Arsenic is a naturally occurring compound found in the earth’s crust and is emitted to the environment because of volcanic activity and industrial activities. Current and historical uses of arsenic include pharmaceuticals, wood preservatives, agricultural chemicals, and applications in the mining, metallurgical, glassmaking, and semiconductor industries. Elemental arsenic is used in the manufacture of alloys, particularly with lead (e.g. in lead acid batteries) and copper. The greatest threat to public health from arsenic originates from contaminated groundwater.
Countries that use groundwater as part of their drinking water source are at risk of arsenic exposure. The immediate health impacts of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, followed by numbness and tingling of the extremities, muscle cramping and death, in extreme cases. Long-term exposure of arsenic can cause chronic health impacts such as skin cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified arsenic and arsenic compounds as carcinogenic to humans and has also stated that arsenic in drinking-water is carcinogenic to humans. Arsenic is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality, with impacts on child health.
The current WHO recommended limit of arsenic in drinking-water is 10 μg/L, although this guideline value is designated as provisional because of practical difficulties in removing arsenic from drinking-water. Every effort should therefore be made to keep concentrations as low as reasonably possible and below the guideline value when resources are available. Therefore, it is extremely imperative that drinking water be treated as efficiently as possible to minimize arsenic exposure. This article discusses the reverse osmosis point-of-entry (POE) filtration device used to treat and remove arsenic from drinking water and make it safe for human consumption. This is particularly useful for consumers who have their private well water supply for drinking purposes.
APEC RO-PH90 UNDER SINK REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER FILTER SPECIFICATIONS AND DESCRIPTION
The APEC RO-PH 90 is a top tier alkaline reverse osmosis drinking water system. It has been tested and certified by WQA to remove up to 99% of arsenic in addition to other metals such as lead, copper, barium, chromium, cadmium, radium, selenium, TDS, chlorine, and taste and odor issues. One of the best features of this reverse osmosis system is that it comes with the additional remineralization stage that raises the pH and adds essential minerals lost during the RO process. It includes high performance 6-stage system components as described in table below:
| 1st stage | High-Grade high-capacity polypropylene sediment filter —removes dust, particles, and rust. Protects and extends the life of the membrane and system. |
| 2nd Stage | Premium Extruded Carbon Block —gets rid of unpleasant chlorine, tastes, odors, cloudiness, and colors. Also removes VOCs and other common chemicals from the water. |
| 3rd Stage | Premium Extruded Carbon Block —gets rid of unpleasant chlorine, tastes, odors, cloudiness, and colors. Also removes VOCs and other common chemicals from the water. |
| 4th Stage | Select FILMTEC (Dow Chemical) High Rejection TFC reverse osmosis membrane. Removes up to 99% of total dissolved solids (TDS) and contaminants such as arsenic, lead, fluoride, chromium, radium, bacteria, viruses and much more. |
| 5th Stage | Advanced Coconut Shell Refining Carbon 10\” — TCR (Total Contamination Removal) filter removes any possible residual taste from the tank. |
| 6th Stage | Calcite Acidic Water Neutralizer 10\” – adds calcium carbonate to increase water alkalinity. |
The product specifications and dimensions are summarized in table below:
System Capacity: |
90 gallons per day @ 60 psi, 75 gallons/day @50 psi and 77 deg F |
Tank Size: |
4 gallons. 14 gallons optional |
Tank Dimensions: |
11\” x 11\” x 15\” (4 gallons tank). 16\” x 16\” x 25\” (14 gallons tank) |
Feed Water Pressure: |
40-85 psi |
Feed Water Temperature: |
40-100 deg F |
Max Total Dissolved Solids: |
2000 ppm |
System Dimensions: |
16\”w x 5.25\”d x 17.5\”h |
Feed Water pH: |
2.0 -11.0 |
SUMMARY
The literature background included in this article provided a succinct summary of the impact of arsenic in drinking water and discussed one of the treatment methods to remove arsenic and thus reduce exposure and associated health risks. POU reverse osmosis devices can be effective and affordable compliance options for small systems and private well owners in meeting the arsenic limit of 10 µg/L.
However, installation of reverse osmosis system such as the APEC RO PH-90 should be done by a certified plumber. Homeowners should obtain adequate information on their tap water quality by getting the water tested at a laboratory. The water experts at Sani Water are experienced professionals in this field who would not only provide appropriate treatment recommendation to their customers, but their technicians would also work with the installation and maintenance of the POU reverse osmosis systems.
REFERENCES
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/arsenic
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/arsenic.html
http://cidbimena.desastres.hn/docum/crid/CD_Agua/pdf/eng/doc14613/doc14613.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304380/#:~:text=In%20the%20agricultural%20industry%2C%20arsenic,%2C%20defoliants%2C%20and%20soil%20sterilants.&text=Elemental%20arsenic%20is%20used%20in,lead%20acid%20batteries)%20and%20copper.
