Distilled water is water in which all impurities have been removed during the distillation process, which includes boiling water and then condensing the steam into a clean container.
Drinking water was distilled from the sea, at least about 200 AD This process was clearly described by Alexander Aphrodisia.
At present, almost everyone knows what distilled water is. It is widely used in chemical and biological laboratories, as well as in industry, medicine, etc. In addition, it is also needed for car and truck batteries. The presence of other ions, which are commonly found in tap water, dramatically reduces battery life.
Distilled water is also preferred for use in automotive cooling systems. Minerals and ions commonly found in tap water can corrode the internal components of the engine and lead to rapid wear.
Until World War II, distilling seawater into fresh water was a laborious and expensive process. There was even a saying: "One liter of fuel is needed to make one liter of fresh water." Shortly before the war, the osmosis method was developed, thanks to which heating is not necessary to extract fresh water from sea or polluted water.
Distilled water is usually sold in supermarkets or pharmacies, home distillers are also available, which is especially important in regions where water resources are limited or tap water is not suitable for drinking without boiling or chemical treatment.
However, its constant use is not recommended for health. The lack of natural minerals in distilled water is of some concern. Scientists have found that drinking water from sources containing high levels of Ca, Mg, and Na can provide recommended doses of these minerals in the human diet. It has been noted that consumption of hard water helps prevent atherosclerotic heart disease.
Distilled water at home can be obtained in several ways.
1 way
- Fill a 5 liter stainless steel pan with about half tap water.
- Put a bowl in the water, be sure that it is floating and does not touch the bottom of the pan.
- The water should heat up, but not boil. If it boils, turn down the heat on the stove.
- It is necessary to create a condensation effect using a contrast barrier. This can be done by turning the lid of the pan over and filling it with ice. When hot steam enters the cold lid, condensation will form.
- Heat the water, the resulting steam will rise and condense on the lid of the pan, and then drip into a bowl that floats in the pan.
- Remove the pan from the heat and open the lid.
- Take a bowl of distilled water from the pan. Be careful when doing this so as not to get burned.
- Cool the water.
2 way
- Take 2 glass bottles. This process works best if at least one of the bottles has a curved throat, which prevents the transfusion of water from the bottle. Fill one bottle with tap water two-thirds.
- Put both bottles together by their necks and fasten tightly with tape.
- Use a 5 liter stainless steel pan with boiling water. It should be enough to cover the bottle with tap water.
- Tilt the bottles at an angle of about 30 degrees, resting the empty bottle on the inside of the pan rim.
- Put an ice bag on top of it. This will create a contrast barrier, causing condensation of the evaporated water.
- When finished, cool the water.
3 way
- Place a large, clean container outside to collect rainwater.
- Leave it outside for 2 full days.
- Store distilled water in a clean container.
Note! You will need to add the appropriate chemicals to distilled water before using it in an aquarium. Without these chemicals, she will not be able to support the life of fish and aquatic plants.