Water is important for all forms of life and clean, safe water is essential for health and well-being. However, water that looks crystal clear may still carry several contaminants, some of which can affect water's taste, quality, and suitability for drinking.
One important element that can be present in the water, whether drinking water, industrial, or water from rivers is Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
In this Frizzlife blog post, we are going to explore what TDS in water means, how it impacts your health and water quality, and how to deal with it.
Also, read our blog post about Advantages of Drinking Alkaline Water
What are Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)?
Total Dissolved Solids are tiny particles dissolved in water that you cannot see such as minerals, salts, and organic matter. These particles can come from natural sources such as rocks and soil, or from human activities such as farming, wastewater, or water treatment processes.
Moreover, Total Dissolved Solids also affect the taste, smell, and quality of water. While some dissolved solids such as calcium are good for human health, too many can completely make the water unsafe to drink.
Remember, TDS is measured in parts per million (PPM) to check water quality and make sure it is safe for use.
Downside of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in Water
While it is natural to have dissolved solids in water, having too much can cause some serious issues. Let’s take a closer look at the downsides of high TDS in water.
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1. Impact on Taste & odor:
One of the first things individuals note when TDS is high is the change in the taste and odor. Water with high TDS can have an unpleasant or quite bitter taste, usually described as “salty” or “earthy”.
This taste may be a result of dissolved salts such as calcium, sodium, and magnesium or due to metals such as iron and copper, which can badly affect both the flavor and odor.
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2. Health Risks:
While high levels of TDS in water do not necessarily make water unsafe to drink, but still some dissolved solids could be extremely harmful.
For example, excessive Sodium (from dissolved salts) can lead to high blood pressure, which quickly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Lead & Copper from old plumbing systems can mix into the water and cause long-term health problems such as kidney damage and developmental issues in kids.
Nitrates from agriculture runoff can contaminate drinking water, causing serious health risks to children by limiting oxygen in their blood. This condition is known as “blue baby syndrome.”
In numerous cases, water containing high TDS is not instantly dangerous but should be assessed regularly to make sure it doesn’t exceed harmful levels.
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3. Disturbance in Plant Growth:
Total Dissolved Solids can also have a big impact on plant life. Though plants require some minerals to survive, too much-dissolved salt can interfere with the water’s ability to enter plant roots. As a result, plants can experience stress or may not grow properly as they do.
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4. Environmental Impacts:
If industrial or agricultural activities contribute high TDS into water sources such as rivers and lakes, it can badly affect aquatic life.
Usually, aquatic life requires a well-balanced environment and a high level of TDS can make the water unsuitable for survival. It affects both freshwater species such as fish and the overall quality of the ecosystem.
How to Remove Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)?
Many treatment methods can be used, depending on the situation and water quality. Here are a few common methods to effectively remove high TDS from water:
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1. Reverse Osmosis System:
One of the most simple and effective ways to remove dissolved solids from water is through reverse osmosis systems. RO systems filter water by simply pushing it through a semi-permeable membrane that allows only water molecules to pass through, while completely blocking dissolved salts and impurities.
RO systems are widely used in households to purify drinking water. They are highly effective at removing up to 99% of TDS, including toxic substances such as lead, arsenic, fluoride, and nitrate.
However, reverse osmosis systems can be extremely expensive to install, and maintain, and may also waste some water during the filtration process.
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2. Ion Exchange:
Another method used to treat water with excess TDS is ion exchange. This process uses resins to exchange undesirable ions in the water such as calcium and magnesium with more acceptable ones such as sodium. This is commonly used in water softeners and can help reduce certain types of TDS.
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3. Distillation:
Distillation is another effective method used to remove Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from water. This process involves boiling water, which turns it into steam, leaving the dissolved solids behind. This steam is then cooled and condensed back into the liquid water.
Generally, distillation works well for removing many types of dissolved solids and impurities. However, like reverse osmosis systems, distillation units can also be expensive and take time.
Moreover, the process may not always be practical for everyday use especially when excess moderation of filtered water is needed.
So, these are three of the different methods you can adopt to effectively remove TDS from the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the sources of TDS in water?
TDS can easily originate from both natural and human-made resources. Some popular natural resources include rocks & oils. Whereas, agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, etc come under the umbrella of human-made resources.
Are total dissolved solids important?
These are one of the most important key indicators of water quality. If they are high in levels, then the taste of the water can be affected.
How to reduce TDS levels?
There are numerous methods that can be taken in this regard such as:
- · Using filtration systems
- · Distillation process
Final Words
Total dissolved solids are often found in tap water all around the globe. Although, their exposure doesn’t cause any significant risk to health. But still, they can impact water taste.
In this blog post, we have tried our level best to provide every essential detail about TDS, hope you will find it helpful.