Although tap water undergoes professional treatment, it may still carry trace amounts of bacteria and viruses. To ensure the absolute safety of drinking water, many people have begun to pay attention to the reverse osmosis (RO) system. So, can reverse osmosis remove bacteria and viruses? This article will introduce you to related issues such as how the RO system removes bacteria and viruses from water.
Types of bacteria in tap water
Some common bacteria in tap water may exist, such as E. coli, Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, etc. Although the water treatment system treats tap water, some bacteria may still enter your drinking water. If you drink it for a long time, it may cause illness.
Here are some common bacteria:
- Escherichia coli: It is one of the most common bacteria in drinking water, usually from human and animal fecal contamination. If E. coli is detected in drinking water, it means that the water source may be contaminated by feces and there is a risk of other pathogenic microorganisms.
- Legionella: It can grow and multiply in water, especially in environments such as air conditioning systems and hot water supply systems. Legionella infection can cause severe pneumonia and even endanger life.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa: It is commonly found in humid environments such as soil, water, and air. The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in drinking water may cause symptoms such as diarrhea and fever.
- Salmonella: It is mainly transmitted through contaminated water sources and often causes gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroenteritis.
The above are the most common bacteria in tap water. You need to filter it through the corresponding water treatment method before drinking it, which can reduce the harm to your body.
Types of viruses present in tap water
There may be some common types of viruses in tap water, such as norovirus, rotavirus, hepatitis virus, etc. If you drink water with these viruses for a long time, it may cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Therefore, you need to treat this type of water before drinking. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical treatment immediately.
Here is a brief introduction to some common types of viruses in tap water:
- Norovirus: Mainly transmitted through feces and vomit, it can cause acute gastroenteritis after contaminating water sources. Norovirus infection is highly contagious and can easily break out in the crowd.
- Rotavirus: It is one of the main pathogens that cause diarrhea in infants and young children. Rotavirus can be transmitted through water pollution, posing a serious threat to children's health.
- Hepatitis virus (HAV): Transmitted through contaminated water, HAV can cause hepatitis A and lead to liver damage.
The above are several types of viruses that are commonly found in tap water. If not removed, they can cause serious harm to your health.
How do you clean water from viruses and bacteria?
- Boiling: Boiling is the simplest method of removal. You can boil tap water. Heating water to 100°C will kill most types of bacteria, viruses, or pathogens.
- Chlorination: You can kill viruses and bacteria in water with chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine.
- UV disinfection: UV disinfectors use short-wave ultraviolet light in the UV-C spectrum to damage the DNA of microorganisms, making them unable to reproduce or cause disease.
- Distillation: Distillation removes most pathogens, heavy metals, and minerals by heating water to evaporate it and condensing it to recover pure water.
- Reverse Osmosis: You can use a reverse osmosis water filter, which uses high pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane. Reverse osmosis filters remove almost all pathogens and contaminants.
The above are 5 ways to remove bacteria and viruses from water. In short, it is essential to remove bacteria and viruses from water. However, many people find it difficult to tell whether there are bacteria and viruses in the water. Therefore, using a reverse osmosis water filter is an ideal choice to remove all bacteria and viruses from the water.
What is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis is a membrane separation technology that purifies water by filtering out ions, molecules, and particles in water through a special semi-permeable membrane. In a reverse osmosis system, water is filtered through an impermeable membrane to remove impurities and inorganic salts, thereby obtaining purer water.
Related: How reverse osmosis system works
The simplest explanation of reverse osmosis is: that water is passed through a filter membrane, and only water molecules are allowed to pass through, while other ions, molecules, and particles are not allowed to pass through, thereby achieving water purification and filtration.
Reverse osmosis technology has the advantages of high efficiency, reliability, safety, and flexibility, and is widely used in drinking water, pharmaceuticals, electronics, the chemical industry, biotechnology, and other fields.
Does reverse osmosis remove bacteria?
Reverse osmosis is a completely effective way to remove most bacteria from water. Researchers have shown that reverse osmosis membranes can intercept almost all types of bacteria, such as E. coli, Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, etc.
Since the pore size of bacteria is usually 0.2-2 microns. The pore size of reverse osmosis membranes is 0.0001 microns. Therefore, reverse osmosis membranes can intercept bacteria very effectively.
The filtration effect of reverse osmosis systems is as high as 99.99%, which means that almost all bacteria can be effectively removed. Combined with pre-filtration and post-filtration, RO systems show extremely high efficiency in removing bacteria.
Can reverse osmosis remove viruses?
Reverse osmosis can completely and effectively remove viruses from water. Since the pore size of viruses is smaller than that of bacteria, the pore size of viruses is 0.02-0.3 microns, but the pore size of reverse osmosis membranes is 0.0001 microns, so viruses cannot pass through reverse osmosis membranes.
Therefore, reverse osmosis membranes can effectively intercept norovirus, rotavirus, hepatitis virus, etc.
According to expert research, the removal rate of viruses by reverse osmosis systems can also reach 99.99%. Therefore, when facing virus-contaminated water sources, RO systems are an effective choice for protecting family health.
From the above content, it can be concluded that the reverse osmosis system can completely remove bacteria and viruses from the water. The reverse osmosis system is one of the most efficient ways to remove bacteria and viruses. Therefore, if you want to efficiently remove bacteria and viruses from the water, you should choose to buy a high-quality reverse osmosis water filter. For example, the ITEHIL portable reverse osmosis water filtration system uses PP cotton + activated carbon and RO membrane for multiple filtrations, which can filter 99.99% of pollutants in the water, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, PVC, PFAS, etc.
ITEHIL Portable Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System adopts a portable design, so you can get unlimited healthy drinking water anytime and anywhere. It can filter fresh water sources of different water quality, such as rainwater runoff, spring water, lakes, ponds, rivers, swimming pools, swamp water, soda water, coffee, sweat, etc.
What other contaminants can RO systems remove?
In addition to bacteria and viruses, reverse osmosis systems can also remove a variety of other contaminants to ensure the quality of drinking water. These contaminants include:
- Heavy metals: Metals that are harmful to the human body, such as lead, mercury, and arsenic.
- Chemical pollutants: Such as pesticides, herbicides, industrial waste, etc.
- Dissolved solids (TDS): RO systems can effectively reduce dissolved solids in water, such as salts and minerals.
According to EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) standards, the removal rate of reverse osmosis systems is as high as 90-99%, making it one of the most efficient water purification technologies on the market today.
Importance and Benefits of RO Filtration
RO system plays a very important role in drinking water filtration technology. Here are the importance and benefits of the RO system:
- Efficient removal of pollutants: RO systems can effectively remove all heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, salt, and other harmful substances in water.
- Improved taste: RO systems remove impurities in water, making it taste better and more refreshing.
- Strong adaptability: RO systems are suitable for a variety of water sources, including tap water, well water, and river water, especially in areas with poor water quality.
- Reduce scale: RO filtration can reduce calcium and magnesium ions in water, prevent scale formation, and extend the life of electrical appliances.
- Environmental protection: Using RO water can reduce dependence on bottled water, thereby reducing plastic waste and carbon footprint.
- Health protection: Clean drinking water is essential to maintaining good health, especially in preventing waterborne diseases.
Final Thoughts
Reverse osmosis systems not only provide extremely high filtration effects but also ensure an overall improvement in water quality. Whether you are concerned about microbial contamination in the water or want to remove heavy metals and chemicals, RO systems are a solution worth considering.
Choosing a suitable reverse osmosis system can not only protect the health of you and your family but also improve your quality of life. Therefore, the ITEHIL reverse osmosis water filtration system will become an ideal choice for people to obtain clean drinking water.
FAQ
Does reverse osmosis remove bacteria?
Yes. The pore size of the reverse osmosis membrane is 0.0001 microns, which can remove most bacteria and viruses, including E. coli. To ensure the safety of drinking water, it is recommended that you clean and replace the water filter cartridge regularly.
How often does the RO system need to replace the filter?
Usually, the pre-filter is replaced every 6-12 months and the RO filter element is replaced every 2-3 years, depending on water quality and usage.
Is reverse osmosis water suitable for long-term drinking?
Reverse osmosis water can be used for a long time. Although reverse osmosis water removes minerals, the human body's intake of minerals does not rely entirely on drinking water. You can take in enough minerals through diet.
