Zinc

Drinking Water Testing for Zinc

Zinc is essential for our bodies. However, high levels of zinc can be toxic. Zinc intake levels should also be checked to prevent adverse effects to medications. Safe Home offers several kits that provide drinking water testing for zinc in city and well water supplies.

Parameter Type: Drinking Water Testing for Metals

Parameter Name: Zinc

What it is and Where it Comes From:

Zinc is in the Periodic Table with the symbol Zn and atomic number of 30. It is a metal and known as an “essential trace element.” This is because the human body only requires small consumption for health. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a silvery-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc can be introduced into water naturally by erosion of minerals from rocks and soil, however since zinc ores are only slightly soluble in water. Zinc is only dissolved at relatively low concentrations. High natural levels of zinc in water are usually associated with higher concentrations of other metals such as lead and cadmium. Most zinc is introduced into water by artificial pathways such as by-products of steel production or coal-fired power stations, or from the burning of waste materials. Zinc is also used in some fertilizers that may leach into groundwater. Older galvanized metal pipes and well cribbing’s were coated with zinc that may be dissolved by soft, acidic waters. Safe Home offers two platforms of drinking water testing for zinc. The first platform in drinking water testing kits for zinc is Do-It-Yourself, this allows you to perform testing in the comfort of your own home. The second platform is a Laboratory drinking water testing for zinc, allowing you to collect your water sample and ship it directly to our EPA-Certified Laboratory. This platform of drinking water testing for metals will give you an accurate level based on the lowest level of a parameter our instruments can detect (Method Detection Level). Safe Home drinking water testing for zinc can be used for city and well water supplies.

Health Effects:

If large doses of zinc are taken by mouth even for a short time, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting may occur. Ingesting high levels of zinc for several months may cause anemia, damage the pancreas, and decrease levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Consuming too little zinc is at least as important a health problem as consuming too much zinc. Without enough zinc in the diet, people may experience loss of appetite, decreased sense of taste and smell, decreased immune function, slow wound healing, and skin sores. Too little zinc in the diet may also cause poorly developed sex organs and retarded growth in young men. If a pregnant woman does not get enough zinc, her babies may have birth defects. Drinking water testing should be done any time you notice a significant change in your water quality.

Solutions to Contaminant Levels:

The most efficient methods to remove zinc from water are distillation and reverse osmosis (RO). Distillation is one of the oldest water treatment processes. Water is boiled and the resulting steam is collected and cooled backed to water in a separate chamber. The treated water thus produced is called distilled water that is relatively free of many contaminants. Reverse osmosis is a process that removes foreign contaminants, solid substances, large molecules, and minerals from water by using pressure to push it through specialized membranes. Here’s how reverse osmosis works. Unlike osmosis, which is a passive process, reverse osmosis requires external force (pressure) to work. Pressure is applied to a highly concentrated solute solution, such as salt water, to pass through a membrane to a lower concentrate solution. The membrane allows water to flow through but blocks out larger molecules, like contaminants. The reverse osmosis process leaves higher concentrations of solute on one side and only the solvent, or freshwater, on the other. Boiling will not remove zinc. Who do I need to contact to find out more information about water quality in my area? Every community water supplier must provide an annual report to its customers, known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The report provides information on your local drinking water quality, including the water’s source, contaminants found in the water, and how consumers can get involved in protecting drinking water. How often does the local public water system preform drinking water testing? Frequency of drinking water testing depends on the number of people served, the type of water source, and types of contaminants. Certain contaminants are tested more frequently than others, as established by the Safe Drinking Water Act. You can find out about levels of regulated contaminants in your treated water for the previous calendar year in your annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).

File Under: Metals

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