The need for safe, healthy water is critical to all human life.
The substances that water dissolves can be unhealthy or even toxic. These substances can also ruin expensive plumbing fixtures and clothing. In addition, they can be offensive to our senses of taste, smell, and aesthetic appearance.
What is Arsenic and How Does it Get into Your Water?
Arsenic it is widely distributed throughout Earth’s crust, most often as arsenic sulfide or as metal arsenates and arsenide’s. In water, it is most likely to be present as arsenate. This occurs naturally in groundwater, soil, air, as well as from contamination from human exertion.
Arsenic is not easily dissolved in water. Therefore, if it is found in a water supply, it usually comes from mining or metallurgical operations or from runoff from agricultural areas where materials containing arsenic were used as industrial poisons. Arsenic and phosphate easily substitute for one another chemically, therefore commercial grade phosphate can have some arsenic in it. Arsenic is highly toxic and has been classified by the US EPA as a carcinogen, which was derived from toxicity considerations rather than carcinogenicity. The current MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) for arsenic is 0.010 mg/l as of 01/23/06.
When Arsenic is detected, according to the CDC, it cannot be destroyed in the environment. It can only change its formula or become attached to or separated from its particles.
Tasteless, odorless, colorless, and Very Dangerous.
Arsenic is a well-known human carcinogen, It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. Poisoning can occur by ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption. A Natural Resources Defense Council study reports that nearly 77 million Americans receive drinking water from systems that violate federal regulations for arsenic (> 10 µg/L MCL).
“America is facing a nationwide drinking water crisis that goes well beyond lead contamination,” said Erik Olson, Health Program Director at NRDC and a report co-author.
For example, a 2014 study done by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that children drinking well water with arsenic levels as low as 5 µg/L had significant reductions in IQ and perceptual reasoning relative to children exposed to fewer than 5 µg/L.,
As they stated “A known human carcinogen, exposure can lead to cancers, development effects, pulmonary disease, or cardiovascular disease. In 2015, there were 1,537 violations (1,135 health-based) at community water systems serving 1,842,594 people (358,323 health-based). Formal enforcement was taken in 28.9 percent of cases (37.1 percent of health-based cases). “- NRDC
Monitoring Arsenic levels in water
seeing that Arsenic contamination does not taste or smell, it is extremely difficult for residential homeowners to know if their water contains unsafe levels of arsenic. Furthermore, if you think you might have arsenic in your groundwater it is strongly advised that you retest your well for arsenic annually and then retest if ever you notice that iron concentrations in your water are changing.
If your water has arsenic levels above 10 µg/L, we recommend that you obtain drinking water from another source or install a home treatment device. The most common treatment methods include reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, or distillation.
If you live in a major city, finding out what's in your water is simple as a search on the EPA's website by your zip code.
If you are on well water, call 800-934-0051 to fill out our quick questionnaire over the phone to get a recommendation from one of our top water specialists.
If you were unable to find your City's Water Report, please contact us at 800-934-0051 to find out more information.
Crystal Quest Water Filters to the rescue.
Crystal Quest® utilizes the latest technologies in the water industry, coupled with 30 years of manufacturing expertise, we provide you with the most effective, healthy, great-tasting water conveniently at the most affordable price. Our products are attractive, easy to install and use, and removes many contaminants from water.
Crystal Quest Eagleoxide Arsenic Resin is CQA certified. Iron oxide based selective resin media is a nanoparticle based selective resin designed to remove arsenic (arsenate and arsenite) from the water. Crystal Quest Eagleoxide Arsenic Resin combines a unique chemistry based on hydrous iron oxide nanoparticles that have a very high affinity for arsenic with a durable, non-friable, spherical polymer substrate. This ideal combination of selectivity and substrate durability means that Crystal Quest Eagleoxide Arsenic Resin can effortlessly remove arsenic by using a lead-lag or parallel design configuration.
Tests on KDF/GAC cartridge have shown 99+% chlorine removal past 20,000 gallons of water. In comparison, carbon cartridges of comparable volumes drop below 90% effectiveness after only 4,000 gallons.
How Crystal Quest Arsenic Water Filters works is when water travels through multiple stages of filtration:
- In Stage 1 - Water flows through a 20" sediment filter cartridge that removes sediment, silt, sand, and dirt. Also extends the life of water softeners and water filters and prevents damage to control valves or pumps.
- In Stage 2 - water flows through an Arsenic reducing mineral tank.
- In Stages 3 and 4 - water flows through a bed of media made of a special high-purity alloy blend of two dissimilar metals - copper and zinc (KDF-55D ®, and KDF-85D ®). KDF is a major advancement in water treatment technology that works on the electro-chemical and spontaneous-oxidation-reduction (REDOX) principles. Chlorine is instantaneously and almost inexhaustibly oxidized.
- In Stage 5 - water flows through granulated activated carbon (GAC). GAC is universally recognized and widely used as an effective adsorbent for a wide variety of organic contaminants, such as chlorine (99.9%), chemicals linked to cancer (THM's, benzine) pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), PCB's, MTBE's and hundreds of other chemical contaminants that may be present in water causing bad taste and odors in your drinking water.
- In the last stage, water flows through a 20" solid carbon cartridge for removing volatile organic carbon compounds (VOC's), insecticides, pesticides, and industrial solvents.
Crystal Quest SMART Multimedia has been tested and certified to meet California's Proposition 65 Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act to ensure there is no leach back of aluminum, antimony, and arsenic. View our results here.