One of the most prevalent minerals in water is fluoride, which is added to practically all goods used on a daily basis. Although this mineral has many advantages, excessive fluoride can have serious negative effects on the body, including renal disorders.
Fluorosis, which weakens bodily tissues and cell growth and affects tooth enamel, can also be brought on by too much fluoride. Furthermore, large concentrations of this organic mineral may be hazardous to the brain and nerve cells, leading to a neurological breakdown, memory loss, and even learning difficulties. Fluoride in drinking water, however, can also strengthen bones and teeth to a certain extent.
What level of fluoride is safe?
The WHO recommends 1.5 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water, while only 1 mg/L is useful for people in terms of avoiding dental caries. On the other hand, the Maximum Contaminant Level for fluoride in public water systems is somewhere about 4 mg/L. (MCL). If the amount of fluoride in the water surpasses this limit, it is not considered safe to consume because fluoride can have harmful effects on the body.
Does boiling water get fluoride out of it?
No really. In fact, boiling water can actually increase the amount of fluoride it contains. Only chlorine and other microorganisms can be eliminated by boiling water, but the amount of this mineral increases when the water is heated to a boil.
Can fluoride be filtered using RO?
Out of the five purification techniques—reverse osmosis (RO), distillation, activated carbon, Reviva, and candle filter—it was the RO method combined with Reviva that contributed to the greatest reduction of this mineral, according to a study published in the Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. Water for this study came from the Devangere city borewell and the city’s public water supply in Karnataka.
In another study, after passing through multiple RO filters, the majority of the water samples revealed a decrease in fluoride level in the range of 0.1-0.8 ppm, which was published in the International Journal of Dental Sciences and Research. The average difference in fluoride removal for RO filters using cellulose-based or thin-film composite membranes, respectively, was determined to be (0.4) and (0.45) ppm.
