Evaluation of Drinking Water Quality Treated with Reverse Osmosis System in the Cities of Sabha and Wadi Al-Shatti – Southern Libya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63359/jexxah79Keywords:
Drinking water, Reverse osmosis, Water desalination, Dissolved salt deficiency, RemineralizationAbstract
This study demonstrates that drinking water processed by household Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems exhibits reduced acidity, with pre-treatment pH values ranging from 6.2 to 7.3 and post-treatment values decreasing to 5.2–5.8, depending on the filter's lifespan. A notable decrease in Electrical Conductivity (EC) was recorded following treatment (for example, from 1592 to 202 μS/cm and from 811 to 31.4 μS/cm), underscoring the effectiveness of RO systems in removing dissolved salts. The removal efficiency for dissolved metals (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium) and total dissolved salts (TDS) exceeded 93.5%, although this efficacy diminished as filters aged. Conversely, a rise in bacterial counts was observed after five months of operation, suggesting increased microbial contamination due to delayed filter replacement. These results substantiate the capability of RO devices to eliminate contaminants and dissolved substances from water; however, they also highlight important concerns regarding the potential depletion of essential minerals in treated water and associated health risks, particularly concerning bone, dental health, and critical bodily functions.
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