What is total hardness of water
The total hardness of water is an important indicator to measure the content of calcium and magnesium ions in water, which directly affects the taste, safety and industrial use of water. In recent years, as the topic of healthy drinking water and environmental protection has become more popular, the total hardness of water has also become one of the focuses of public attention. This article will systematically introduce the definition, classification, impact and detection methods of total water hardness based on the hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days.
1. Definition and classification of total hardness of water

The total hardness of water refers to the total concentration of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) and magnesium ions (Mg²⁺) dissolved in the water, usually expressed in milligrams of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) per liter (mg/L) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). According to the source of hardness, it can be divided into the following two categories:
| Type | Source | Common compounds |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary hardness | Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | Ca(HCO₃)₂, Mg(HCO₃)₂ |
| permanent hardness | Sulfates, chlorides, etc. | CaSO₄, MgCl₂ |
2. The influence of total hardness of water
Water hardness has a significant impact on daily life, industrial production and ecological environment:
| field | influence |
|---|---|
| health | An appropriate amount of calcium and magnesium is beneficial to cardiovascular health, but too much may lead to stones |
| life | Hard water is prone to scaling and reduces washing effectiveness. |
| Industry | Boiler scaling increases energy consumption and affects equipment life |
3. Detection method of total hardness of water
Currently commonly used detection methods include titration method, electrode method and test paper method. The following is a comparison of detection technologies that have been hotly discussed on the Internet in the past 10 days:
| method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| EDTA titration method | High precision, national standard method | The operation is complicated and requires professional equipment |
| portable electrodes | Fast and suitable for on-site testing | Requires regular calibration |
| test paper method | Low cost and convenient for home use | Poor accuracy |
4. Hot topic on the Internet: The relationship between hard water and health
There has been a lot of discussion on social media recently about whether hard water causes kidney stones. Experts point out that the relationship between the total hardness of water and stones needs to be viewed dialectically:
5. How to deal with high hardness water
For different scenarios, the following measures can be taken:
| scene | solution |
|---|---|
| household water | Install a water softener or reverse osmosis water purifier |
| industrial water | Ion exchange resin treatment |
| agricultural irrigation | Add acid to neutralize alkaline hard water |
Conclusion
The total hardness of water is an important water quality indicator related to people's livelihood. With the advancement of detection technology and the improvement of public health awareness, reasonable control of water hardness will become a key direction of future water resources management. It is recommended to regularly check the water hardness in your home and choose an appropriate water treatment solution based on actual needs.
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