How Do Ion Water Purifiers Work?
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What Ions Do
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Ions are positively or negatively charged versions of a molecule. The loss of a single electron can create a cation, just as the addition of a single electron creates an anion. These ions give or take electrons as they interact with other molecules. Positively charged cations are attracted to negatively charged ions and negatively charged anions are attracted to positively charged ions.
Using Ions to Purify Water
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Ion water purifiers rely on a resin to filter either cations or anions from water and exchange them for inert ions such as sodium (Na+) or chloride (Cl-). Filters for cations are filled with a sulfur compound (SO3-) that when new is bonded with Na+ or potassium (K+). When tap water containing heavy metals or other cations flows through the resin media, the Na+ and K+ are exchanged for the less desirable cations. A similar resin loaded with hydroxide (OH-) or Cl- holds inert anions to exchange for less desirable anions such as nitrates and sulfates. Filters can be found that perform both positive and negative ion exchange through a series of resin chambers. Over time, the resin media will lose effectiveness and will need replacement.
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What is Ionized Water?
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Ionized water is not purified water. Ionization does not reduce minerals and does not remove bacteria or other impurities from water. What ionizing water does is alkalize water. Stress, exertion, poor diet and disease can acidify the body's tissues. Experts say drinking alkalized water will re-balance the body's pH and halt reduction of minerals from the skeleton. The ionization process creates two types of water.
Electrolysis to "Split" Water
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An ionized water unit can be hooked to your kitchen tap water supply. The unit performs electrolysis on your water before you use it. The tap water flows through an activated carbon filter and then over electrified metal plates made of platinum-coated titanium. The electrified plates excite the water molecules and draw charged particles to either a positively- or negatively-charged plate. Water that was neutrally charged entering the unit is separated and comes out as two types of water: water full of negative ions, or anions (reduced water) and water full of positive ions, or cations (oxidized water).
Uses of Reduced Water
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You've probably heard of antioxidants. Many foods we eat contain antioxidants naturally, such as blueberries. Antioxidants are good for our body because they reduce unneeded cations of oxygen, called active oxygen, which can be harmful to healthy tissues. The active oxygen molecules are also called free radicals. Reduced water sends many more antioxidants at once into the digestive system than can be found in our food. Experts claim drinking reduced water increases the likelihood that free radicals will be reduced to healthy levels in the body. Reduced water can be used for drinking or cooking.
Uses of Oxidized Water
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Water full of positively charged ions removes electrons from the bacteria and kills them. Oxidized water is good for washing hands, dishes and utensils, cleaning minor wounds, washing vegetables and fruits and any place you do not want bacteria to stay. Hyperoxidized water can also be used in agriculture to kill fungi and pests damaging to food crops yet is safe for workers.
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