What Make Pure Water Neutral

Understanding The pH Measurement of Purified Water

Q: I've been told that drinking water should be alkaline, merely BEV values let for slight acerbity... how do you explain that?

A: There are a number of companies currently manufacturing water treatment devices which modify h2o properties creating acidic and alkaline pH values. Nosotros discuss the merits of these devices on another folio. To answer the question above, a fiddling understanding of pH (acid/base) chemistry is required. We will do our all-time to avoid existence overly technical:

pH is a relative measure of the degree of acerbity or alkalinity of a solution, in our case water. Some substances, such equally hydrogen ions, lower the pH of a solution. They are considered acids. Other substances, such equally hydroxide ions, raise the pH of a solution. Those are called bases. The pH scale ranges from 0 - xiv, with 7 being considered the mid or neutral point. pH beneath 7 is considered acidic, and above 7 is considered alkaline.

As an example, the pH of apple tree juice is typically 2.9 - 3.3, and the acid in our stomachs is typically between 1 and 3. Milk of magnesia has a pH ~10.5, household bleach is ~12.6, and ammonia is typically ~11.5.


Basic shape of h2o molecule.

At that place are many different acids and bases that affect pH, only since we are talking most water nosotros volition limit our word to hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-). It should be apparent these are the components of a h2o molecule, or H2O. When water has more hydrogen ions floating around than it does hydroxide ions, it is acidic (pH less than seven). When in that location are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions, it is basic (pH greater than vii).

If we were to examine pure water at the molecular level, nosotros would see the water molecules do not stay bound together as H2O, only are instead constantly separating and recombining with each other. A single H2O will break into an H+ and OH-, create intermediary forms of H3O+ and OH-, and and so get back together once again. This happens constantly to the trillion upon trillions of water molecules. In extremely pure water, the number of H+ and OH- would always be equal, and the pH would be neutral at 7. There are no other substances nowadays to influence the pH in either the acidic or alkaline metal direction.

So why do the BEV values allow for the pH to exist acidic?

This is because Prof. Vincent found the most important quality of biocompatible water is its purity, and the purity which makes the water neutral too makes it extremely sensitive to the addition of other substances. Chemically speaking, the extreme purity of BEV water means it has no buffering capacity. This means the addition of very small amounts of an acid or base of operations will cause large effects on pH.

As an example of buffering capacity, consider sitting alone in a very quiet room with music playing softly on the stereo. You do not need a lot of volume to exist able to hear the music. Small increases in book are easily noticed. Now consider bringing the noise of downtown Manhattan into your quiet room—you will have to turn the book upwards to extremely loftier levels to hear the music.

The empty quiet room is like the glass of extremely pure BEV water. If only a tiny amount of acrid is added, y'all will be able to notice the difference in pH. The noisy room is like a glass of tap h2o before purification, total of all kinds of contaminants. Adding only a little acrid or base volition have little effect on pH, but equally calculation more volume to the stereo volition become unnoticed in the noisy room.

Untreated tap water typically contains chemicals that act as "buffers." When a lilliputian more H+ is added, some of the buffers attach to the H+ and combine with it. Then, even though we've added more acid, the pH doesn't change because the corporeality of "complimentary" H+ is notwithstanding relatively the same as the amount of gratuitous OH-. Because the purification procedure in the PWS™ BEV Series systems removes the buffering chemicals, add-on of a very, very pocket-sized corporeality of H+ will easily upset the balance between the gratuitous H+ and free OH-.

Due to the farthermost purity of BEV quality water, it becomes a super-solvent, quickly dissolving carbon dioxide from the air. The carbon dioxide molecules combine with some of the free OH- ions in the water. This leaves more costless H+ ions, which is how we ascertain an acidic solution. This is why the pH of BEV quality water tin can be on the acid side of neutral.

Remembering the pH scale measures the relative concentration, it then becomes obvious we are describing an extremely weak acid solution. Having an acidic reading in BEV water should not be cause for concern because of this extremely weak acerbity. The slightest speck of a buffer such as blistering soda (a base) would quickly neutralize the slight acerbity in the BEV water. It requires merely 10mg/l of baking soda to motility the pH of pure BEV water 3 full pH points. Certainly, we don't recommend adding a spec of blistering soda to each tank of water. Once pure water mixes with saliva, the pH values will change instantly.

(The acid pH readings would be very different if we had the same pH reading in untreated tap water containing a large quantity of buffering chemicals—in that case nosotros would be describing a much stronger acid solution, which would require a great deal more than base of operations to neutralize.)

Evidently, nosotros don't recommend you go to the trouble of trying to adapt the pH of every glass of water. The instant the extremely pure BEV h2o touches your tongue it begins to combine with the saliva in your mouth, and simply moments later it combines with the tummy contents. Remembering our tummy acidity is typically ~ pH of 2 (considered highly acidic), the extremely pure BEV water volition no longer have the unique pH characteristics described above.

(It is of import to note that some stomach enzymes, like pepsin which begins the breakup of protiens, but function in this extremely acidic environment. Further, the extreme acidity in our stomachs kills many leaner which nosotros might consume with our food.)

The only manner drinking the slightly acidic pH BEV quality water could mayhap upset the pH balance in the body might be if you were to beverage ridiculously large amounts, and didn't eat whatsoever food, and kept that up for a long fourth dimension. Barring that situation, drinking the very weakly acidic pH BEV quality water volition have no consequence on the pH of your body fluids.

How does this relate to alkaline water?

Alkali metal h2o machines do not purify the water. Most offer some degree of carbon filtration, but this does non remove the minerals (buffering agents) in the water. These minerals, if not present, must exist added dorsum to extremely pure water in social club to split up the h2o into acrid and alkaline components. This mineral content does non equal the exteme purity Prof. Vincent establish so important in biocompatible water. Remember too, just similar a weak acid, you can easily create a weak element of group i solution with the addition of very small quantities of base (bold you begin with extremely pure water).

However, it is vitally important to retrieve the BEV values do not consider pH lone, only also rH2, which is a linear function of pH. Therefore, if the pH value drifts likewise far to the alkaline side of the scale, the rH2 value will fall out of range. Prof. Vincent considered biocompatible h2o to not only exist extremely pure with the correct pH reading, only it must also have the right rH2 reading, providing an indication of the overall vitality of the h2o. Considering pH alone does not provide enough information to determine whether water is biocompatible or not.

Delight see our "Special Detect" for details on an exciting new Pure Water Systems product to increase alkalinity of ultra-pure BEV quality water.

For answers to questions about PWS™ products like the BEV-100 Series or BEV-300 Series, please visit the Support pages.

Ultra Pure BEV Drinking Water

Pure Water Systems BEV-Series Drinking Water Filters / Purification Systems
have been laboratory tested and certified to conform to the
BEV standards for purity and bio-compatibility.