How Does a Water Ionizer Work?

A water ionizer is a household appliance that separates tap water into two separate streams – one alkaline and the other acid – through a process called electrolysis. The ionizer is connected to the house water by a bypass valve installed on the kitchen faucet or by a T-adapter directly connected to the cold water line under the sink.

How does a water ionizer work

STEP 1: FILTRATION

The water enters the ionizer through an inlet located under the unit and it undergoes a first filtration to eliminate pollutants, particles chlorine, odor and organic matter present in the water. Tap.

STEP 2: ELECTROLYSIS

The water then flows through an electrolytic cell containing positively charged and negatively charged platinum-coated titanium electrodes. These electrodes ionize the soluble minerals in water and separate the water into two streams: one alkaline and the other acid.

• ALKALINE WATER coming out of the top pipe of the ionizer is the part we consume and use for cooking. It contains healthy minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.
• ACIDIC WATER coming out of the bottom pipe of the ionizer is used for external use for cleaning and disinfecting skin and household surfaces. It can be unloaded at the sink when not in use or retrieved for later use.

How does ionization affect the molecular structure of water?

The water that enters the electrolytic cell is subjected to a small electrical charge that passes between the plates, which causes the water molecules [H ₂ O] to divide into two ions: a negatively charged hydroxide ion [ OH-] and a positively charged hydrogen ion [H +].

At the outset of the electrolytic cell, the water is separated into two streams:

• The alkaline water stream contains a higher proportion of hydroxide ions [OH-] which act as powerful antioxidants, or reducing agents because these ions have too many electrons that can easily be released into the body. Antioxidants neutralize the oxidation damage caused by free radicals in search of electrons to stabilize.
• The acidic water flow, in turn, contains a higher proportion of hydrogen ions [H +] that act as powerful oxidants capable of killing bacteria and other pathogens (when the pH is below 2.7).

Technology at the ionizer

What exactly happens in the water ionizer is not revealed by most manufacturers. It is important for manufacturers to sell a large amount of equipment. The end product is the so-called basic water.

Basic water has a pH greater than 7.0 due to its mineral content. The Drinking Water Ordinance allows it too. According to their limits, drinking water may have a pH value of between 6.5 and 9.5, i.e., it may also be basic.

The assumption is plausible that natural mineralization is exchanged during the treatment of the drinking water in the ionizer. It is replaced by a combination of minerals, probably with the help of ion exchangers, which brings a higher pH to the water.

Minerals and pH

The lower the mineral content of water, the more acidic it works. The pH drops. On the other hand, if mineralization increases, the pH can rise. It depends not only on the number of dissolved salts but also on the type of mineral salts.

Such a connection is often good to observe even with medicinal water, which has a particularly high amount of mineral. Despite the high mineral content in all waters of this type, the pH values are sometimes significantly different.

Alleged health effects

Alkaline-acting water is supposed to rebalance an “over-acidified” body. It is said to be healthy, remove free radicals and balance the balancing effect on our supposedly chronically acidified body through stress, improper diet and environmental stress.

This should also be cured or alleviated with “hyperacidity” related diseases, such as rheumatism, stomach pain, chronic fatigue and irritability.

Criticism of the impact hypothesis

Water is always just a weakly buffered acid or base. Its pH changes very easily and very quickly with the pH of the environment in which it comes.

The first environment into which water comes after drinking is the stomach. There prevails a pH of between 1.0 and 1.5.

If a lot of basic water is drunk, it can buffer the stomach acid. This can cause the stomach to produce even more stomach acid. Digestive problems and heartburn can be the result.