Nitrite in Water

Source of Nitrite: Nitrite (N₂O^-) is a nitrogen-containing chemical similar to nitrate. Nitrogen in fertilizers, animal waste from farms and decaying plant materials can introduce nitrite into groundwater. Malfunctioning septic systems can also be a source of nitrite in well water. Nitrite can be found in municipal water but it mostly occurs in well water.

Health Effects of Nitrite: Nitrite reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. This causes a condition called methemoglobinemia. Babies and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to nitrite poisoning. Ingesting nitrite can have a negative impact on the development of the child. Blue Baby Syndrome causes the infant to turn blue and suffer from lack of oxygen.

How to Remove Nitrite: A WECO reverse osmosis filtration system will remove nitrite along with nitrate, taste and odor-causing chemicals like chlorine and hydrogen sulfide and heavy metals including lead and arsenic. For whole house and commercial (Point Of Entry) applications a WECO backwashing filter with anion-exchange resin is recommended. Contact WECO for help in the selecting the water filter best suited for your application.