Do RO really effective in removing fluroride from drinking water?

The best way to remove fluoride from tap water is to use a filter containing Brimac (or bone char) — these filters will consistently remove 90% of fluoride from water.

Another good option is use a Propur drip filter — these filters make use of AquaMetix — a new proprietary carbon-based filtration technology — these filters will remove 50% – 85% of fluoride.

THE DETAILS

Fluoride is difficult to remove from water. Filters by Brita and Pur use activated carbon for filtration which does not remove any fluoride. The filtration methods listed below are the only methods recommended by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and the WQA (Water Quality Association) for fluoride filtration.

• Bone Char Filters 
• Propur drip filters
• Reverse Osmosis 
• Distillation 

You also absorb fluoride when showering and bathing. Unfortunately, there are no shower filters that will remove fluoride. But you can get a “whole house” filter for fluoride. A good vendor for “whole house” filters is Pure Effect Filters. Another option is to capture rainwater and use it instead of municipal water — see the book Rainwater Collection For the Mechanically Challenged for more information.

WHY REMOVE FLUORIDE FROM YOUR WATER?

Fluoride has long been known to be a very toxic substance. This is why, like arsenic, fluoride has been used in pesticides and rodenticides (to kill rats, insects, etc). It is also why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires that all fluoride toothpaste sold in the U.S. carry a poison warning that instructs users to contact the poison control center if they swallow more than used for brushing.

Excessive fluoride exposure is well known to cause a painful bone disease (skeletal fluorosis), as well as a discoloration of the teeth known as dental fluorosis. Excessive fluoride exposure has also been linked to a range of other chronic ailments including arthritis, bone fragility, dental fluorosis, glucose intolerance, gastrointestinal distress, thyroid disease, and possibly cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FILTER TYPES

BONE CHAR CARBON FILTERS
Bone Char has been used for centuries to remove naturally occurring fluoride from water. Bone contains a porous matrix that is rich in surface ions. These can be readily replaced by fluoride and by some of the other contaminants that may be present with fluoride (heavy metals). When used alone, Bone Char Carbon filters can remove up to 90% of the fluoride in water. The efficiency of bone char can be improved by adding pre-filters to remove heavy metals and other contaminants before exposure to the bone char. These filters work best at a slightly acidic pH and may not work as well with hard water.
BRIMAC FILTERS

Brimac is a high calcium bone char. To create, you take bovine or cow bones out of cold storage. The bones are thoroughly cleaned and put in sun and rain for at least 90 days and totally dried. They are then carbonized at 1472 degrees Fahrenheit in controlled conditions. The result is organic bone char made of 80% phosphate of calcium, 10% carbon and 10% calcium carbonate. The substance is organic, usually kosher certified, non-toxic. When used, it adds beneficial minerals to water. Bone char can remove chlorine, heavy metals and radioactive isotopes it addition to fluoride. Bone char is considered a more effective contaminate remover than coconut charcoal because it is hundreds of times more porous and contains calcium which attract the fluoride.



Distillation is capable of removing just about anything (except volatile compounds) from water. If you have a distiller, you can remove fluoride. However, distillation takes time and lost of electricity. Distillation makes water taste empty and lifeless. If you use distilled water you need to add minerals back into the water.




Reverse osmosis relies on pressure and a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants from water. It can remove between 90 and 95% of fluoride (depending on the efficiency of the system and depending on how well the system is maintained). Contaminants are trapped by the membrane and flushed away in the waste water. The process requires between 2 and 4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of clean water. Water with an abundance of contaminants (including hard water) can reduce the efficiency of an Reverse Osmosis system and it can shorten the life of the membrane.

Like distillation, reverse osmosis removes almost everything from water, and makes the water taste flat and empty.