Does RO remove Pharmaceuticals From the Water

[vegaskid11]

As the title states I was wondering about removal of phrmaceuticals from our water by means of RO. After a mili second search I found this article. It seems to say that RO water removed the pharms that they tested for but maybe one of you guys know more. After hearing about this in the news I am considering getting a huge RO system for my entire house.

This is the article I found -

http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/12227606

Drewes JE; Heberer T; Reddersen K
Environmental Science & Engineering Division, Colorado School of Mines Golden, 80401-1887, USA. jdrewes@mines.edu

The scope of this study was directed to examine different wastewater treatment technologies (activated sludge, trickling filter, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) at full-scale facilities in Arizona and California leading to indirect potable reuse and their capability to remove pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the fate of selected pharmaceuticals was studied during soil-aquifer treatment (SAT) at sites where secondary and tertiary treated effluents are used for subsequent groundwater recharge. Facilities employing longer detention times during treatment (nitrifying and denitrifying plants) showed significant lower effluent concentration for analgesic drugs as compared to trickling filter or activated sludge facilities applying shorter detention times. A similar trend was observed for the lipid regulator gemfibrozil, which was significantly removed in denitrified effluents, whereas a trickling filter treated effluent exhibited concentration of 1,235 ng/L. Antiepileptic drugs, such as carbamazepine and primidone, showed no dependency on the wastewater treatment applied. None of the investigated drugs was detected in tertiary treated effluents after nanofiltration or reverse osmosis. After SAT, analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs were efficiently removed after retention times of less than 6 months and remaining concentrations were near or below the detection limit of the analytical method. A high potential for biodegradation was also observed for anti-inflammatory drugs in groundwater recharge systems. The antiepileptics carbamazepine and primidone represented the most dominant of all investigated drugs in well treated domestic effluents (nitrifying/denitrifying plants). Removal of carbamazepine and primidone did not seem to occur during travel times of more than 6 years in the subsurface

[ReeferAl]

You may want to ask this in the Chemistry forum. I believe though that the RO filter should remove most if not all pharmaceuticals as they tend to be larger molecules. RO membranes have the most difficulty with small, uncharged molecules.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, it will remove pharmaceuticals far better than simple ions. Maybe 98-99.9+%, depending on the size of the drug. :)

[garygb]

I read the news about drugs in the water and wondered the same thing, since the water is first filtered through activated carbon, I assumed that would absorb the drugs. I know it absorbs medications for treatment of diseases in aquariums.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The carbon may absorb some of some drugs, but the RO membrane part is especially effective. :)

[J. Montgomery]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12058302#post12058302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Yes, it will remove pharmaceuticals far better than simple ions. Maybe 98-99.9+%, depending on the size of the drug. :)
Uh oh, I guess that means I need to start dosing drugs back into my aquarium . . . . ;)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is its cholesterol getting higher than normal? :D

[ReefEnabler]

fwiw, I started a similar thread in the chemistry forum http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1341819

couple other links and bits of info have been posted there.