Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Pharmaceuticals From Water?

Does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water?  Why would anyone ask that?  News reporters learned recently that there are pharmaceuticals in water supply reservoirs and kitchen taps around the country.

How did they get there?  Well, it was not an act of terrorism or anything like that.  It's really quite simple and not surprising, when you think about it.

When a medication is ingested, not all of it is absorbed by the body. The remainder is flushed from the body and excreted in urine. The waste is treated and recycles and eventually makes it way back into your home.

Since Americans are a well medicated bunch, much of the waste does carry unused prescription and non-prescription drugs.  Testing has shown pharmaceuticals in water supply tanks that were considered ready for human consumption.

Of course, the waste was treated before actually being considered for use, but while the widely accepted treatment practices do well against biological waste, they are incapable of breaking down medications and other chemical compounds.  There’s your answer to does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water, because nearly every facility in the country includes and RO step in their complete process.

Logically, since we have pharmaceuticals in water supply approved for use by humans and it has already gone through RO, then RO does not remove them.  The EPA has known for many years that chemicals, mostly resulting from pollution, were in the drinking water.  It was only a matter of time until they found pharmaceuticals in water supply tanks, too.

Before getting overly alarmed, the actual amount of pharmaceuticals in water supply taps is pretty small. The actual dose of medication is barely perceptible. Getting up right now and grabbing a glass straight form the tap will not subject you to a mega-dose of medication. The human body is actually better equipped to handle a one-time large dose then a smaller amount over time, and that's the problem.

Yes, the amount of pharmaceuticals in water supply containers is small and per glass, barely measurable, but it is impossible to determine what, over the course of, say, several years, the ramifications will be. What makes matters worse is the wide variety of medications that have been found. Antibiotics, anti-seizure medication, antidepressants, angina medication, pain killers and sex hormones, to name a few, have been found in different studies.

I’m sure the reason that people ask does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water is because they have read the reports and seen RO home units hardily advertised on the internet.  We’ve already answered the question, but here’s why it doesn’t work. 

RO units can only remove contaminants that are heavier than or larger than a molecule of water.  Since the drugs are dissolved in the water, they are not larger or heavier than it.
Other filtration units, such as activated carbon and multi media blocks can remove
chemicals and drugs, just not RO.  So, you don’t have to worry about pharmaceuticals in water supply taps at your house, as long as you have the right unit.  But, if anyone asks you does reverse osmosis remove pharmaceuticals from water, tell them, “NO”. For more information see my website. - Larry L. Taylor