Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): What are they?
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are all organic and inorganic contaminants that have been dissolved into water. These contaminants are gathered from everything water comes into contact with before it finds its way to you. Common elements of TDS are Iron, Sulfate, and Chloride.
Contaminants: What contaminants are reduced by Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse Osmosis reduces a huge variety of Total Dissolved Solids in water.
We have charted out some common TDS contaminants and what percent of reduction you can generally expect below.
These numbers are based on tap water tested in Southern California. The exact results may vary depending on the water quality in your area.
|
Contaminants |
Average Influent Concentration (mg/L) |
Average Effluent Concentration (mg/L) |
Average Percent Reduction |
Maximum Effluent Concentration (mg/L) |
|
Arsenic |
0.28 |
0.0035 |
98.7 |
0.0052 |
|
Barium |
10.2 |
0.207 |
97.9 |
0.3 |
|
Cadmium |
0.036 |
0.0005 |
98.6 |
0.0007 |
|
Chromium (Hexavalent) |
0.15 |
0.013 |
91.3 |
0.03 |
|
Chromium (Trivalent) |
0.17 |
0.01 |
94.1 |
0.01 |
|
Copper |
3.1 |
0.03 |
99.0 |
0.04 |
|
Cysts |
149357 #/ml |
5 #/ml |
99.99 |
17 #/ml |
|
Turbidity |
10.2 |
0.26 |
97.5 |
0.83 |
|
Fluoride |
8.0 |
0.5 |
93.9 |
0.7 |
|
Lead |
0.15 |
0.002 |
98.6 |
0.003 |
|
Perchlorate |
0.10 |
0.003 |
96.5 |
0.005 |
|
Radium 226/228 |
25 pCi/l |
5 pCi/l |
80.0 |
5 pCi/l |
|
Selenium |
0.10 |
0.10 |
92 |
0.011 |
|
TDS |
790 |
24 |
97 |
800 |
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Contaminate comparison chart: Reverse Osmosis vs Pitchers and Faucet Mounted Filters.
|
Contaminates |
Reverse Osmosis |
Standard Filtration Products |
Faucet Mount and Pitchers |
|
Arsenic (Pentavalent) |
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Perchlorate |
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|
Barium Reduction |
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Cadmium Reduction |
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Copper Reduction |
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|
Cyst Reduction |
(Faucet) |
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|
Chromium (Hexavalent) Reduction |
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|
Fluoride Reduction |
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|
Lead Reduction |
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|
Radium 226/228 Reduction |
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Selenium Reduction |
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|
TDS Reduction |
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|
Chromium (Trivalent) Reduction |
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Turbidity Reduction |
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Chlorine (taste and odor only) |
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|
Results |
15 Reductions out of 15 |
4 Reductions out of 15 |
4 Reductions out of 15 |
Does Reverse Osmosis remove Parasites, Bacteria, Cysts, and Cryptosporidium?
NSF's rating for reduction of Giardia Cysts and Cryptosporidium is 1 micron, and the Thin Film Membrane (TFM) filters down to 1/10,000th of a micron. That is 10,000 times smaller than these parasites. These contaminants are too large to pass through the TFM membrane. Although, a health claim cannot be made because of intangibles such as regular maintenance.
What happens to filtered impurities?
Impurities removed by the RO System are washed down the drain. Unlike other filters, the Reverse Osmosis membrane is self-cleaning. As water flows through the RO membrane, it is divided into two streams. One stream is pushed through the membrane by your water pressure. The second stream flows to the drain carrying dissolved pollutants, rejected salts, and contaminates. This means very little debris accumulates on your membrane allowing it to last for about a full year of use.