The Aquafer Plus 2.0 – Aquafer/Fluoride Combination System

FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER
FRIEND OR FOE

The presence or addition of fluoride into drinking water remains one of the hottest topics in the water treatment industry with those for and against the process equally passionate about their stand on the issue.

Fluorine (F) is a gas and is a powerful and naturally prevalent oxidizing element of the halogen family with the other members being chlorine, iodine, bromine, and astatine. In nature it exists as the molecule F 2 . Because of its prevalence in the earth’s crust, it is found naturally in our food chain in carrots, green leafy vegetables, nuts, garlic, tea, and many processed breakfast cereals, fish, and shellfish. Fluoride has no necessary biochemical effect on plants, but because it is cumulative, it can become toxic to plants by disrupting chlorophyll production.

Well waters often contain natural trace amounts as do bottled beverages made from such well water sources. Nature in its infinite wisdom wants us to have these natural fluoride sources for tooth, bone, and brain health. Pesticides utilizing fluoride have increased the levels of fluoride in our food supply in the past few decades. Excess amounts (some claim any amount) are noted to cause the hormone-disrupting calcification of the pineal gland which is located in the brain. As part of the endocrine system, pineal disruption adversely affects other glands with the most notable symptom being sleep disruption. Those who are most opposed to fluoride expand the pineal calcification symptoms to include severe behavioral and cognitive issues.

Fluorine is used in the production of what is now called Forever Chemicals that are found everywhere as a dangerous pollutant in our food chain and atmosphere. One of many chemical families is Polyfluoroalkyl Substances or PFAS which is written about extensively. Think of such items as TEFLON, non-stick cookware, and fabrics.

The negative reactions to fluoride seem to center around the source of the fluoride and the level of consumption. Natural fluoride exists as calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) and sodium fluoride (NaF 2 ). The sources of fluoride as added to water supplies are reported to be fluorosilicic acid sodium silicofluoride which are industrial byproducts from the fertilizer and metal industries and are considered to be toxic in their concentrated form. Current optimal fluoride ingestion from all sources for a healthy adult should be 3-4 mg/day. The concern is that we may be getting this or more in our diet without the addition to drinking water and the addition may put us over the top where it will then accumulate in our systems and become detrimental to our health. The EPA caps allowable fluoride in drinking water at 4 mg/l and a review of dozens of municipal Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR’s) mandated by the EPA indicates cities are holding their levels to 0.8 mg/l as an abundance of caution.

If you wish to reduce fluoride in your drinking water you have some options.

• Bottled water. Beware. Many bottled waters come from municipal supplies that may or may not be fluoridated and may only be filtered or passed through ultraviolet light neither of which will remove fluoride. We actually saw one brand that added fluoride per their label.
• Reverse osmosis. 75% to 95% reduction depending on system design, water pressure, and water chemistry.
• Hydroxyl Apatite media filtration. 75% to 95% reduction depending on flow rates and equipment design
• Activated alumina media filtration. Reasonably effective but only in a narrow band of water pH values.