Home Water Filtration for Mercury in Drinking Water

Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that combines with other elements to form inorganic mercury compounds. Mercury also combines with carbon to make organic mercury compounds. The major source of mercury is from natural degassing of the earth\’s crust. Mercury in water has the potential to cause kidney damage from short-term exposures at levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Elemental mercury is typically released from industrial processes, agricultural processes, household, commercial and medical products containing mercury, sewage discharge and sediment. Elemental mercury vapor may cause nervous system damage when exposed at high concentrations. Higher than normal levels of mercury in the environment are also often associated with volcanic activity.

Organic mercury (primarily methyl mercury) is produced by specific bacterial organisms in surface waters that convert inorganic mercury into organic mercury, which is the form of mercury that poses a significant threat to human health. Methyl mercury is ingested typically by fish and bioaccumulates both in the tissues of fish and the humans that eat these fish. Large predatory fish can contain as much as 100,000 times more methyl mercury than the surrounding water medium. This form is rarely present in drinking water but is a quite common contaminant in the tissues of fish and causes damage to the nervous system as well as teratogenesis. Both inorganic and organic mercury are considered to have a more detrimental effect on children because both forms are more easily absorbed into their system.

Both inorganic and organic mercury can be theoretically reduced in water with distillation, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange (strong base anion, weak base anion and specialty types of ion exchange resin). Also effective are the activated carbon, specialty media adsorption and filtration products, such as solid block and precoat adsorption filter.

3MRO401 REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM

The 3MRO401 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System helps provide cleaner, better tasting water through reverse osmosis filtration. 3MRO401, replaces the Water Factory SQC4, offering multi-stage filtration, incorporating separate sediment and chlorine taste & odor filters for excellent membrane module protection, a sanitary, encapsulated reverse osmosis membrane, and carbon block post-filter for superior flow from a dedicated faucet.

The 3MRO401 system is powered by residential line pressure – no electricity required. The system helps conserve water, shutting down when the storage tank is full and turning back on to refill the tank. Replacement filters are easy to change – twist on, twist off, no mess.

BENEFITS

• System installs under the sink and uses designated faucet (included) for drinking and cooking water use
• Helps conserve water by automatically stopping production when tank is full
• Filters easily changed by hand
• System is NSF Standards 42, 53 and 58 certified
• Reverse osmosis membrane module capable of producing up to 18.95 gallons (71.73 liters) per day of clean, fresh water every 24 hours
• System is powered by residential line pressure-no electricity required
• Installs under the sink, quick change design allows for fast and easy replacement filter change outs
• 5-micron sediment/carbon pre-filter for optimal sediment holding capacity, granulated Activated carbon pre-filter to help protect membrane
• Designed for both chlorinated or non-chlorinated municipal or well systems
• Optimized for reduction of nitrates and VOCs
• Reduces Mercury, Sediment, Chlorine Taste & Odor, Cysts, Arsenic, Barium, Cadmium, Chromium (Hex), Chromium (Tri), Copper, Fluoride, Lead, Radium, Selenium, Select Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Turbidity, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

Table 1 summarizes the specifications for the 3M RO401 system:

Reverse osmosis filtration system is one of the most extensive methods of filtration. It removes a broad range of contaminants such as mercury, total dissolved solids (TDS), chlorine taste and odor, organic compounds, sediment, and cysts. Sani Water are one of the exclusive suppliers and consultants of 3M Water Filtration Products particularly the 3MRO401 Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System. 

The consultants at Saniwater can help their customers with suitable recommendations for mercury removal. The technicians can also help with installation of the recommended filter products. Sani Water is dedicated to offer best solutions to meet the drinking water requirements of their customers.

REFERENCES

1. 1. https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/mercuryfinal.pdf
   2. https://www.wqa.org/learn-about-water/common-contaminants/mercury
   3. https://www.wqa.org/Portals/0/Technical/Technical%20Fact%20Sheets/Mercury.pdf
   4. https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/docs/Mercury_WellWaterFactSt.pdf
   5. https://people.uwec.edu/piercech/hg/mercury_water/drinkingwater.htm
   6. https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/3m-3mro401-reverse-osmosis-drinking-water-filtration-system
   7. https://assets.freshwatersystems.com/image/upload/s–nsNVgldG–/psal1biiycmdl6hrohph.pdf
   8. https://www.3mwaterfiltersonline.com/3m-water-filters/3m-reverse-osmosis-systems/3mro401-reverse-osmosis-system.html
   9. https://www.amazon.com/3M-3MRO401-Reverse-Osmosis-Filtration/dp/B019YP7ZSG
   10. https://www.aquapurefilters.com/store/product/201216.201238/3mro401.html