Deionized water is produced by taking water and exposing it to electric-charged resins. The electric charges remove all ions from the water. It removes all salt. The water has no ionic charge to it. So, should you deionize your water? What are the uses, but also the risks, of deionized water in everyday life?
One primary use for deionized water is in medicine. It’s used in manufacturing microelectronics. It’s an ingredient in solvents and more products.
Some people have deionized water at home. Is it, or when is it, beneficial to use a deionizing water filter at home? As valuable as deionized water is to uses like producing pharmaceuticals, there are many people who never think about deionized water filtration at home. It’s good to know more of the positives and negatives, or actually the lack of positives or negatives, about deionized water.
What is Deionized Water? Why is it Necessary?
Some people call deionized water “pure water.” Deionized water has had all the ions removed. Ions are molecules or atoms and have positive or negative charges. Deionized water has no positive or negative charges. In applications or needs where entirely 100% pure or neutral water is needed, deionized water is a vital ingredient. Deionization is a chemical procedure in which resins trade hydrogen and hydroxide ions for dissolved materials, which are essentially then removed.
This process leaves water as a blank slate. It can remain entirely neutral. It can have other ingredients or compounds added to it and it’s purely what’s added to it, without any minerals or contaminants which might be in tap water or another type or source of water.
For medical production, deionized water is often used because manufacturers can use entirely pure water. This water, for the product to be chemically sound, cannot consist of any impurities that can alter the overall chemical structure of the combined, final product. If other water was used, metals, pollutants, other treatment material such as chlorine, could be in the final product and create unpredictability or side effects in patients.
In addition to many uses in pharmaceutical production, deionized water is typically used in multiple other industries and facilities. In biotechnology facilities, deionized water is necessary because water free of bacteria is necessary.
If there was any chance a chemical mixture or unintended contaminant could enter a patient’s body from a biotech or pharmaceutical product, it would be very dangerous.
Deionized water is also utilized, as another example, in glass making. Deionized water is a rinse for glass products once they are complete.
Deionized Water Pros
Are there benefits to making and using deionized water besides industrial and medical purposes? There are more industrial and manufacturing uses. Deionized water is the best tool for many factory purposes. Factory equipment and facilities is cleaned with deionized water because there can’t be any buildup, deposits, residue or salt left on machinery.
In other industrial or manufacturing needs, deionized water is needed in lubricating and being a coolant for machinery. Other fields which use deionized water include food processing and cosmetics manufacturing.
What about consuming it? The advice here varies greatly. Some experts suggest drinking deionized water for short periods of time is a beneficial detoxifier for the body. While some attest to this result, it’s best to undertake this plan only with the recommendation and supervision of a doctor or expert. An expert should monitor your health, progress and timeline for this type of use.
More Specific Uses for Deionized Water
Deionized water has vital uses in pharmaceuticals, microelectronics, cosmetics and as a solvent and cleaner for some materials such as glass and ceramics. More specific uses include:
- Deionized water can be used in perfumes.
- It can be a rinsing agent for circuit boards and other sensitive electronic devices, boards and equipment.
- In preparing chemical solutions and other lab functions.
- In preparing alkaline and acid-based batteries.
- Deionized water is used in detergents.
- In diluting concentrated anti-freeze products.
- Refilling windshield washers in vehicles.
- Refilling a system that needs coolants.
- In flushing a cooling system.
- In refilling steaming or iron devices so deposits or minerals do not form.
- Deionized water can be used as a household cleaner to cut down on chemical usage.
Risks to Deionized Water
For all the good benefits and functions with deionized water, there are drawbacks and risks to be aware of. In short, consuming deionized water can have bad effects on your health. You shouldn’t drink deionized water on any regular or unsupervised basis. There are significant risks you should know before consuming it or using it like tap water, bottled water, spring water or so on.
- Since deionized water has no ions in it, it can and will absorb ions inside your body. As you drink it, it will absorb important minerals such as magnesium and calcium inside the body. In time, this can harm your tissues and internal organs, causing many bad health effects.
- Most people do not like the taste of deionized water. When normally drinking water, we’re actually used to the taste of ions and minerals. Deionized water tastes strange to most people. If you’re dehydrated or in need of water, drinking deionized water will not help in part because it’s not replenishing what a body loses.
- If deionized water runs through a tap or another device, or other material, it can absorb pollutants, metals, minerals and contaminants from that tap or device rather easily.
South End Water Filtration specializes in HALO Water Filter products including the HALO H2 Zero Whole Home Water Filter. HALO systems solve hard water problems, give your family clear, great-tasting water and are totally maintenance free. We’re just a click away to help and answer any questions. South End Plumbing and South End Water Filtration will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-486-1988 or contact us online to schedule a visit.