The oxidation of natural waters is caused by the presence of organic substances in them, the oxidation of which consumes oxygen. Therefore, the value of oxidability is numerically equal to the amount of oxygen used to oxidize the pollutants in the water, and is expressed in mg/l. Artesian waters are characterized by the lowest oxidizability (~1.5-2 mg/l, O 2). The water of clean lakes has an oxidability of 6-10 mg/l, O 2; in river water, the oxidability varies widely and can reach 50 mg/l or even more. Highly colored waters are characterized by increased oxidability; in swampy waters, oxidation can reach 200 mg/l O 2 or more.
The alkalinity of water is determined by the presence in it of hydroxides (OH") and carbonic acid anions (HCO - 3, CO 3 2,).
Chlorides and sulfates are found in almost all natural waters. In groundwater, the concentrations of these compounds can be very significant, up to 1000 mg/l or more. In surface water sources, the content of chlorides and sulfates usually ranges from 50-100 mg/l. Sulfates and chlorides at certain concentrations (300 mg/l or more) cause corrosiveness of water and have a destructive effect on concrete structures.
The hardness of natural waters is due to the presence of calcium and magnesium salts in them. Although these salts are not particularly harmful to the human body, their presence in significant quantities is undesirable, because water becomes unsuitable for household needs and industrial water supply. Hard water is not suitable for feeding steam boilers; it cannot be used in many industrial processes.
Iron in natural waters is found in the form of divalent ions, organomineral colloidal complexes and fine suspension of iron hydroxide, as well as in the form of iron sulfide. Manganese, as a rule, is found in water in the form of divalent manganese ions, which can be oxidized in the presence of oxygen, chlorine or ozone to tetravalent manganese, forming manganese hydroxide.
The presence of iron and manganese in water can lead to the development of ferrous and manganese bacteria in pipelines, the waste products of which can accumulate in large quantities and significantly reduce the cross-section of water pipes.
Of the gases dissolved in water, the most important from a water quality point of view are free carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen sulfide. The carbon dioxide content in natural waters ranges from several units to several hundred milligrams per liter. Depending on the pH value of the water, carbon dioxide occurs in it in the form of carbon dioxide or in the form of carbonates and bicarbonates. Excess carbon dioxide is very aggressive towards metal and concrete:
The concentration of oxygen dissolved in water can range from 0 to 14 mg/l and depends on a number of reasons (water temperature, partial pressure, degree of water contamination with organic substances). Oxygen intensifies the corrosion processes of metals. This must be especially taken into account in thermal power systems.
Hydrogen sulfide, as a rule, enters water as a result of its contact with rotting organic residues or with certain minerals (gypsum, sulfur pyrites). The presence of hydrogen sulfide in water is extremely undesirable for both domestic and industrial water supplies.
Toxic substances, in particular heavy metals, enter water sources mainly with industrial wastewater. When there is a possibility of their entry into a water source, determining the concentration of toxic substances in the water is mandatory.
Requirements for water quality for various purposes. The basic requirements for drinking water presuppose that the water is harmless to the human body, has a pleasant taste and appearance, as well as suitability for household needs.
The quality indicators that drinking water must satisfy are standardized by “Sanitary Rules and Norms (SanPiN) 2. 1.4.559-96. Drinking water."
Water for cooling units of many production processes should not form deposits in the pipes and chambers through which it passes, since deposits impede heat transfer and reduce the cross-section of the pipes, reducing the cooling intensity.
There should be no large suspended matter (sand) in the water. There should be no organic substances in the water, as it intensifies the process of biofouling of the walls.
Water for steam power facilities should not contain impurities that can cause scale deposits. Due to scale formation, thermal conductivity decreases, heat transfer deteriorates, and overheating of the walls of steam boilers is possible.
Of the salts that form scale, the most harmful and dangerous are CaSO 4, CaCO 3, CaSiO 3, MgSiO 3. These salts are deposited on the walls of steam boilers, forming boiler stone.
To prevent corrosion of the walls of steam boilers, the water must have a sufficient alkaline reserve. Its concentration in boiler water should be at least 30-50 mg/l.
Particularly undesirable is the presence of silicic acid SiO 2 in the feed water of high-pressure boilers, which can form dense scale with very low thermal conductivity.
Basic technological schemes and structures for improving water quality.
Natural waters are different big variety of contaminants and their combinations. Therefore, to solve the problem of effective water purification, various technological schemes and processes are required, as well as various sets of structures for the implementation of these processes.
Technological schemes used in water treatment practice are usually classified into reagent And reagent-free; pre-treatment And deep cleaning; on single stage And multi-stage; on pressure And free-flow.
The reagent scheme for purifying natural waters is more complex than the non-reagent scheme, but it provides deeper purification. The reagent-free scheme is usually used for pre-treatment of natural waters. Most often it is used in water purification for technical purposes.
Both reagent and non-reagent technological purification schemes can be single-stage or multi-stage, with non-pressure and pressure-type facilities.
The main technological schemes and types of structures most often used in water treatment practice are presented in Figure 22.
Sedimentation tanks are used mainly as structures for preliminary purification of water from suspended particles of mineral and organic origin. Depending on the type of construction and the nature of water movement in the structure, sedimentation tanks can be horizontal, vertical or radial. In recent decades, in the practice of purifying natural waters, special shelf sedimentation tanks with sedimentation of suspended matter in a thin layer have begun to be used.
Rice. 22.
a) two-stage with a horizontal settling tank and filter: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - microgrids; 3 - reagent management; 4 - mixer; 5 - flocculation chamber; b - horizontal settling tank; 7 - filter; 8 - chlorination; 9 - clean water tank; 10 - pumps;
b) two-stage with clarifier and filter: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - microgrids; 3 - reagent management; 4 - mixer; 5 - suspended sediment clarifier; b - filter; 7 - chlorination; 8 - clean water tank; 9 - II lift pumps;
V) single-stage with contact clarifiers: 1 - pumping station I lift; 2 - drum nets; 3 - reagent management; 4 - restriction device (mixer); 5 - contact clarifier KO-1; 6 - chlorination; 7 - clean water tank; 8 - II lift pumps
Filters, which are part of the general technological scheme of water treatment, act as structures for deep purification of water from suspended substances, some of the colloidal and dissolved substances that have not settled in the settling tanks (due to the forces of adsorption and molecular interaction).
Regardless of what kind of water you decide to drink - filtered, bottled, boiled - there are ways to improve its quality. They are simple and do not require large expenditures. The only thing that is required from you is a little time and desire.
Melt water
Preparing melt water at home is perhaps the easiest way to improve its properties. This water is very useful. This is explained by the fact that its structure is similar to water, which is part of the blood and cells. Therefore, its use frees the body from additional energy costs for structuring water.
Melt water not only cleanses the body of waste and toxins, but also increases its defenses, stimulates metabolic processes and even helps in the treatment of certain diseases (in particular, there is evidence that it is effective in the treatment of atherosclerosis). Washing your face with this water makes your skin softer, your hair easier to wash and easier to comb. Many people quite seriously call such water “living.”
To obtain melt water, clean water should be used. You can freeze water in the freezer or on the balcony. Experts advise using clean, flat containers for these purposes - for example, enamel pans. They should not be filled completely with water, but approximately 4/5, then cover with a lid. Remember that when water freezes, it increases in volume and begins to put pressure on the walls of the dish from the inside. Therefore, it is better to avoid glass jars - they may break. The use of plastic bottles is allowed - provided that these are bottles for water and not for household liquids.
Ice should be defrosted at room temperature, and in no case should you speed up the process by heating it on the stove. It is best to consume the resulting melt water within 24 hours.
How to prepare melt water?
There are many ways to prepare melt water at home. Here are perhaps the most famous ones.
Method A. Malovichko
Place an enamel pan with water in the freezer of the refrigerator. After 4-5 hours, take it out. By this time, the first ice should have formed in the pan, but most of the water is still liquid. Drain the water into another container - you will need it later. But the pieces of ice should be thrown away. This is due to the fact that the first ice contains molecules of heavy water, which contains deuterium and freezes earlier than ordinary water (at a temperature close to 4 °C). Place the pan with unfrozen water back in the freezer. But the preparation will not end there. When the water is two-thirds frozen, the unfrozen water should be drained again, as it may contain harmful impurities. And the ice that remains in the pan is the very water that the human body needs.
It is purified from impurities and heavy water and at the same time contains the necessary calcium. The last stage of cooking is thawing. Melt the ice at room temperature and drink the resulting water. It is recommended to store it for a day.
Zelipukhin method
This recipe involves preparing melt water from tap water, which should be preheated to 94–96 °C (the so-called white key), but not boiled. After this, it is recommended to remove the dish with water from the stove and quickly cool it so that it does not have time to become saturated with gases again. To do this, you can place the pan in a bath of ice water.
Then the water is frozen and thawed in accordance with the main principles of obtaining melt water, which we wrote about above. The authors of the method believe that melt water, which contains practically no gases, is especially beneficial for health.
Yu. Andreev's method
The author of this method proposed, in fact, to combine the advantages of the two previous methods: prepare melt water, bring it to the “white key” (that is, thus rid the liquid of gases), and then freeze and defrost again.
Experts advise drinking melt water daily 30–50 minutes before meals 4–5 times a day. Usually, improvement in well-being begins to be observed a month after taking it regularly. In total, in order to cleanse the body, it is recommended to drink from 500 to 700 ml per month (depending on body weight).
Silver water
Another well-known and simple way to make water healthier is to improve its characteristics with the help of silver, the bactericidal properties of which have been known since ancient times. Many centuries ago, Indians disinfected water by dipping silver jewelry into it. In hot Persia, noble people stored water only in silver jugs, as this protected them from infections. Some peoples had a tradition of throwing a silver coin into a new well, thereby improving its quality.
However, for many years there was no evidence that silver actually has not “miraculous” properties, but explainable ones from the point of view
from the point of view of science. And only about a hundred years ago scientists managed to establish the first patterns.
The French doctor B. Crede announced that he had successfully treated sepsis with silver. Later he found out that this element is capable of destroying diphtheria bacillus, staphylococci and the causative agent of typhoid within a few days.
An explanation for this phenomenon was soon given by the Swiss scientist K. Negel. He found that the cause of death of microbial cells is the effect of silver ions on them. Silver ions act as protectors, destroying pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Their action extends to more than 650 species of bacteria (for comparison, the spectrum of action of any antibiotic is 5–10 species of bacteria). It is interesting that beneficial bacteria do not die, which means that dysbiosis, such a frequent companion to antibiotic treatment, does not develop.
At the same time, silver is not just a metal that can kill bacteria, but also a microelement that is a necessary component of the tissues of any living organism. The daily human diet should contain an average of 80 mcg of silver. When consuming ionic solutions of silver, not only pathogenic bacteria and viruses are destroyed, but also metabolic processes in the human body are activated and immunity is increased.
How to prepare silver water?
Silver water can be prepared in a variety of ways, depending on the time and capabilities available to you. The easiest way is to simply immerse a pure silver item (a spoon, a coin, or even jewelry) in a vessel of clean drinking water for a couple of hours. This time is enough for the water quality to noticeably improve. This water not only underwent additional purification, but also acquired healing properties.
properties.
Another popular method of obtaining silver water involves boiling a silver product. First, the silver item must be thoroughly cleaned (for example, with tooth powder) and rinsed under running water. After that, put it in a pan of cold water or in a kettle and put it on fire. Do not remove the dishes from the stove after the first bubbles appear - you must wait until the liquid level reaches
will decrease by about a third. Then the water should be cooled at room temperature and drunk in small portions throughout the day.
There are also more complex ways to enrich water with silver ions. For example, there is a method based on the fact that the effect of silver ions increases when interacting with copper ions. This is how a special device appeared: a copper-silver ionator, which, if desired, can be found in a pharmacy. Some craftsmen construct it themselves at home, using an ordinary glass as a working container, into which two electrodes are lowered - copper and silver. The device, constructed at home, consists only of a glass, a copper and silver electrode.
Doctors believe that copper-silver water is healthier than silver, but it can be consumed with great restrictions - no more than 150 ml per day. But you can drink ordinary silver water as much as you like. It is absolutely safe and cannot lead to an overdose.
Silicon water
Silicon water (infused with silicon) has become popular recently, despite the fact that this mineral has been known to people for centuries. And in a certain sense, it was silicon that played a special role at a key stage in the development of civilization - from it the ancient people of the Stone Age made the first spearheads and axes, and with its help they learned to make fire. However, people started talking about the healing properties of silicon less than half a century ago.
They began to notice that when silicon interacts with water, it changes its properties. Thus, water from wells, the walls of which were lined with silicon, differed from water from other wells not only in its greater transparency, but also in its pleasant taste. Information began to appear in the press that silicon-activated water kills harmful microorganisms and bacteria, suppresses the processes of decay and fermentation, and also promotes the precipitation of heavy metal compounds, neutralizes chlorine, and sorbs radionuclides. People began to actively use silicon in order to improve the properties of water - to make it
healing.
By the way, sometimes confusion occurs: people do not see the difference between the mineral silicon and the chemical element of the same name. To change the properties of water
Silicon is used - a mineral that is formed by the chemical element silicon and is part of silica. In nature, it is found in the form of quartz, chalcedony, opal, carnelian, jasper, rock crystal, agate, opal, amethyst and many other stones, the basis of which is silicon dioxide.
In our body, silicon can be found in the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, and there is a lot of it in hair and nails. Silicon is involved in ensuring the protective functions of the body, metabolic processes and helps get rid of toxins. Silicon is also part of the connective tissue protein collagen, so the rate of bone healing after fractures largely depends on it.
Its deficiency can cause cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
It is not surprising that, having learned about the amazing properties of silicon, people began to infuse water with it - after all, it is through the aquatic environment that all metabolic processes in the body are carried out. Such water does not spoil for a long time and acquires a number of healing qualities. People who use it notice that the aging processes in the body seem to slow down. However, the mechanism of interaction between flint and water remains a mystery to scientists.
Presumably this may be due to the ability of silicon to form associates with water (special associations of molecules and ions) that absorb
dirt and pathogenic microflora.
How to prepare silicon water
You can prepare silicon water at home. Moreover, it is very simple to do this. In a three-liter glass jar with clean drinking water
Place a handful of small silicon pebbles. It is important to pay attention to color, since in nature this mineral can take on different shades.
Experts recommend using bright brown rather than black stones for infusion. You don’t have to close the jar tightly, but just cover it with gauze and put it in a dark place for three days. After the water has infused, it should be filtered through cheesecloth, and the stones should be washed with running water. If you notice that a sticky coating has formed on the surface of the stones, they should be placed in a weak solution of acetic acid or in a saturated saline solution for two hours, and then rinsed thoroughly under running water.
If there are no contraindications, it is recommended to use this water as regular drinking water. It is better to drink it in small portions and small sips at regular intervals - this way it will be most effective.
One of the most common mistakes when preparing silicon water is boiling the mineral. Experts do not advise putting silicon in pots and kettles in which you boil water for making tea and first courses, since in this case there is a risk of oversaturating the water with biologically active substances. As for contraindications, there are few of them. People with a tendency to cancer are mainly advised to refrain from drinking silicon water.
Shungite water
Shungite water may not be as popular as silver or silicon water, but lately it has found more and more adherents. And along with the growth of its popularity, the voice of doctors is growing, urging people to remember to be careful when drinking this water. So who is right?
To begin with, let us recall that shungite is the name of the oldest rock, coal, which has undergone a special metamorphosis. This is a transitional stage from
anthracite to graphite. It got its name from the Karelian village of Shunga.
The increased attention to shungite is explained by the fact that its ability to remove mechanical impurities and heavy metal compounds from water was discovered. This immediately served as a reason to say that water infused with shungite has healing properties, rejuvenates the body, and suppresses the growth of bacteria.
Today, shungite water is widely used as drinking water, as well as for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. Shungite is added to baths, as it is believed that it speeds up metabolic processes and helps get rid of chronic diseases. They make compresses, inhalations, and lotions with it.
Proponents of shungite treatment claim that it helps get rid of gastritis, anemia, dyspepsia, otitis, allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, diabetes, cholecystitis and many other ailments - just regularly drink 3 glasses of shungite water a day.
How to prepare shungite water
Shungite water is prepared at home, following a fairly simple technology. 3 liters of drinking water are poured into a glass or enamel container and 300 g of washed shungite stones are dropped into it. The container should be placed in a place protected from sunlight for 2-3 days. After this, carefully, without shaking, pour it into another vessel, leaving about a third of the water (you cannot drink it, since harmful impurities settle in the lower part).
After preparing the infusion, shungite stones are washed with running water - and they are ready for the next use. Some sources indicate that after a few months the stones lose their effectiveness and it is better to replace them. Other experts advise not to change the stones, but simply process them
periodically sand to activate the surface layer. At the same time, the properties of water are not lost even after boiling.
Recently, shungite has begun to be used in the production of filters for water purification. In less than two decades, more than a million of these filters have been sold in Russia and the CIS countries. The effectiveness of this breed for water purification has now been proven. Why are doctors sounding the alarm?
It turns out that when infused, shungite is capable of causing chemical reactions, as a result of which water turns into a weakly concentrated acid solution. And with prolonged use, such a drink can harm the stomach and digestive system as a whole.
In addition, the use of shungite water is not recommended for people suffering from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It is not recommended to drink it during exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases and with a tendency to thrombosis.
Although the flood in the Moscow region after an abnormally snowy winter, as the authorities assured, passed without incident, and the reservoirs are ready for normal operation throughout the year, the quality of water in the Moscow region leaves much to be desired - according to regional authorities, 40% of the water in the water supply does not comply standards How residents can check the quality of the water that flows from their taps at home, independently and in the laboratory, what they need to remember when choosing a filter and what ways there are to improve the quality of water, the correspondent of “In the Moscow Region” found out.
Tea-colored water: risk factors
Drinking water is in fact a much more complex compound than the H2O formula known from chemistry lessons. It may contain a large number of different substances and impurities, and this does not always mean poor quality. The guidelines “Drinking water and water supply to populated areas” of the State System of Sanitary and Epidemiological Standards of the Russian Federation speak of the 68 substances most commonly contained in drinking water. For each of them there is a maximum permissible concentration (MAC), if deviated from, these substances can negatively affect the condition of tooth enamel and mucous membranes, as well as vital human organs: liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and many others. Of course, if you drink a glass of unpurified water, the body will be able to cope with this “micro-poisoning”. But if you consume harmful amounts of substances daily, it can negatively affect your health.
The quality of drinking water is directly affected by human activities. According to the ecologist, head of the laboratory of the Department of Chemistry and Engineering Ecology at FBGOU MIIT, Maria Kovalenko, the main reasons for the deterioration in the quality of drinking water in the Moscow region are:
Development of zones located in a single ecosystem with artesian wells;
Worn-out water supply network: according to the regional housing and communal services construction complex, 36% of networks in the Moscow region are dilapidated, and 40% of water does not meet standards;
Poor condition of treatment facilities: for example, in the Yegoryevsky region, according to the Main Control Department (GKU) of the Moscow Region, treatment facilities in rural settlements are 80% worn out;
Negligent attitude towards industrial waste at many enterprises;
The cost of water analysis, depending on the number of studies required and the laboratory, can range from 1,200 to 3,000 rubles. According to employees of the laboratory of the Department of Chemistry and Engineering Ecology of FBGOU MIIT, the basic analysis of water from wells and water supply networks includes 30 main indicators, including aluminum, iron, manganese, nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, sulfides, etc.
You can also check the quality of the filter using laboratory analysis. To do this, you need to test the water before and after filtration and compare the results.
How to purify water at home: kettle, filter, silver spoons
Experts suggest improving the quality of drinking water at home in several ways. First you need to settle the water: pour water into a container and let it sit for a day, protecting it from dust with a lid.
1. Filtration. Pass the water through any filter containing carbon. This can be a filter jug with a replaceable cassette (average price 400 rubles), a nozzle for a faucet (costs approximately 200-700 rubles) and a filter for a riser (their installation will cost 2 thousand rubles and more). Each of them has its own advantages, but it is important to remember that the last two options will not suit all homes. For example, older buildings may have problems with reduced water pressure and worn-out pipes, so a filter is unlikely to help.
2. Boiling. To boil water, use a regular kettle, not an electric one: the water will boil more slowly, but there will be much less scale.
3. Cleansing with silver. Even an ordinary silver spoon dipped into a reservoir of water can improve its properties.
4. Water disinfection with ultraviolet light or ozonation. When water comes into contact with ozone and UV radiation, bacteria and viruses are destroyed. For this purpose, you can purchase special installations. Before choosing a specific filter for an apartment or an entire entrance, it is better for residents to consult with a specialist.
The Moscow region will be brought to "Clean Water"
It is obvious that the problem of water purification needs to be approached not only at the level of an individual apartment, but also on a regional scale. Since 2013, the Moscow region has been implementing a long-term target program “Clean Water in the Moscow Region”, which is designed for 2013-2020. It is aimed at improving the quality of drinking water, purifying wastewater to standard levels and reducing the risk to public health. Now the project is being approved by the Ministry of Finance of the Moscow Region and the Tariff Committee, and it is possible that as early as next year, changes will occur at the global level in the situation with poor-quality drinking water.
Svetlana KONDRATIEVA
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