Classified as an alkaline earth metal and first identified by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808, calcium's name is derived from the Latin for lime, calx, which can be obtained from heating limestone. After iron and aluminium, calcium is the third most abundant metal in the crust of the earth. Elemental calcium is a soft metal that reacts with water to produce hydrogen. Calcium is used industrially in the production of steel where it helps form tiny spherical inclusions that improve the quality of the steel.
Within the environment, calcium is found in abundance as chalk and limestone (calcium carbonate) and as gypsum (calcium sulphate); minerals of calcium are dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater imparting hardness characteristics.
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for our health and is the most abundant mineral in our bodies. In addition to building strong bones and teeth, calcium is important for regulating muscle contractions (including your heartbeat). Calcium is also important for making sure blood clots normally.
A lack of calcium in our diets can lead to medical conditions such as rickets in children and osteoporosis in later life. Vitamin D is known to be important for the uptake of calcium and too little of this vitamin can also lead to conditions associated with calcium deficiency.
Calcium is found at high levels in most drinking water across the UK. Whilst calcium is an important nutrient, at high levels it can lead to water hardness that can damage domestic appliances.
We derive most of our dietary intake of calcium from our food but drinking water, particularly in hard hard-water areas, may provide around 10% of our intake.
Calcium is one of the elements that is known to affect the taste of our water, recent studies have shown that humans have a specific taste receptor for calcium.
Calcium in your drinking water can be detected by the following tests.
Calcium can be reduced or removed from your drinking water using the following methods.
