Magnetic water treatment explained

Magnetic water treatment (also known as anti-scale magnetic treatment or AMT) is a method of supposedly reducing the effects of hard water by passing it through a magnetic field as a non-chemical alternative to water softening. Magnetic water treatment is regarded as unproven and unscientific. A 1996 study by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found no significant effect of magnetic water treatment on the formation of scale.^[1]

Vendors of magnetic water treatment devices frequently use photos and testimonials to support their claims, but omit quantitative detail and well-controlled studies. Advertisements and promotions generally omit system variables, such as corrosion or system mass balance analyticals, as well as measurements of post-treatment water such as concentration of hardness ions or the distribution, structure, and morphology of suspended particles.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

See also

• Fouling
• Laundry ball
• Magnet therapy

Notes and References

1. Krauter . PW . Harrar . JE . Orloff . SP . Bahowick . SM . 1996 . Test of a Magnetic Device for Amelioration of Scale Formation at Treatment Facility D . Internal Report . . 2009-12-11 . 567404. 10.2172/567404 .
2. Keister . T . 2008 . Non Chemical Devices: Thirty Years of Myth Busting . Water Conditioning & Purification . 2009-12-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120417131247/http://www.wcponline.com/pdf/0804Keister.pdf . 2012-04-17.
3. Powell . MR . 1998 . Magnetic Water and Fuel Treatment: Myth, Magic, or Mainstream Science? . . 22 . 1 . 2007-10-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090727010107/http://www.csicop.org/si/9801/powell.html . 2009-07-27 . dead .
4. Web site: Lower . S . Magnetic water treatment and pseudoscience . Chem1Ware Systems Limited . 2009-10-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080501194133/http://www.chem1.com/CQ/magscams.html . 2008-05-01.
5. Limpert . GJC . Raber . JL . 1985 . Tests of nonchemical scale control devices in a once-through system . Materials Performance . 24 . 10 . 40–45 . 6089699.
6. Web site: Smothers . KW . Curtiss . CD . Gard . BT . Strauss . RH . Hock . VF . 15 June 2001 . Magnetic Water Treatment . Public Works Technical Bulletin 420-49-34 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111215092211/http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/ARMYCOE/PWTB/pwtb_420_49_34.pdf . 15 December 2011.
7. Magnetic Water Treatment . 2000. 10.1016/S0304-8853(99)00648-4. Coey. J.M.D. Cass. Stephen. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. 209. 1–3. 71–74. 2000JMMM..209...71C. August 23, 2023.