Water Purification without chlorine
MineralPURE™ uses safe natural minerals to purify water.
The Principles of Water Disinfection by Copper / Silver Ionization
Chapter 4 - Copper/Silver Disinfection
When copper and silver ions are released into the water, these cationic, surface active ions are a potent biocide. The disinfection action takes place when the positively charged copper and silver ions form electrostatic bonds on negatively charged areas of the microorganism cell walls..
These electrostatic bonds create stresses which lead to distorted cell wall permeability, minimizing the normal intake of life sustaining nutrients.
Once inside an algae cell, copper and silver attack sulfur containing amino acid residues in the proteins used for photosynthesis (the process of converting light into useable food and energy). As a result, photosynthesis is blocked and lead to the cell’s death.
If the algae cell manages to live, the reproduction process is hampered by the presence of the copper ions and the spread of algae is held in check. Bacteria is killed rather than suppressed.
The greatest benefit of copper/silver ionization is that the ions remain in the water providing a residual protection. Unlike most other types of sanitizers, the copper and silver ions remain in the water until they flocculate or form masses with algae and bacteria and then become large enough to be removed by the filtering equipment. When the “used” copper and silver ions are removed, the microprocessor control box is always producing new copper and silver ions to continuously sanitize the water.
Various studies have been done on copper/silver ionization over the years and has proven to be lethal to hundreds of different types of algae, bacteria, and viruses.
Understanding Waterborne Pathogens
Waterborne pathogens, or disease producing microorganisms can be classified into 3 sections: bacteria, viruses and protozoa.
Bacteria - are single-celled organisms which lack well-defined nuclear membranes and other specialized functional cell parts and they reproduce by cell division or spores. Bacteria may be free-living organisms or parasites.
Bacteria and fungi are decomposers that break down the wastes and bodies of dead organisms, making their components available for reuse. Bacteria cells range from about 1 to 10 microns in length and from 0.2 to 1 micron in width. They exist almost everywhere on earth. Despite their small size, the total weight of all bacteria in the world exceeds that of all other organisms combined.
Viruses - a parasitic infectious microbe composed almost entirely of protein and protein and nucleic acids which can cause diseases in humans. Viruses can reproduce only within living cells. They are 0.004 to 0.1 microns size about 1/100 the size of bacteria. Viruses often survive many disinfectants including chlorine.
Protozoa - microscopic, usually single-celled microorganisms which live in water and are relatively larger in comparison to other microbes. Protozoa are higher on the food chain than the bacteria that they eat. Many protozoa are parasitic.
ClearWater Enviro Technologies, Inc.'s ionizing system will kill most bacteria, viruses and protozoa.
A sampling of waterborne pathogens that the copper/silver ionization will kill:
| Amoebae dysenteriae | Bacillius subtilis | Bacillius typhosus |
| Cryptosporidium | Endamoeba histolytica | Escherichia coli (E. coli) |
| Giardia lamblia | Herpes virus | HIV |
| Influenza A & B | Legionella pneumophila | Poliomyelitis virus |
| Proteus valgaris | Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Salmonella |
| Saccharomyees cerevisiae | Sarcina Flava | Shigella dysentiniae |
| Shigella flexneria | Staphylococcus aureus | Streptococus faecalis |
| Vaccinia virus | Vibrio cholerae |
Of the list above, the most common pathogens include:
Escherichia coli (E. coli) - Is the standard test for health agencies in swimming pool water treatment. E. coli is one of the members of the coliform bacteria group normally found in human and animal intestines and indicative of fecal contamination when found in water. E. coli produces large amounts of toxins that can cause severe damage to the lining of the intestine. It can survive for many weeks in lakes, reservoirs and municipal water. E. coli is transmitted by fecal contamination in water and can also be transmitted through consumption of under cooked beef, unpasteurized milk and apple cider.
Effects include gastrointestinal disorders and in some cases, kidney disorders. It has a four to seven day incubation period, so an infected person would not even know for four to seven days. Sometimes, death can result like the case in Marietta, Georgia, at a water park in the summer of 1998, where several children became ill and one died.
Salmonella - another bacteria like E. coli, there are several groups in the salmonella group that can cause illness in humans. Transmission is through food and water contaminated by feces of infected people and animals. Its effects include severe dehydration and diarrhea. A small number of infected persons will develop pains in joints, eye irritation and painful urination.
Cryptosporidium - a waterborne protozoan that forms cysts and causes acute gastrointestinal illness in humans. It is found in unfiltered surface water and is resistant to disinfectants such as chlorine and ultraviolet light. The disease, which begins about seven days after infection is transmitted by consumption of food, unhygienic diaper practices and contact with young farm animals.
Outbreaks are related to food, drinking water and recreational water. People with normal immune systems can expect the illness to last for up to two weeks. Intermittent diarrhea can be expected during this time. For those with weak immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy and organ transplant recipients, the disease can be life threatening.
Giardia/Giardia lamblia - Giardia is a waterborne protozoan that forms cysts and is resistant to disinfectants such as chlorine and ultraviolet light.
Giardia lamblia is a type of cyst found in the intestines of mammals and in water contaminated by mammal feces. The Giardia lamblia cyst, which is very common and is frequently carried by water, is capable of causing a contagious waterborne disease characterized by acute diarrhea. This disease is sometimes called “beaver fever” because beaver droppings containing Giardia lamblia are often suspected of contaminating the streams and causing the disease in humans that drink the contaminated stream water.
It takes only one Giardia organism to cause infection. Its effects include chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, fatigue and loss of weight. The disease requires medical treatment and may take up to two weeks before symptoms show up.
Legionnaires’ Disease - The ClearWater Purifier also completely kills Legionnaires’ Disease, technically called Legionella pneumophila, which causes a pneumonia like illness in people with weak immune systems. The disease became more firmly identified after several people died at an American Legion convention in 1976.
The bacteria is know to thrive at about 40 degrees celsius and live in infected humidifiers, cooling tower water, saunas, shower rooms and water supplies. The disease is not contagious from person to person but is spread mainly by inhaling airborne water droplets.
Legionnaires’ Disease can cause high fevers, severe respiratory ailments, pneumonia and death. An estimated 10,000 people in the United States develop the disease and in 5 to 15% the disease proves fatal.
Hospitals are often the victims of Legionnaires’ Disease because patients are often elderly, very ill or have weak immune systems.
All of the previously mentioned diseases can be prevented with the ClearWater Purification System.
Chapter 3 - The Clearwater Purification System | Chapter 5 - Copper/Silver Disinfection
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