| When did humans start understanding and using distillation? |
| Historians have ascertained that ancient Greek sailors used a form of distillation to obtain drinkable water while at sea. Hanging sponges over pots of boiling sea (salt) water to absorb the evaporating pure water, the sailors would then squeeze out the collected water from the sponges. Free of the salt and other contaminants found in seawater, the water collected from the sponges was drinkable. Today, the US Navy uses distilled water, derived from seawater, for drinking uses aboard many of its vessels. Modern water distillers are simply a man-made system that replicates nature's "Hydrologic Cycle". Distillation is generally recognized as an effective broad-spectrum water treatment system that removes many different kinds of contaminants, including biological contaminants such as bacteria and viruses. Distilled water, besides being the best for drinking and cooking, is used in a variety of other home applications. Distilled water is ideal for use in home aquariums and fish tanks, as well as in such home appliances as irons and humidifiers. Distilled water is also the best choice for use in wet-celled batteries. With commercial processes, distilled water is used when pure water is needed for such applications as photo processing, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, facial products, cosmetic products, laboratories, plant process water, rinse water, etc. Home Page | FAQs | Glossary | Contact Us |