Classification of mineral waters by value

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

There seems to be no more universal remedy than mineral water. Washing with it slows down aging and prevents wrinkles. Inhalations are useful in diseases of the respiratory tract. "Borjomi" and "Essentuki 4" are recommended for gastritis. And in the famous resorts, you can completely heal from all diseases. What is the principle of mineral water classification? What mineral water, from what and in what quantities should I take?

What is mineral water?

What is the difference between the water from the cherished bottles and the one that flows from the tap? Mineral water is natural natural water, which appeared due to complex geo- and biochemical processes. Due to the presence of bioactive elements in such water, a special ionic, s alt or gas composition, it can be used for medicinal purposes.

Mineral waters are useful not only for drinking, butand take baths with them, and inhale their vapours. They differ in composition and place of production. There are various classifications of mineral waters that give a holistic view of which of them help from what, and which are completely useless.

Where is mineral water mined?

According to the classification of mineral waters according to the method of outpouring to the surface, they are groundwater and pressure. The first are poured onto the surface of the earth on their own. The ejection of the second occurs under great pressure, and sometimes they are also called artesian.

Well-known balnearies, sanatoriums and resorts are located on the mineral waters. The most famous sources of carbon dioxide water today are Georgia, the Caucasus, Armenia, Transcarpathia, Kamchatka and Transbaikalia. Nitrogen is mined in Altai, Pyatigorsk and Krasnodar.

Radioactive mineral springs can be found in Kyrgyzstan, hydrogen sulfide - in Dagestan, on the Black Sea coast, in the Carpathians and Fergana. Bases for the extraction of s alt-alkaline waters are located in the Crimea and the Carpathians.

Pioneers of natural healing waters

People have known about the beneficial properties of mineral water since ancient times - this is evidenced by stone baths carved from springs located in the Caucasus. Travelers wrote about the amazing healing effect of Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk waters in their notes back in 1377.

However, no classifications of mineral waters or their detailed analysis have yet been discussed. It is believed that the history of resorts built on springs and theirstudy began with the filing of Peter the Great. It was he who declared the mineral water areas the property of the state and ordered the construction of the first hydropathic facilities on these places.

S alt and minerals

Classification of mineral waters according to the level of organic substances and s alts dissolved in it divides all sources into:

• Strong brine waters, mineralization in which is from 150 grams per dm³.
• Brine containing 35-150 grams of nutrients per dm³.
• Highly mineralized, the total amount of dissolved minerals in which is from 10 to 15 grams per dm³.
• Medium mineralized, containing 5 to 10 grams of minerals per dm³.
• Low mineralized, the amount of s alts in which reaches a value of 2-5 grams per dm³.
• Low mineralized, which includes 1-2 grams of useful organic substances per dm³.
• Fresh, in which mineralization is minimal and does not exceed one gram per dm³.

The mineralization of water is primarily affected by the location of the source and the geological features of the area. In recent decades, the anthropometric factor has gained great importance - the presence of man and, as a result, infrastructure has led to the depletion of resources and a significant deterioration in the quality of mineral waters, primarily due to industrial wastewater and urban storm sewers.

Chemical composition

The second most important classification of mineral waters - according to the composition of their constituent chemical elements. From this point of view, all waters are divided into six types. Let's dwell on each of them in more detail.

1. Chloride. Such medicinal waters are indicated as an additional therapy for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, biliary tract and gallbladder. Strictly prohibited with high blood pressure. These include Angarskaya, Minskskaya No. 3, Tyumenskaya, Rostovskaya, Omskaya No. 1 and Nalchik.
2. Hydrocarbonate. Used for diabetes, gout and urolithiasis. Often prescribed to athletes and people with heavy physical exertion. Should not be used for gastritis. Amurskaya, Maikopskaya, Luzhanskaya, Borjomi, Goryachiy Klyuch No. 1, Sakhalinskaya, Polyana Kvasova and Tersinka are hydrocarbon mineral waters.
3. Sulfate water is used for obesity, constipation and diabetes. It is a good choleretic agent, so it is contraindicated in people with gallstone disease. It is also not used in the treatment of children and adolescents, as it prevents bone growth. Sulfate waters include Krainskaya, Moskovskaya, Kazanskaya, Ufimskaya, Smolenskaya.
4. Magnesium mineral waters help to cope with stress, normalize the functioning of the central nervous system and metabolism. The main waters of this category are Narzan, Sulinka, Magnesia, Zelters, Truskavetska and Donat.
5. Ferrous waters increase overall resistancebody to external influences, increase hemoglobin. For drinking therapy, bottled waters "Kuka", "Darasun", "Polyustrovskaya" and "Turshsu" are used.

Water of complex composition

The classification of bottled mineral waters is not limited to one-component waters: in total it includes 31 groups that differ in cationic and anionic composition. Most often, both anions and cations are dissolved in water. All this is reflected in the title.

Waters with a complex mineral composition are divided into:

• chloride sulfate;
• chloride-hydrocarbonate;
• magnesium-sodium;
• magnesium-calcium-sodium;
• sulfate-bicarbonate;
• sodium chloride sulfate;
• magnesium-calcium and others.

S alts dissolved in water, as well as their percentage, give the drink a certain taste. For example, waters containing carbon dioxide are slightly acidic. Hydrochloric s alt makes the drink s alty, alkali gives a bitter-s alty taste, glandular elements - an astringent taste, sulfuric elements - the smell and taste of rotten eggs, sulfuric acid adds bitterness.

Drink or be treated?

There is another classification of mineral waters - according to purpose. If systematization by chemical composition gives us an idea of the s alts and minerals contained in a certain bottle, then the division by purpose leads to an understanding of how often you can drink a certain water and whether it is worth doing it without medical supervision.

This classification of drinking mineral water includes three categories:

• Therapeutic, containing more than 10 grams of dissolved mineral s alts per dm³. Such waters should be used only on the recommendation of the attending physician and in a limited dosage, as they are able to have a certain therapeutic effect. Often there are contraindications for their use. The treatment includes Nizhny Karmadon, Essentuki No. 17, Lysogorskaya, Nagutskaya No. 17, Donat Mg
• Medicinal table containing from 1 to 10 grams of dissolved substances. A he althy person can consume such water for a short period of time in small quantities without he alth consequences. Under certain indications, the doctor may prescribe the use of medicinal table mineral water as an additional therapy. This group includes: "Novoterskaya healing", "Lipetsk buvet", "Borjomi", "Growling su", "Pelisterka", "Essentuki No. 4", "Kozelskaya", "Ardzhi"
• Table water that a he althy person can consume without risk to he alth as a daily drink. Their mineralization does not exceed 1 gram of s alts per dm³. "Essentuki Novaya-55", "Essentuki Gornaya", "Gelendzhikskaya 117" - table water.

Natural Sources vs Plants

A special place in the classification of drinking mineral waters is occupied by artificial waters. In essence, this is a commontap or artesian water that has undergone multi-stage purification and artificially enriched with s alts and minerals.

In their production, purified s alts are used in strict accordance with natural proportions. Typically, such waters are used only for baths, since scientists today cannot completely reproduce mineral water from a natural source - the problem lies in reproducing the composition of dissolved gases.

Due to the large number of natural sources, there is no urgent need to reproduce the composition of mineral water for drinking artificially.

Medical applications

Due to the high content of nutrients, mineral waters are widely used as an additional therapy in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. Today, mineral-enriched water is used in physiotherapy, balneological drinking resorts, and sanatoriums.

Due to the complex composition, the exact classification of medicinal mineral waters is impossible. As a rule, the same source is suitable for the treatment of several different pathologies.

In general terms, medical systematization looks like this:

• Sulfate mineral water helps the gastrointestinal tract, has a choleretic effect and therefore stimulates the liver and gallbladder. Indicated for hepatitis, diabetes, obesity and biliary tract pathologies.
• Chloride mineral waters are good foreating disorders. Accelerate metabolic processes, increase pancreatic secretion.
• Hydrocarbonate water reduces the acidity of the stomach, is an adjuvant in the treatment of urolithiasis.
• Glandular waters are useful for anemia and gynecological diseases.
• Magnesium mineral water is used to treat colitis, enterocolitis, chronic gastritis, and diseases of the duodenum.

Physio- and balneological therapy

Water enriched with s alts and minerals for the treatment of various diseases is used not only inside.

All kinds of baths, irrigation, inhalations are widely used. The classification of mineral waters for physiotherapy is as follows:

• Hydrogen sulfide mineral waters are indicated for patients with bronchial asthma, myocardial infarction, aneurysm, atherosclerosis of the heart vessels.
• Baths with carbonic mineral water are prescribed for diseases of the cardiovascular system, emphysema, functional ovarian failure, nephrosclerosis.
• Sodium chloride mineral water helps with sprains, joint and tendon damage, chronic pyelonephritis, obesity, gout, psoriasis, neurodermatitis.
• Radon baths can be a good help for people with neuralgia, neurasthenia, long-term non-healing wounds and ulcers, prostatitis.
• Baths with iodine-bromide waters are prescribed for gout, thyrotoxicosis and obesity.

In a spoon -medicine, poison in a cup

Most of modern people have little trust in doctors, often diagnose themselves and start treatment on their own. This also applies to mineral water therapy. A striking example from the classification of mineral waters by value for a person is "Essentuki No. 17", which most people do not take seriously.

The high content of minerals and dissolved s alts makes it dangerous for children under 12 years of age, people with heart defects and survivors of a hypertensive crisis. In addition, it is extremely dangerous to drink such water in the acute phase of diseases of the kidneys, stomach or intestines.

You should strictly follow the doctor's recommendations and do not exceed the prescribed dose.