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| The Chemicals Explained |
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Jump
to: Aluminium
| Bacteria | Chlorine
| Cryptosporidium | Endocrines
| Fluoride |Hardness
| Heavy Metals |Minerals|
Nitrates | Organic
Compounds| Sediment|
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| The
Problem |
| There
are clear links between Alzheimer's disease and senile
dementia, and high aluminium levels in water. In areas
with high aluminium levels the number of sufferers is
50-100% greater than elsewhere in the country. Aluminium
can also cause death directly, through dialysis dementia
when contaminated supplies are connected to kidney dialysis
machines. There is no obvious bodily function which can
be fulfilled by aluminium. |
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| The
Causes |
| Aluminium
is added at many water works to treat surface water; it
promotes the formation of a floc blanket, which is taker
removed by a coarse filter. This means that the problem
is not confined to a particular geographical region although
there are some areas in the UK where aluminium occurs
naturally as in some parts of the South West and North
West. |
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| The
Solution |
| Effective
removal of aluminium requires the FW1000
using the 'Pearl' Cartridge. |
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BACTERIA
AND MICRO-ORGANISMS |
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| The
Problem |
Micro-organisms
are the tiny bacteria, viruses and cysts that exist in
nature. Although most are harmless, exposure to dangerous
micro-organisms, such as cryptosporidium and E.coli, can
result in severe illness. Especially vulnerable are the
elderly, children and those with weakened immune systems.
One of the best known bacteria is E.coli, which causes
bloody diarrhoea and can lead to haemolytic uraemic syndrome
(HUS). A recent outbreak in Japan infected over 6000 people
with at least 7 deaths and over 100 cases of HUS almost
all in young children. |
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| The
Cause |
| Although
local water supplies are treated using chemicals and filters
to get rid of such organisms, many can survive in the
water delivered to our home for use in bathing, washing
and, of course, drinking. Whilst live bacteria may be
relatively easy to kill, the spores tend to be much more
resistant and can survive chemical or heat disinfection.
Although spores may occur in very low concentrations,
only a small number may be sufficient to cause a serious
infection. |
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| The
Solution |
The
first ceramic stage of the unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge incorporated within our FW1000 filtration system
removes 99.99% of all bacteria. The ceramic may be cleaned
periodically to remove contaminant build-up and extend
the life of the cartridge. As further protection, the
ceramic is silverised to prevent the growth of bacteria
on the surface of the ceramic.
You could also remove bacteria from the water throughout
your home with ultra-violet light. Ultra-Violet Purifiers
use light energy that cripples the DNA of harmful organisms.
By disabling their DNA the life functions of these organisms
are interrupted, rendering them harmless. Because no chemicals
are involved, you don’t have to worry about drinking
harmful chemicals or their by-products. |
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| The
Problem |
Chlorine
on its own in water has an undesirable taste and odour.
However it can also react with the other pollutants in
the water to produce dangerous chemicals, for example,
trihalomethanes (THMs) and poly-chlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) which are known carcinogens. Chlorine also easily
combines with usually healthful nutrients in foods such
as fruit, vegetables and soy to turn them into carcinogenic
poisons.
Nor is the problem confined to drinking water. Up to two
thirds of our daily exposure to harmful chlorine occurs
whilst washing. Chlorine is both inhaled in steam and
absorbed by the skin, giving rise to dry, itchy skin,
brittle hair and irritation of existing allergies. |
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| The
Causes |
Chlorine
is added at water treatment plants to combat bacterial
contamination. The real problem starts, however, when
chlorine combines with other organic contaminants to form
THMs. Such contaminants originate either from herbicides
and pesticides in agriculture (Synthetic Organic Compounds
or SOCs) or solvents, varnishes and glues in industry
(Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs). Organic compounds
can also enter the water supply from decaying vegetation.
Surface waters, (rivers, lakes, and reservoirs) are contaminated
by leaching from agricultural soils, urban waste and industrial
effluents, for instance petroleum. Ground water from underground
reservoirs, aquifers, wells and bores can also contain
toxic organics, because these chemicals percolate through
the ground from waste dumps and the sites of agricultural
chemicals usage. |
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| The
Solution |
The
FW1000
is designed to provide treated water for drinking, using
a unique six-stage cartridge. Three of the stages of
the 'Pearl' cartridge help combat the problem of chlorine.
For
filtration of your bathing water choose either a Whole
House Filter Unit or a Shower
Filter |
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| The
Problem |
Cryptosporidium
is the parasite that causes Cryptosporidiosis, a disease
that gives rise to stomach and digestive problems and
in some cases death. Cryptosporidium often occurs in the
form of a resistant spore (oocyst). It is in this form
that it is most dangerous as it can survive disinfection
by many common agents, including chlorine.
As Cryptosporidium occurs in such small amounts in the
water supply in the UK, and generally is not harmful to
healthy people, tap water is not screened for it. However,
unlike other parasites, only a small number of Cryptosporidium
oocytes are sufficient to cause a serious reaction in
people with weak immune systems so even the low levels
found in UK drinking water may be potentially life-threatening.
Currently, there is no preventative treatment or cure
for Cryptosporidiosis |
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| The
Causes |
| Cryptosporidium
originates in animal and human faeces. It is transmitted
by contact of this material with the mouth. Transport
may be through contaminated material such as soil, water
uncooked food or food that has been in contact with the
faeces of an infected individual. Infection then occurs
when the medium is transferred to the mouth and swallowed.
The disease is therefore particularly prevalent amongst
those who are in regular contact with bodies of fresh
water, whether for work or recreation. |
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| The
Solution |
I
have previously mentioned that Cryptosporidium oocysts
are extremely resistant, making them almost impossible
to kill- heat and chemical disinfectants are useless!
The best solution therefore is the complete removal of
the oocysts from your water using a ceramic cartridge.
Ceramic cartridges, made of diatomaceous earth, remove
all particles down to 1 micron in diameter. Cryptosporidium
cysts are 3 micron in diameter so are completely removed.
For optimum performance, use our FW1000 system which incorporates
our unique, world-beating, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge. The ceramic shell of the cartridge is filled
with a variety of media to remove contaminants with unrivalled
efficiency but leave behind healthful minerals.
We should also be wary of the risk of infection from other
areas. One should be careful to avoid swallowing untreated
water from lakes, rivers and streams, swimming pools and
even other outlets in your home that are not protected
by a filter. Outside of the realm of water, attention
needs to be paid to contaminated soil (such as pet litter
boxes and garden manure) or un-peeled fruits or vegetables
as well as unprotected anal-oral contact. |
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| The
Problem |
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The
endocrine system is a system of glands within the body
which secrete hormones to control many of our bodily
functions. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals which
interfere with the endocrine system by blocking, mimicking
or otherwise disrupting the function of hormones. Because
our endocrine system is responsible for such a wide
array of functions, endocrine disruptors have a great
many effects.
Some of the most well-known examples of endocrine disruptors
are Dioxins, Poly-chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Poly-aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs), furans, phenols and several pesticides
(including DDT and its derivatives). There is also a
long list of substances which may disrupt the endocrine
system but have not yet been scientifically proven to
do so.
PCBs
– the effects PCBs on health have largely been
researched in animals. From these drastic results, however,
it is easy to speculate the damage that they may be
having on humans. In polar bears PCBs, ingested when
the bears eat contaminated seas, have caused increased
incidence of hermaphrodites. In fish, PCBs have been
proven to inhibit the activity of the thyroid gland.
Xenoestrogens – synthetic chemicals that mimic
the effect of oestrogen. By fooling our bodies into
turning off biochemical pathways, they can cause womb
and breast cancer in women, testicular and prostate
cancer in men and infertility in both sexes. Children
may also be affected. Phthalate esters in particular
have been linked to reduced sperm count in men.
PAHs - a class of compounds including naphthalene, anthracene
and phenanthrene. Certain PAHs are linked to low growth,
infertility, foetal damage and lung and skin tumors.
Pesticides – in very high concentrations, pesticides
cause burning and blindness. Over a prolonged periods,
lower concentrations such as are found in our drinking
water are associated with cancer, birth defects, liver,
kidney and blood mutations. |
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| The
Causes |
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Endocrine
disruptors originate from several sources. Many, like
pesticides, come from industry and agriculture. However,
others come from more innocent sources…
Phthalate
esters are the agents that make plastic flexible and
are commonly found in flexible plastic bottles such
as those used to store mineral water and other drinks.
Indeed, these plastic bottles may be releasing phthalates
into the water stored in them all the time, slowly poisoning
the water that you thought was pure – yet another
reason to choose point of use water filtration over
bottled water! |
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| The
Solution |
| The
carbon block part of our unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge, incorporated into the FW1000
filtration system removes 90-98% of all endocrine disruptors.
As the FW1000 is
a point-of-use system, there is no risk of contamination
by Phthalate esters from plastic bottles. |
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| The
Problem |
| Dr
Burk of the National Cancer Institute states that 1 in
10 of cancer deaths in the USA can be linked to fluoride
in our drinking water. In fact, in the past 30 years,
more people have died from cancer associated with fluoridation
than have died in military service in the history of the
United States. Other health defects include genetic defects
such as Down’s syndrome, fatigue, headaches, urinary
tract irritations and diarrhoea. |
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| The
Causes |
| Fluoride
is still being added to drinking water supplies by the
governments of some countries such as the United States
and the United Kingdom under the pretence that it reduces
tooth decay. However, no evidence has ever been produced
to suggest that fluoride in the concentrations in our
water has any affect on dental health! Indeed, many countries
such as France, Germany and Sweden stopped fluoridation
long ago for health and legal reasons. Click here for more info. |
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| The
Solution |
| To
remove fluoride from your drinking water, use the FW2000,
a twin system incorporating our unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge as well as a specialised ‘Malachite’
fluoride element. If you are looking to reduce tooth decay,
studies have shown that generous amounts of calcium and
magnesium, not fluoride, in drinking water are key. Yet
another reason to choose the ‘Pearl’ system
as it retains healthful minerals whilst removing contaminants
with unrivalled efficiency. |
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| The
Problem |
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The
trouble that hard water can cause is well known to many
of us as much of Britain’s water supply is hard.
The problems it can cause are both aesthetic and financial.
They include limescale, pathetic lather, having to use
copious amounts of cleaning products, cloudy glasses,
lack-lustre colour, water marks in your bathroom, clogged
pipe-work and increased running costs of appliances.
However,
the minerals that cause hardness have been proven to
be extremely beneficial to health when found in drinking
water. Dr Martin Fox, in his paper “Healthy Water”,
confirmed the link between water hardness and lower
levels of heart disease. It has also been stated that
moderately high water hardness is associated with a
10-25% drop in cancer deaths over areas with softer
water. They are important to the development of healthy
teeth and bones. |
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| The
Causes |
| Calcium
and magnesium are the minerals that cause water hardness.
These minerals get into our water when it flows through
bedrock as groundwater. In particular, limestone is rich
in calcium and magnesium and is easily dissolved so is
a prime source of water hardness. Much of Britain lies
on limestone bedrock so water hardness is an issue that
most of us are familiar with. |
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| The
Solution |
| A
water softener
can remove hardness from the water throughout your home
by the process of ion-exchange. The ideal solution is
to use a water softener in conjunction with a drinking
water filter like our FW1000
system that removes harmful contaminants whilst retaining
beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium. |
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| The
Problem |
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Lead
– In children, exposure to lead has been associated
with health problems ranging from subtle learning difficulties
to mental and physical retardation. In pregnant women,
retarded foetal development, and in adults, excessive
amounts of lead can lead to hypertension, strokes and
heart disease.
Copper – a study in Sweden has linked copper in
drinking water to protracted diarrhoea, gastrointestinal
diseases as well as liver cirrhosis.
Cadmium – People expose to high levels of cadmium
in their drinking water for a relatively short time
may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle cramps,
salivation, sensory disturbances, liver injury, convulsions,
shock and renal failure. Longer term exposure may result
in blood, bone, kidney and liver damage. |
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| The
Causes |
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Pure
water is a very aggressive solvent, and water travelling
through lead supply lines and lead-soldered copper pipes
causes leaching of toxic heavy metals. Tasteless, odourless
and colourless, heavy metals can be toxic in minute
quantities.
Lead - most lead found in drinking water comes from
old lead pipes and from the lead solder used in joining
pipes. Not only do older homes have lead pipes which
can cause the problems stated above, but scientific
data indicated that in new homes there may be a even
greater risk of lead contamination from the solder.
Copper – high levels of dissolved copper most
usually come from copper plumbing and fixtures.
Cadmium – in nature cadmium can be found in metal
ores, which can serve as sources to ground and surface
water. Major industrial releases of cadmium are due
to waste streams and leaching of landfills, and from
a variety of operations that involve cadmium or zinc.
In particular, cadmium can be released to drinking water
from the corrosion of some galvanized plumbing and water
main pipe materials. |
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| The
Solution |
| Renewing
all the pipes in a school, hospital, or home!?!? Instead,
filter your drinking water at the point of use with our
FW1000 filter system with the unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge. The ion-exchange resin within the ceramic candle
removes up to 99% of dissolved heavy metals. |
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| The
Problem |
| Minerals
are extremely beneficial to the health of most people.
It is widely recognised that we need minerals as part
of a healthy diet. Water with high mineral content has
been associated with lower incidences of heart disease
and cancer. High mineral content may be a problem, however,
for people suffering from allergies. Some people with
weak immune systems or people who are detoxing are recommended
to drink demineralised water to avoid reactions. |
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| The
Causes |
| Most
minerals are picked up naturally by water when it passes
through bedrock as groundwater. Particularly significant
in transferring minerals is limestone, which is extremely
soluble. |
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| The
Solution |
|
We
recommend that most people use a filter system such
as the FW1000
that incorporates our unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge which removes harmful contaminants whilst
leaving behind healthful minerals.
If you do want pure H2O, use one of our Reverse
Osmosis or distillation
systems. |
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| The
Problem |
| Nitrate
reduces the ability of the blood to absorb oxygen. High
levels of nitrate in drinking water have been linked to
nitrate cyanosis and methenoglobinemia, often called 'blue
baby' syndrome, in infants. Nitrate can be readily converted
to its more toxic form, nitrite, within the digestive
tract. Nitrite can then form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
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| The
Causes |
| Increased
levels of nitrate in drinking water are primarily linked
to agricultural use of nitrates. Fertilisers, pesticides,
silo drainage and sewage contamination are all contributors.
This means that regions relying on water from heavily
farmed areas are most likely to be affected. However,
nitrates are highly soluble in water. They can therefore
move easily through soil and rock as well as into rivers,
putting us all at risk. |
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| The
Solution |
Nitrates
are removed from drinking water by ion exchange. Choose
our FW2000 system.
This twin system incorporates our unique, six-stage ‘Pearl’
cartridge, which removes contaminants with unrivalled
efficiency whilst retaining healthful minerals, together
with our ‘Jasper’ cartridge for enhanced nitrate
removal
For commercial purposes, use one of our Nitrate
Reduction Systems |
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| The
Problem |
Many
Synthetic Organic Compounds (SOCs) and Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs) are known to be endocrine disruptors,
causing problems ranging from infertility, to stunted
growth to deformation of reproductive organs.
These compounds are perhaps more deadly when they combine
with chlorine in our drinking water to form Trihalomethanes
(THMs). These compounds are known carcinogens. |
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| The
Causes |
| Such
contaminants originate either from herbicides and pesticides
in agriculture (Synthetic Organic Compounds or SOCs) or
solvents, varnishes and glues in industry (Volatile Organic
Compounds or VOCs). Organic compounds can also enter the
water supply from decaying vegetation. |
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| The
Solution |
| The
carbon block in our six-stage ‘Pearl’ cartridge
in our FW1000 filtration
system removes between 90 and 98% of organic compounds.
The ceramic candle and other media in the ‘Pearl’
cartridge also remove other contaminants with unrivalled
efficiency but leave behind healthful minerals. |
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| The
Problem |
| Sediments
are the largest pollutants in our water. These particles
are unsightly to look at and may give water an unpleasant
odour or taste. Moreover, they may act as transport for
other contaminants such as bacteria, which can cause further
problems. Large quantities of sediment in water may cause
filters to block easily and so shorten their life expectancy.
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| The
Causes |
| ‘Sediment’
is a very broad term that encompasses many types of particulate.
Common sediments include dust from the air and metal particulates
such as rust, which may accumulate as water passes through
old pipe work. The amount of sediment in your water may
increase if roadworks are being carried out nearby. |
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| The
Solution |
| All
of our filters remove sediment from your water. However,
if you find that you have a lot of sediment in your water,
you may find that the filters become easily blocked and
need to be changed very often. To protect your filter
system use a separate prefilter to remove initial sediment
before it passes through the main system |
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