Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Dioxane From Water
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Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Dioxane From Drinking Water

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Charlie W. Palmer
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In this article we’re going to be discussing whether reverse osmosis is effective at removing dioxane from water.

However, for those who are unfamiliar with reverse osmosis, it’s simply a water filtration process that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove contaminants, viruses, and bacteria from water.
While it is very effective at removing harmful contaminants from water, let us see if it also removes or reduces dioxane levels.

What Exactly Is Dioxane

Dioxane is a clear, colorless liquid with a faint, sweet odor. It is miscible with water and most organic solvents. Dioxane is used as a solvent in many chemical processes and is also a common ingredient in many consumer products, such as cosmetics, shampoos, and detergents.

Dioxane is classified as a hazardous substance by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is known to cause cancer in humans. The EPA recommends that dioxane be treated as hazardous waste and disposed of properly.

How Does Dioxane Get Into Our Water Supplies?

Dioxane is a synthetic organic compound that is used in many industries, including as a solvent and in the production of plastics. It is also a known carcinogen.

Dioxane can enter the water supply through several pathways, including runoff from manufacturing facilities or landfills, and leaching from underground storage tanks or pipelines. Treatment of water contaminated with dioxane can be difficult and expensive.

Does RO Remove Dioxane from Drinking Water?

RO is an effective way to remove dioxane from drinking water. Dioxane is a chemical that can be found in many household products, including cleaning products, and it can be harmful if ingested. RO systems are designed to remove impurities from water, and they are very effective at removing dioxane. If you are concerned about dioxane in your drinking water, you should consider investing in an RO system.

However, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of RO (reverse osmosis) in removing dioxane from drinking water can vary depending on a number of factors, including the specific type of RO system being used and the quality of the water being treated.

With that being said, in general, RO systems are effective at removing dioxane from water, making it safe to drink.

How to test your water supply for Dioxane

If you are concerned about the possibility of dioxane contamination in your water supply, you can have your water tested by a qualified laboratory. You will need to provide a sample of your water, and the laboratory will use special analytical methods to determine the level of dioxane present, if any.

Once you have the results of your water test, you can compare them to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards to see if there is cause for concern.

Alternatively, you can hire a professional, who will take care of the entire process, as well as advise you about whether water treatment is necessary.

What else does reverse osmosis remove from water?

RO also removes a range of contaminants from water, including chloride, fluoride, chloramine, arsenic, heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.
Unfortunately, RO removes beneficial minerals from water such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium.
While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that most municipal water supplies in the United States meet strict safety standards, trace amounts of these and other contaminants can still end up in tap water. As a result, many people use reverse osmosis systems to purify their drinking water even further.

Alternative Methods Of Removing Dioxane From Water

According to a well-known study that was published in the journal Water Science & Technology, filtration systems that use granular activated carbon (GAC) can reduce 1,4-dioxane levels by about 50%, and those that combine GAC and reverse osmosis can do so by up to 96%.

Therefore, we can see that RO combined with GAC is highly effective.

Conclusion

In summary, Reverse Osmosis is an very effective way of reducing the dioxane levels in your house’s water supply. However, before going about purchasing a RO system, it’s important to test your water supply in order to be sure about whether you need such a system.
It’s better to use a point-of-entry (POE) RO filtration system, such as a whole house RO system, as this will take care of your entire home’s water supply. This differs from a point-of-use (POU) system which would only treat water at the faucet, I.E. an under-sink RO system.
As discussed above, RO combined with GAC is highly effective at reducing dioxane levels. However, it’s advisable to consult a specialist to discuss your home’s situational needs, after testing your water supply. Only then can you truly know which system is best.
However, for those who know they want to use RO, take a look at either a whole house RO system or an under sink RO system.

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