Nitrates in water in levels in excess of 45 mg/l as Nitrate NO3 or 10 mg/l expressed as Nitrogen-N can be a health issue when in drinking water. They impart no color, taste or odor to water. The source of nitrates in water is caused by the breakdown of nitrogen based fertilizers, animal waste and rotting vegetation by certain microorganisms in soil. Rain then transports the nitrates through the soil into ground water (wells) and into lakes and rivers (surface water). Very common in well, lake and river waters.
Sulfates in water in water in water in excess of 250 mg/l as SO4 has negative health effects. They impart a medical taste to water but no color or odor. The source is the erosion of natural minerals into water. Seldom found in surface water but common in well water.
We normally incorporate Nitrate and Sulfate resins which regenerate with Chloride with softening resin that regenerates with Sodium to utilize both Sodium and Chloride which is salt simultaneously as a benefit to the end user. This combination will
- Treat Hardness/Scale
- Treat Nitrates or Sulfates
Once Nitrates are consumed, they change to nitrites which enter the bloodstream and reduce the oxygen carrying ability of the blood— a condition called methemoglobinemia. Most healthy adults have enzymes that repair this condition whereas infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems do not.
Drinking water with a sulfate level in excess of 250 mg/l may also cause a health issue. Water with high levels of sulfate often has a medicinal taste causing humans and livestock to drink less water than they should and has a laxative effect that further dehydrates. At very high levels copper plumbing corrosion is common. Both Nitrate and sulfate are negatively charged molecules as they exist in water and may be easily reduced to almost non-existence through the use of our special anion exchange resins.
These resins are very similar to those used within water softeners. The completed units look exactly like a water softener. Most often, a single unit is employed providing treated water except for a 90 minute period in the middle of the night every few days while the system regenerates. Meter controlled alternating twin versions are available to provide 24/7/365 treatment.
As a safety step, we employ resins that have superior holding ability for either nitrate or sulfate so that there will never be “dumping” of these compounds into the treated water stream even if they are run beyond their capacity. Sizes range in flow rates from those for home to 100’s of gallons per minute for hotels, restaurants, apartment buildings, etc. Because each system is tailored to the application, pricing can be quoted only after a water analysis is provided and a design calculated.
