REDUCTION OF SOLUBLE MINERAL CONCENTRATIONS IN CASO4 SATURATED WATER USING A MAGNETIC-FIELD

To assess the effects of magnetic water treatment under well controlled laboratory conditions, and to yield statistically defensible results, a saturated solution of CaSO4.2H(2)O was tested in the magnetic field of a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Five replicates were performed of each experiment. The two independent variables tested-magnetic field strength and rotation speed-were set at two levels, ''on'' (4.75 T and 1200 rpm respectively) or ''off''. Parameters chosen to monitor the treatment effect were conductivity, soluble calcium, total suspended solids (TSS), and Zeta potential (zeta). Results showed that the magnetic treatment indeed had a significant effect on the precipitation of CaSO4 crystals. Conductivity, soluble Ca, and zeta potential all decreased, whereas TSS increased. A transfer of Ca from the soluble to the solid phase (crystal as CaSO4.2H(2)O) was confirmed by mass balance calculations. Thus the results are consistent with claims in the literature that magnetic water treatment can induce precipitation of inorganic crystals from solution, and could possibly prevent scaling by avoiding precipitation of these salts on to solid surfaces.