Table of Contents
Zinc (Zn) in Tap Water
A technical paper by Olympian Water Testing specialists
Zinc in Drinking Water
Zinc is a blue-white metal and the most common natural mineral found in air, rocks, soil, humans, animals and even the Earth’s crust [1]. Nature cycling processes of rain, snow and wind transport zinc as zinc sulfide in rocks. Zinc helps with homeostasis and when too low or too toxic it can damage health [2].
Our learning goal is for you to know what zinc-contaminated water is, how it can negatively impact your health, and how you can avoid it and feel better.
How does zinc get into the environment?
Zinc, the 24th most plentiful element in nature, is ubiquitous in the biosphere and the crust of the Earth [2]. Zinc environmental sources are:
Seaspray
Dust storms
Seafood
Forest fires
Volcanic eruptions
They make sure that the environment is constantly containing zinc. Snow, air and natural recycling mechanisms in animals, plants and people reuse the element, while rains carries zinc widely from one place to another [3]. Others are mining, galvanizing, smelting of metals, steel production, and coal burning [4].
Zinc is necessary for the growth of ecosystems and individuals. But too many zinc components are in the environment at dangerous levels. Nature, therefore, responds to a lot of zinc by gluing it down and rendering it unavailable to nature in great abundance.
What is zinc contamination in drinking water?
Rain is one of the culprits to the elevated zinc level of water so you should never drink rainwater if your house has zinc roof [4]. Furthermore, run-off dries up the zinc in rivers, lakes and underground watercourses. Volcanic activity, sea spray, forest fires and huge air-drizzle are other sources of zinc in water. This is a function of the following factors [2, 4]: Zinc released into the water.
Rainfall intensity
Rain pH
Pollution intensity and chemistry of the air, bioavailability.
Zinc corrodes water pipes and fittings in the system. And zinc waste from rubber dyes, ointments, vitamins, and paints leach and end up in underground water or your home water. The soil, water and air are frequently laden with excessive zinc levels along with other metals such as lead and cadmium. Much of the zinc in lakes, rivers and streams clumps to the bottom instead of breaking down, which makes fish in high zinc waters [4].
Health Effects of Zinc in Drinking Water
Zinc is a mineral that the body requires. But unnatural levels could damage good health. There’s nothing that health experts and nutritionists recommend that you take daily more than 40mg of zinc. Otherwise you’d be toxic [2]. A few effects of blood zinc toxicity or high zinc levels in the blood are [5]:
DIARRHEA and Stomach & Stomach Pain: If you’re drinking zinc water, you may get diarrhoeas with bloodstains from gut bleeding and irritation. Both of which are causes of stomach pain. Zinc poisoning: massive diarrhoea, usually following vomiting [5].
Nuisance and vomiting: A 64 percent probability of becoming nauseous and vomiting when taking zinc for a common cold is seen in those who take a lot of zinc in their bodies [5, 6]. All you’ll spittle is blood the color of "coffee grounds". If you see these, visit the doctor right away and stop drinking the zinc-tainted water.
Taste: Zinc changes the taste, over time [7]. So if you’re taking no zinc supplements and you’re having taste distortion, it’s time to test the water for zinc. Conversely, if zinc is deficient in the body, you won’t be able to taste food. Zinc deficiency also causes taste defects due to alteration of taste buds in zinc-treated patients [7, 8]. So do talk to your doctor if you experience taste deflation, in order to find the proper cause and remedy.
Flu like symptoms: Drink zinc-infected water, you can get flu like symptoms like chills, fevers, cough, headache, and intense fatigue [2]. And if you don’t know how much zinc is in your water but you always catch "flu," you will want to have the water tested for zinc toxicity and the blood tested for zinc poisoning.
Good cholesterol removal: Zinc affects the accumulation of HDL or good cholesterol in the body which helps to clear out arteries of plaques. Thus, if you take a lot of zinc, the good cholesterol in your body will be very low [5, 9]. The consequence is that you’ll be at risk for illnesses linked to plaque buildup in the arteries such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Zinc supplements decrease total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides significantly Zinc supplements decreased total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides by a systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 studies to evaluate the effects of zinc supplements on lipids [9].
copper low: The excessive presence of zinc in the body reduces copper absorption which helps to take up iron and metabolize the body [10]. Iron makes red blood cells. Therefore, when the zinc is elevated, the red blood cells cannot grow efficiently, and it becomes anaemic. This results in the oxygen depletion of vital organs like the brain and, at worst, death.
Poor immunity: Too much zinc in the body makes immunity go down. You could for instance have too many zinc pills and develop fevers and chills, diarrhoea and vomiting. Because iron is suppressed and then blood cells are sluggish [10] — especially white blood cells — frequent infections are more likely to occur in the body.
Take into account that zinc is not as toxic if it’s taken orally. But very high levels of zinc intake will cause the most visible poisoning symptoms: nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, sleepiness, and weakness [5].
How to know if drinking water is contaminated with Zinc?
To see if water is contaminated with zinc, heat water and cool. Pour a little into a glass and see what happens. If it has a greasy coating, then the water has lots of zinc in it. Also, the water is cloudy and looks dissolved or milky. It might even be some particles floating in the water when it is boiled and filtered.
Water contaminated with zinc tastes metallic and might be bad for the mouth. Drinking this water also makes you vomit or nauseous. It is because the metal’s sourness turns the stomach. You’re not supposed to drink that water then. Best approach: Have an environmental professional take a sample of the water and test for zinc.
Other illnesses also can affect taste – especially metallic taste (but not zinc-related, such as dysgeusia). Dysgeusia – disorganised unpleasant odour, metallic in appearance, triggered by drugs such as antibiotics, antipsychotics, antiarthritics and antihypertensives. In addition to dysgeusia resulting in a metallic taste, burning mouth syndrome (BMS), a pain syndrome mainly present in postmenopausal women, gastroesophageal reflux disease, candidosis and others can also trigger dysgeusia [11]. So, always call a physician before you blame it all on your zinc-contaminated water.
What are the usual zinc limits for drinking water?
Zinc works good in the body. Yet the EPA suggests not having more than 5mg/l of zinc in the water [12]. But you have to get certified water professionals to check zinc.
Am I allowed to take a sip and test the water?
The only person that should sample water is professionals. They’re certified to dredge water. Most people don’t know how to draw water; you can sample, but you might not be good. So leave the sampling to trained water professionals.
Water Technologies that remove Zinc from drinking water
Ion exchange
It’s the easiest way to get zinc out of water. The process works 100 per cent effectively in zinc removal from water [13]. By substituting the Zinc ions from the resin with sodium ions. The resulting brine goes down a sewer. The resin that’s used over time breaks down, so it needs to be replaced or repaired.
Reverse osmosis
The process removes zinc from water through a semi-permeable membrane [13]. The film prevents zinc from coming in. At reverse osmosis (RO), the dissolved salts (95 to 99%) are removed from the reject stream of reverse osmosis using high-pressure pump which raises the pressure on the salt side of RO and pushes the water through the semi-permeable RO membrane. The salt level of feed water sets the required pressure [14].
In order to sift the zinc from the water, it must be very high-pressured in order to counter the osmotic pressure, and the higher the pressure the more concentrated feed water must be so as to push the water through the membranes. The more water there is to pollute, the more pressure and power is required. So when you buy a reverse osmosis system, you want to be sure that you have a fast and solid power source.
Chemical Coagulation
You can remove zinc from water with electrocoagulation. So, if so, you put stuff with a big surface area that magnetises zinc ions like lime. : Coagulant: Aluminium salts, iron, hydroxides. You have sludge when it is all over. Shredder is another environmental risk if you use high-water. That chemical alternative would be granulated charcoal. When zinc-infected water flows through the charcoal filter, the elements dissolve out of the water leaving clear and uncontaminated water free of zinc and other pathogens.
Electrocoagulation
It is intelligent and eco-friendly (not chemical coagulation). It gets rid of zinc and pathogens and other pollutants [15]. It has a cathode and anode and gets rid of hydrogen gas. The positive side of electrocoagulation is the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environment-friendly [16].
What Factors to Consider before Choosing A Water Distillation Method?
How much water you want to drink.
Distill water for school or hospital, then you have to use a machine that will run fast. ‘You have to think of a simple, well-performing machine that distilled a ton of water. You can do with the little machines if you need only water for your family.
Point of use
Again, depending on the population you are catering to, think about the space you will place the machine. It should be there for all to use.
Removal of zinc
If water is zinc-contaminated, chances are it’s got a few other contaminants in it. You want a high-powered water filter that filters away pathogens and chemicals both natural and unnatural.
Maintenance costs
All the machines fail, and are in need of repair. For instance, a part needs replacing, filters and cartridges need money. And that is why you should weigh water consumption with repairs cost.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I know if my water is zinc-contaminated?
Water is zinc-contaminated if it looks turbid or milky. In addition, if it has a blue coloring and a greasy surface when you boil it. In this case, the water has a high concentration of zinc [1].
How can I expose myself to zinc?
Zinc is one of the most abundant elements in nature. The mineral is present in high concentrations in the earth’s crust [1]. Natural cyclic processes such as volcanic eruptions and leaching of the element, especially when used in piping and fittings, produce the element. When it rains, the element leaches and contaminates water sources [2, 4].
Is zinc harmful to my health?
Of course, it is! Zinc is quite harmful to health, especially when it is present in high amounts. Zinc lowers the amount of copper in the body, which is a major element that determines iron absorption from food. When you have low levels of iron, you can get anemic due to the low formation of red blood cells. Other effects of high zinc levels are nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting [5, 6].
Can I test my water sample?
It is not advisable to sample water and test it. Water testing professionals will collect water samples in alignment with the highest professional standards, and do a regulatory water analysis.
What should I do if my drinking water has high zinc levels?
If the water analysis test shows that drinking water has zinc levels that are more than 5mg per liter, then you need to find alternative drinking water options. You can also purchase a water filter or buy clean bottled drinking water.
Is it possible to remove zinc from my tap water?
Yes, it is possible. There are several options for removing zinc, including reverse osmosis and other distillation methods.
Is bottled water zinc contaminated?
Bottled water may have little or no zinc, depending on the company that packages the water. However, there is a higher probability that the water has been tested. You need to check the label before purchasing drinking water.
References
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- Mozaffar, B., Idris, I.: A Literature Review of Taste Change and Zinc Deficiency After Bariatric Surgery: Could There Be a Causal Link? OBES SURG. (2022).
- Ranasinghe, P., Wathurapatha, W.S., Ishara, M.H., Jayawardana, R., Galappatthy, P., Katulanda, P., Constantine, G.R.: Effects of Zinc supplementation on serum lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 12, 26 (2015).
- Maares, M., Haase, H.: A Guide to Human Zinc Absorption: General Overview and Recent Advances of In Vitro Intestinal Models. Nutrients. 12, 762 (2020).
- Jafari, A., Alaee, A., Ghods, K.: The etiologies and considerations of dysgeusia: A review of literature. Journal of Oral Biosciences. 63, 319–326 (2021).
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- Titchou, F.E., Zazou, H., Afanga, H., El Gaayda, J., Akbour, R.A., Hamdani, M.: Removal of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from water and wastewater by adsorption and electrocoagulation process. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 13, 100575 (2021).
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