In 1618 a farmer in Epsom, Surrey, observed that his cows would refuse to drink from a natural spring due to its bitter taste, he also noticed that this bitter water appeared to heal scratches and rashes. The restorative ingredient of the water was later termed Epsom Salt, which we now know is magnesium sulphate.
The name magnesium is derived from the Greek district of Thessaly called Magnesia. The metal was first identified by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808, his first suggestion for a name was magnium but this was later amended to the more familiar magnesium. Magnesium is the 9th most abundant element in the universe and the 11th most abundant in the human body.
Magnesium is highly flammable and produces an intense brilliant-white flame with a temperature of over 3,000°C. Powdered magnesium was used as 'flash powder' in the early days of photography and is still used in fireworks and marine flares.
Magnesium has a low density and good mechanical properties and is commonly used as an alloy with aluminium or zinc and has many applications in aeronautical, automotive and electronics industries. It is also an essential nutrient for plants and is needed for the synthesis of chlorophyll.
Magnesium is an essential nutrient for the body and helps us turn the food we eat into energy as well as being an important micronutrient, particularly for the production of the hormones that help keep our bones healthy. At least 300 enzymes use the magnesium ion to catalyse their reactions, these include the production of the nucleic acids such as DNA.
A wide variety of foods contain magnesium, especially dark green vegetables such as spinach. The NHS advises that we should be able to get sufficient magnesium from a varied and balanced diet. Taking too much magnesium through supplements can be harmful to health.
Magnesium is a common mineral in drinking water and, in conjunction with calcium, contributes to water hardness. The limescale deposits created by hard water can lead to damage in appliances and can be removed by water softening treatments.
The UK government advise that adults should consume 300 mg of calcium per day, in hard water areas your drinking water might be a significant dietary source of the mineral; a litre of water might provide as much as a third of your daily requirement.
Magnesium in your drinking water can be detected by the following tests.
Magnesium can be reduced or removed from your drinking water using the following methods.
