NITRATE SELECTIVE CARTRIDGE (NRC+)

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The Nitrate Selective Cartridge NRC+ is a brine regenerable drinking water cartridge constructed totally of FDA grade materials. It is selective for nitrates and can be used on raw well water. Nitrate reduction is 90 - 95% and breakthrough is not affected by sulphate levels.

The capacity of the NRC+ is 5000 ppm of nitrates as CaCO3. In high sulphate water, the NRC+ gives higher throughput than the NRC. To determine the capacity, first calculate the ppm of nitrates as CaCO3. Then divide that number into 5000 to get the gallons.

The NRC+ can be regenerated using sodium chloride brine. In some cases not even a Reverse Osmosis water filter can remove nitrates from water. This is why the Nitrate Selective Cartridge is so important especially in rural areas where it is not unusual for water to be contaminated with pesticides.

The EPA has set a limit of 10ppm as a safe level of nitrates in water. Use the WaterSafe Drinking Water Test Kit to see the nitrate level in your water.

The following information was sourced from the EPA website as of November 7, 2013:

What is nitrate?
Nitrates and nitrites are nitrogen-oxygen chemical units which combine with various organic and inorganic compounds.

Uses for nitrate.
The greatest use of nitrates is as a fertilizer. Once taken into the body, nitrates are converted to nitrites.

What are nitrate's health effects?
Infants below six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the maximum contaminant level (MCL) could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue baby syndrome.

This health effects language is not intended to catalog all possible health effects for nitrate. Rather, it is intended to inform consumers of some of the possible health effects associated with nitrate in drinking water when the rule was finalized.

What are EPA's drinking water regulations for nitrate?
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur. These non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks and exposure over a lifetime with an adequate margin of safety, are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLG). Contaminants are any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substances or matter in water.

The MCLG for nitrate is 10 mg/L or 10 ppm. EPA has set this level of protection based on the best available science to prevent potential health problems. EPA has set an enforceable regulation for nitrate, called a maximum contaminant level (MCL), at 10 mg/L or 10 ppm. MCLs are set as close to the health goals as possible, considering cost, benefits and the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies. In this case, the MCL equals the MCLG, because analytical methods or treatment technology do not pose any limitation.

The Phase II Rule , the regulation for nitrate, became effective in 1992. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to periodically review the national primary drinking water regulation for each contaminant and revise the regulation, if appropriate. EPA reviewed nitrate as part of the Six Year Review and determined that the 10 mg/L or 10 ppm MCLG and 10 mg/L or 10 ppm MCL for nitrate are still protective of human health.
 

 

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