Chlorine in drinking water
For many years and even today used as a first line of defense against bacteria infection in drinking water because it is very effective and relatively in-expensive but with devastating side effects according to Dr Bragg’s Book – The Shocking Truth About Water ” ” Chlorine in water has been linked to heart disease, senility,and cancers of the bladder, liver, pancreas, colon and urinary tract” The book quoes a Dr Herbert Scwarz as asserting that ‘ Chlorine is so dangerous it should be banned”
Chlorine gas is a pulmonary irritant with intermediate water solubility that causes acute damage in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Chlorine gas was first used as a chemical weapon at Ypres, France in 1915. Of the 70,552 American soldiers poisoned with various gasses in World War I, 1843 were exposed to chlorine gas. Approximately 10.5 million tons and over 1 million containers of chlorine are shipped in the U.S. each year.
Chlorine Solubility Effects
Hydrochloric acid is highly soluble in water. The predominant targets of the acid are the epithelia of the ocular conjunctivae and upper respiratory mucus membranes. Hypochlorous acid is also highly water soluble with an injury pattern similar to hydrochloric acid. Hypochlorous acid may account for the toxicity of elemental chlorine and hydrochloric acid to the human body
The immediate effects of chlorine gas toxicity include acute inflammation of the conjunctivae, nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and bronchi. Irritation of the airway mucosa leads to local edema secondary to active arterial and capillary hyperemia. Plasma exudation results in filling the alveoli with edema fluid, resulting in pulmonary congestion
Chloride – A chlorine Derivative
Chloride is the anion of the element chlorine. Chorine does not occur in nature, but is found only as chloride. The chlorides of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are all highly soluble in water.
Chloride is of concern in domestic water supplies because elevated concentrations impart a salty taste to water and accelerate the corrosion rate of metals. High concentrations of chloride can also be detrimental to chloride-sensitive garden plants. Occurrence Chloride is a common constituent in water, is highly soluble, and once in solution tends to accumulate.
Chlorides are highly soluble and cannot be precipitated at concentrations usually present in water. Chloride can be removed from water by electrolysis to form chlorine gas, liberated at the anode. Electrolysis is not effective where the conductivity and the chloride concentration are low.
More commonly, chloride is removed together with other ions using anion exchange resin beds, in which all significant anions will be removed and desalination techniques such as reverse osmosis and electrodialysis.
The concentrated waste streams generated from ion exchange and desalination processes may cause disposal difficulties. Desalination techniques require skilled operation, control and maintenance; capital and operating costs are typically high.
Chloride accelerates the corrosion rate of iron and certain other metals well below the concentration at which it is detectable by taste. The threshold for an increased corrosion rate is approximately 50 mg/R.
At chloride concentrations greater than 200 mg/l, there is likely to be a significant shortening of the lifetime of domestic appliances as a result of corrosion.
Mitigation Non-renewable, disposable anodes can be used to mitigate against corrosion of domestic appliances.
Chlorine can be easily removed from water with activated carbon or KDF or a combination of the 2. Chlorides are only an issue if above 250 mg/l in the drinking water