Thanks to our expertise and high-quality products, we are a reliable partner for companies that value quality, safety and efficiency in industrial water treatment and occupational hygiene. On our website, you will find detailed information about each of our products, as well as the opportunity to contact our specialists for advice and ordering the necessary reagents. Be sure that by choosing our products, you are getting the best solution for your water treatment and industrial hygiene business.
The taste of water depends on its composition and the amount of dissolved impurities. One of the main parameters affecting the organoleptic properties is hardness. It depends on the amount of calcium and magnesium salts contained in the water. An increased amount of them makes the water taste bitter. An excessively softened liquid may have sour or sweetish tints.
Impurities dissolved in water and affecting its taste at high concentrations:
According to the ND, the taste of water is assessed on a five-point scale. From 0 to 2, water is considered suitable for drinking:
0 – no taste;
1 – a weak, barely perceptible flavor;
2 – a brighter flavor that does not cause unpleasant sensations.
Water with three to five points has a taste that causes a disapproving response and is unpleasant in terms of organoleptic properties:
3 – noticeable aftertaste, when the water is still drinkable;
4 – there is a distinct unpleasant taste that discourages drinking water;
5 – a distinct unpleasant taste, the liquid is undrinkable.
Similar to taste, the ND establishes a five-point system for evaluating the odor of water. It has a similar system whereby a liquid in the range of 0-2 does not cause unpleasant sensations. Water with an odor score of 3-5 is not suitable for drinking.
Water suitable for drinking should not have any distinct unpleasant odors.
Color is a natural property of water that depends on the presence of humic substances in it, which are washed out of the soil during the formation of surface and groundwater bodies.
Clean drinking water should have a bluish tint, which can increase depending on the thickness of the liquid layer. A changed color signals contamination with various types of impurities.
Only water whose color does not exceed 20 degrees can be considered high-quality.
Turbidity is a natural property of water caused by the content of suspended substances of organic and inorganic origin (clay, silt, organic colloids, plankton, etc.).
Drinkable water should be clear and free of visible turbidity.
Hydrogen pH is a natural property of water caused by the presence of free hydrogen ions.
This indicator is used to determine the concentration of unbound hydrogen ions in water. The pH value characterizes the speed of chemical reactions, affects the degree of corrosiveness, toxicity of pollutants, etc.
It is critical to monitor the pH level at every stage of water treatment, as deviations in one direction or another will give the liquid a specific odor, affect the taste and appearance, and generally indicate the ineffectiveness of water treatment measures.
Electrical conductivity is an indicator of the conductivity of electric current in water, which is determined by the presence of charged particles – positive and negative ions. This indicator is higher, the more positively charged ions (cations) and negative ions (anions) there are in the liquid. That is, electrical conductivity is directly related to the salt content of water.
Salinity is a generalized quantitative indicator of the content of dissolved impurities (salts) in water.
The absence of salts in water will affect its taste, more specifically, it will become tasteless and too fresh. If we talk about the salt content in terms of scale deposits on the walls of water heaters, the lower this indicator is, the better. Especially when it comes to hard salts.
Hardness is a natural property of water caused by the presence of so-called hardness salts, namely calcium and magnesium. There are general, carbonate (temporary) and non-carbonate (permanent) hardnesses.
Carbonate hardness is caused by the presence of calcium and magnesium carbonates and bicarbonates. This type of hardness can be almost completely eliminated by boiling. Due to this fact, it is also called temporary hardness.
Non-carbonate hardness is determined by the presence of calcium and magnesium salts of strong acids (nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric). This hardness cannot be eliminated by boiling, so it is called permanent.
Depending on its hardness, water has different effects on human health. A sudden change from soft to hard water can lead to dyspepsia. Water with high hardness contributes to dermatitis. But very soft water can also have a negative effect on the body due to a decrease in the intake of calcium, especially.
Thus, water of medium hardness, i.e. within the range of 3.5-7.0 mg-eq/dm3, is optimal.
Alkalinity is the total number of hydroxyl ions contained in water, as well as weak acid anions. The alkalinity of water can be hydrated, carbonate, bicarbonate, depending on the presence of certain substances in it.
The state of the body directly depends on the alkalinity of water. The optimal rate of water alkalinity will help to establish the following body functions:
The human body itself is dominated by neutral or slightly alkaline fluids. An acidic environment (low alkalinity of water) creates ideal conditions for the development of various diseases.
Therefore, it is very important to determine the alkalinity of drinking water and control these indicators.
Redox potential is the ability of water to enter into biochemical reactions. When water enters the human body through drinking, it comes into contact with internal body fluids.
The permanganate oxidizability is the amount of oxygen (mg) required for the chemical oxidation of easily oxidizable organic and inorganic substances contained in 1 dm3 of water. This indicator characterizes the presence of mineral and organic substances in water.
High permanganate oxidation of water indicates possible contamination of the water source with easily oxidized substances of mineral or organic origin.
Bicarbonates (HCO3-), unlike carbonates (CO3-), are water-soluble.
Its content affects water hardness. The main sources of calcium in surface water are chemical weathering and mineral dissolution. Large amounts of calcium enter water bodies and soils with industrial wastewater.
Drinking water with a high calcium content leads to a decrease in gastric motility and salt accumulation in the body. This can lead to metabolic disorders.
Also, an excessive amount of calcium cations can negatively affect the cardiovascular system. After all, they are involved in controlling the heart rate. What is most surprising is that calcium, or rather its increased content in water and its regular use, is the culprit of rheumatic diseases.
When watering, an excessive amount of calcium salts can be deposited on irrigation equipment and form scale when boiled.
Just like calcium, affects water hardness. The higher its content, the higher the water hardness. Magnesium enters surface water mainly as a result of chemical weathering and dissolution of various minerals. The main source of magnesium salts in water is the erosion of natural deposits of limestone, gypsum and dolomite by this water. Large quantities of magnesium can enter water bodies with wastewater from metallurgical, chemical, and other enterprises. In river waters, the magnesium content usually ranges from a few units to tens of milligrams per 1 dm3. However, the magnesium content in surface waters is subject to significant fluctuations: as a rule, maximum concentrations are observed during dry periods, and minimum concentrations during floods.
The form of magnesium that enters the body with water is characterized by a higher degree of bioaccumulation than magnesium from food.
Almost all waters contain another substance – chlorides. They appear in the liquid in the form of salts of sodium, potassium, magnesium and other metals.
Chlorides can give water a salty taste, i.e., worsen its organoleptic properties.
They are always found in drinking water along with sulfates. And while chlorides alone do not impair the organoleptic properties of water at high concentrations, together with sulfates they give it an unpleasant salty taste.
Water containing a lot of chlorides has an adverse effect on gastric secretion.
This is a large group of minerals (more than 200) that are salts of sulfuric acid (H2SO4). They get into the water when leached from the soil or when a water body is polluted by wastewater.
High amounts of sulfates, especially in combination with chlorides, are easily detected by taste. The water acquires a salty taste with a slight bitterness and is unpleasant to drink.
Iron in water is of several types:
Water with an increased amount of iron is not recommended for household use and drinking. It can be harmful to health. Continuous consumption of water with high levels of iron increases the risk of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Household appliances also suffer from excessive amounts of iron. It is deposited on the walls of water pipes and can lead to breakdowns in washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances.
It enters the water in several ways: through rocks of soluble sodium salts (carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid, chloride), through industrial and household wastewater, through water from irrigated fields.
If sodium in water is in excess, it can increase blood pressure, promote fluid accumulation in the body, and cause edema. Excess sodium in the body also depletes potassium stores.
The dissolved oxygen of water is the amount of oxygen contained in 1 dm3 of water. Air oxygen diffuses into water and dissolves in it.
If water is contaminated with organic matter, the content of dissolved oxygen decreases. It is also reduced by the rapid development of algae, which is observed when mineral fertilizer components enter the water.
Almost all waters, especially groundwater, contain nitrogen-containing substances such as nitrites NO2 and nitrates NO3. They are decomposition products of organic impurities and indicate that organic matter of animal origin is present in the water. Nitrates, nitrites, and salts are formed by the decomposition of urea and proteins contained in wastewater.
High concentrations of nitrates can lead to diseases such as atrophic gastritis and stomach cancer.
Ammonium ions also indicate pollution or the proximity of its source. Typically, elevated concentrations of this substance are found near municipal wastewater treatment plants, large settlements, and livestock farms.
Water with a high ammonium content can cause impaired oxidative function of the blood.
Silicates are salts of silicate acid. Silicates are insoluble in water, except for sodium and potassium silicates. Increased concentrations of silicates affect the aquatic ecosystem, but the effects and their intensity depend on the local situation, such as the season, phosphorus content, nitrogen and silicon concentrations in the water, etc.
Excess silicon leads to silicosis. This is a serious disease of the lung tissue. In addition to pulmonary fibrosis, excessive intake of silicon causes urolithiasis, malignant tumors in the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. In addition, silicon dioxide has a harmful effect on the circulatory and central nervous systems. The disease develops in stages and can be complicated by tuberculosis.
The source of groundwater contamination with copper is industrial enterprises.
The most dangerous thing is that this metal is not excreted from the body. Over the years, it accumulates in the form of deposits and has a long-term toxic effect on humans.
It is a natural mineral that occurs in rocks and soils. Manganese is rarely found alone in water. It is often found in iron ore waters, but less frequently than iron. Chemically, it can be considered a close relative of iron, as it occurs in the same forms as iron.
Excessive levels of manganese can potentially cause serious health problems. Long-term exposure to manganese can cause nervous system toxicity and Parkinson’s-like symptoms, especially in children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
Manganese deposits can build up in pipelines, pressure tanks, water heaters, and water softeners, reducing the amount of water available and the pressure in the system.
