Since chlorination is a long established public health practice necessary for the disinfection of drinking water, consumers are aware of the health benefit drinking filtered water can provide. However, it's surprising for some people to learn that 50% of their daily exposure is in the shower. The other 50% comes from their drinking water. Therefore, filtering shower water is equally as important, as filtering drinking water.
Documented scientific studies conclude that taking long hot showers is a health risk. In the enclosed shower stall, chlorine vaporizes where it is inhaled. To a lesser degree, dermal absorption also occurs. As chlorine is added to kill pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, the highly reactive chlorine combines with fatty acids and carbon fragments to form a variety of toxic compounds. Medical studies suggest a link between absorption and inhalation of chlorine in the shower environment, with elevated risks for diseases and serious illnesses. Showering in chlorinated water may also cause preexisting conditions, such as asthma and eczema, to become exacerbated.
In addition to health benefits of filtering water, there are cosmetic benefits. Symptoms of chlorine exposure are dry and/or flaking skin, dry brittle hair and red irritated eyes. Filtering the shower water reduces these symptoms. Skin and hair feel softer and eyes become less red and irritated.In the shower environment, chlorine can either be in liquid or gas state. At higher water temperatures in the enclosed shower stall, free-chlorine moves from the liquid to the gas state, where it vaporizes and subsequently, inhaled. The United States regulates all showerhead flow at 2.5 gallons per minute. Thus, the science behind shower filtration must take into account the unique situation in the shower, including temperature, flow rate and volume.
Our shower filters work on a similar principle to a Catalytic Converter in an automobile. In shower filtration free-chlorine is converted into a harmless chloride. The scientific name for this chemical reaction is known as "Reduction-Oxidation", commonly referred to as Redox.
Redox reactions can be chemically complex. Simply stated, during a Redox reaction electrons are transferred between molecules, creating new elements. For instance, when free-chlorine comes in contact with the filtration media, it is changed into a benign, water-soluble chloride. This reaction changes free-chlorine to a larger chloride element. Too large to evaporate or be absorbed by the skin. It is then carried harmlessly through the water supply.
Chlorgon is a type of Redox filtration media. Chlorgon contains Calcium, Zinc and Copper. It works to convert free chlorine and some combined chlorines, such as sodium hypochlorite (liquid swimming pool chlorine), to a harmless chloride. Chlorgon also works well in a variety of temperatures from hot to cold. The only non-carbon filtering media to remove: