Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Dioxane from Water? Find Out Here!
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: May 15, 2023
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Dioxane is a toxic chemical compound that can be found in many of our water sources, including tap water.
Naturally, you want to be sure it’s nowhere near your drinking water.
Could reverse osmosis help filter dioxane from water? Continue reading to find out!
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Key Takeaways
- It’s not yet entirely clear if reverse osmosis removes dioxane from water. Some studies showed that RO can lower the concentration of 1,4-dioxane in water by 68-96%, but more research needs to be done on the subject.
Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Dioxane from Water?
So, does reverse osmosis remove dioxane from water?
It’s not completely clear how effective reverse osmosis is at removing dioxane from water. This is mostly because it’s a relatively ”new” contaminant in drinking water, and we’re only just beginning to study its existence and how it can affect us.
Few studies have been conducted to determine reverse osmosis’s ability to remove 1,4-dioxane, and one by the New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute stated that RO systems can lower the concentration of 1,4-dioxane by 68-96%. Another study indicated that RO systems remove up to 95% of dioxane from water.
Although these studies show that reverse osmosis can lower the concentration of dioxane in water, RO may not be sufficient to reduce dioxane to acceptable levels.
An important factor determining how much reverse osmosis reduces 1,4-dioxane is the amount of dioxane in your water. If dioxane is present in lower concentrations, reverse osmosis may be able to take it down to acceptable levels. But if the concentration of dioxane in the water is high, then RO may not be sufficient.
Also, POU reverse osmosis systems have been shown to reduce 1,4-dioxane levels at home, but this reduction may be due to the activated carbon pre and post-filters in the RO systems and not the RO membrane itself.
As you can see, the information available to us is not conclusive and more research needs to be done.
Other Ways to Remove Dioxane from Water
Other ways to remove dioxane from water include:
Slow Carbon Filtration
Slow carbon filtration effectively removes 50-70% of chemicals from water.
Usually, carbon filtration can only remove some dioxane, but slow carbon filtration that occurs within a reverse osmosis system is much more efficient. RO systems filter water really slowly, so water spends more time going through the carbon media, leading to greater filtration when compared to regular carbon filtration.
Advanced Oxidation
Advanced oxidation involves using hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light or ozone to treat chemical contaminants in water. It’s an effective way to remove dioxane. However, it’s an expensive process that can’t be employed for home or residential use.
Further Reading:
What Is 1,4-Dioxane and How Does It Enter Our Water Supplies
1,4-dioxane is a chemical compound used as a solvent in manufacturing different chemicals. It can be found in paint, pesticides, adhesives, and some household products like detergents, cleaners, deodorants, shampoos, and cosmetics. It’s also used in products like grease, antifreeze, dye, and paint cleaners.
1,4-dioxane is resistant to biodegradation, meaning it remains in the environment for a long time.
It can enter our water supplies from improper disposal of industrial waste, landfill leachate, and accidental spills. Once it contaminates ground and surface water, it can lead to direct pollution of our water supplies.
1,4-Dioxane Health Effects
The health effects from 1,4-dioxane depend on how much you’ve been exposed to the chemical.
People who have been exposed to high levels of dioxane over a long period could develop liver and nasal cancers and experience adverse effects on their kidneys.
Due to insufficient research, it’s not yet clear how much exposure to dioxane poses a risk. But what’s important is that you should get rid of dioxane in your water as soon as possible.
What Is a Safe Level of Dioxane in Water?
As of today, the EPA has not set a maximum contaminant level or federal drinking water standard for dioxane.
However, they recommend that 1,4-dioxane levels in drinking water for children should not exceed 4 mg/L on a single day, or 0.4 mg/L if contaminated water is consumed for 10 days.
How to Test Your Water Supply for Dioxane
It’s best to visit an EPA-certified lab to get your water tested for dioxane. These lab tests are highly accurate and detailed and will let you know if your water contains any amount of dioxane (and any other chemicals you’d like to test for).
Lab water tests are not free, but they’re definitely a worthy investment.
If you have any thoughts about the question, does reverse osmosis remove dioxane, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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