Does ZeroWater remove cobalt?

Published on 07/09/2020 Last updated on 29/09/2023

Cobalt is an element that occurs naturally in the environment in air, water, soil, rocks, plants, and animals. Cobalt can enter the surface through rainwater as it flows through soil and rocks containing cobalt.

What is cobalt?

Cobalt is a chemical element that belongs to the transition metals. It has silver in color. It is often found in large quantities in meteorites, along with nickel and iron. It is also found in minerals in the earth’s crust, including cobaltite, erythrite, and linnaeite. One stable isotope is known, while the other is more than 20 isotopes are radioactive. Cobalt is in the periodic table with the symbol Co and atomic number 27.

How does cobalt enter drinking water?

Part of the cobalt enters the water naturally. Cobalt containing minerals can be released as Co 2+ – ion by weathering. Cobalt attracts heavy metal arsenic. Arsenic can, therefore, often be found in places with a lot of cobalt.

However, a large part of the cobalt is released into the environment through (commercial) human activities. It is used in electrodes, airbags, pigments, magnets, and alloys for motors, among others. Waste (water) from these industries can pollute the environment with cobalt.

Cobalt can be used for irradiation of food, cosmetics, and medical articles. Radiotherapy to radiate cancer also uses an isotope of cobalt.

In addition to drinking water, certain foods are also a source of cobalt. Animal products, in particular, contain a lot of cobalt. Think of this, for example:

  • eggs;
  • seafood;
  • milk;
  • cheese;
  • meat.

It is also reasonably present in seaweed, mushrooms, and grains.

What are the health effects of cobalt?

Cobalt is a component of vitamin B12. That’s why people need a certain amount of cobalt. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the production of red blood cells and contributes to the nervous system’s proper functioning. With a deficiency of vitamin B12, one can suffer from anemia. Most people have a supply of vitamin B12 in their body that is enough for a few months to a year. So you don’t get a shortage just like that.

Cobalt poisoning can occur if the intake of cobalt compounds is too high. This manifests itself in enlargement of the thyroid gland and heart damage. Ingesting too much cobalt is rare.

Elemental cobalt is dangerous and is considered carcinogenic. Elemental cobalt is not present in drinking water.

Does ZeroWater filter cobalt from tap water?

Yes, ZeroWater filters 99% cobalt from tap water. The Premium 5-stage Ionization Changer Filtration System removes more impurities than the standard 2-stage filters. During the test, ZeroWater had 150 liters of filtered water (double the prescribed use) tested by an independently certified external laboratory. The test results are based on the NSF/ANSI test protocol of flow-through equipment for contaminants listed under the national primary drinking water standards.