Comparing Water Filtration to Reverse Osmosis

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How does reverse osmosis compare to the use of water filters?

Comparing Water Filtration to Reverse Osmosis

While it is possible to treat drinking water through the process of reverse osmosis, this technique is not considered to be as desirable as the use of water filters for drinking water decontamination.

What is Reverse Osmosis?

Originally developed to be a technique for removing the salt from seawater, the process of reverse osmosis can also be used to treat freshwater as a means of making it safe for human consumption. The process of reverse osmosis involves using pressure to force water to move against it's natural flow pattern through a semi-permeable membrane. This technique is effective for desalinating saltwater. However, it doesn't compare favorably with water filters when it comes to removing contaminants from water.

Why Are Water Filters More Effective?

When you compare water filters to reverse osmosis, it is clear that filtration is the better choice for drinking water. The best water filters offer sub-micron filtration, removing even the tiniest contaminant particles. Reverse osmosis only effectively removes particles that are actually larger than water molecules. It can remove heavy metals and many types of minerals from water, but it can't remove chlorine or many chemicals. These tiny contaminants simply pass through the membrane along with the water.

   

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