Drinking water mineralization material and method for its preparation and use

Abstract

This invention discloses a drinking water mineralization material and its preparation and application methods, belonging to the field of drinking water treatment technology. The mineralization material includes at least one of a basic mineralization material, a slow-release zinc mineralization material, and a strontium-containing mineralization material, all using natural rocks weathered from basalt lacustrine basins as raw materials. These rocks contain intergrowths of nano-sized opal, attapulgite, and dolomite, possessing a nanoporous structure and excellent slow-release dissolving activity in water. This invention obtains the basic mineralization material through crushing and screening, obtains the slow-release zinc mineralization material through zinc sulfate impregnation and roasting modification, and obtains the strontium-containing mineralization material by compounding with celestite. It can be used in various forms such as tea bags, soaking, and filtration, suitable for tap water and reverse osmosis pure water. This invention is green and free of chemical additives, can adsorb trace pollutants, stably adjust the pH of water to 7.5–8.5, evenly and slowly release calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid, and release zinc and strontium as needed, solving the problems of mineral deficiency in pure water and the defects of conventional mineralization materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of drinking water treatment technology, specifically relating to a drinking water mineralization material and its preparation and application methods. Background Technology

[0002] Water is an essential component of the human body and a necessary medium for metabolism. Harmful substances produced by metabolism can be carried out of the body through water, thus maintaining homeostasis. Therefore, daily water intake and excretion are crucial to human health. To manage drinking water risks, countries have established standards for drinking water, focusing on limiting the content of toxic and harmful substances in water bodies. Currently, bottled purified water, barrelled purified water, and household and community water purification equipment are widely used. These drinking waters use reverse osmosis technology as their core treatment method, which can effectively remove pollutants from the water and ensure drinking water safety. However, reverse osmosis purified water has significant drawbacks: the pH level is too low, and a large amount of natural mineral components and alkalinity are lost, which is detrimental to human physiological health in the long run.

[0003] With the improvement of living standards, the public's demand for drinking water has gradually upgraded from basic safety to health and functionality. The World Health Organization has clearly defined five indicators for healthy drinking water: First, the content of toxic and harmful substances such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, and microorganisms in the water body is below the specified threshold; second, the pH value of the water body is maintained between 7.5 and 8.5, showing a slightly alkaline state; third, the dissolved oxygen content of the water body is not less than 6 mg / L to promote cell metabolism and free radical scavenging; fourth, the water hardness, measured as calcium carbonate, is controlled between 50 mg / L and 200 mg / L; and fifth, the water body contains appropriate amounts of essential minerals and trace elements for the human body.

[0004] Slightly alkaline mineralized water can regulate the body's acid-base environment, neutralize excess stomach acid, and improve digestive and metabolic functions. The natural minerals and trace elements in the water can supplement deficiencies in daily dietary intake, strengthen the body's metabolism and detoxification capabilities, and improve microcirculation. Among them, strontium can aid bone development, metasilicic acid can maintain vascular function, and magnesium and silicon can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The synergistic effect of these various mineral components meets the body's long-term healthy drinking water needs.

[0005] Existing drinking water mineralizing materials have several technical shortcomings: Patent CN1121489A discloses a "preparation method of a high-efficiency drinking water mineralizer," which involves grinding maifanite into powder smaller than 200 mesh, adding natural clay binder and guar gum powder as a pore-expanding agent, mixing in proportion, adding water, granulating, and calcining to obtain sintered granular mineralizer. Its drawback is that the raw materials used are mainly composed of quartz and kaolinite, and the material prepared by high-temperature calcination is mainly composed of quartz, mullite, and metamorphic kaolinite, resulting in a very low rate of calcium, magnesium, and silicon release, making it impossible to obtain alkaline mineralized water. Patent CN112960754A discloses "a drinking water mineralizer, its preparation method and usage method," prepared by resin loading strontium ions, which can stably release strontium ions. Its disadvantage is that it can only release a single type of strontium ion, and the resin itself may release organic compounds, posing a certain risk to human health. Patent CN1123768A discloses the composition of a "mineralizing material for purifying drinking water," which uses silty mudstone, clinoptilolite, activated carbon, maifanite, celestite, selenium ore, seashells, boehmite, garnet, etc., and adjusts the particle size distribution and proportions to release metasilicic acid, strontium, lithium, zinc, selenium, etc., while purifying water. Its disadvantages are its complex composition, poor controllability of the released mineralizing components, and difficulty in producing alkaline water.

[0006] In summary, conventional mineralizing materials currently have problems such as complex formulations and low reactivity of mineral components with water. Under short-term contact conditions between the materials and water, they cannot stably regulate the pH of drinking water to 7.5-8.5, and it is difficult to release core beneficial mineral components such as calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid in a quantitative manner at the same time, thus failing to meet the standardized preparation requirements for healthy drinking water. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a drinking water mineralization material and its preparation and application method, so as to solve the technical problems of existing mineralization materials having complex composition, low mineral leaching activity, difficulty in stably controlling the pH of drinking water, and inability to simultaneously and evenly supplement beneficial minerals.

[0008] To achieve its objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution: (a) Mineral materials for drinking water The drinking water mineralization material of the present invention includes at least one of three types: basic mineralization material A, slow-release zinc mineralization material B, and strontium-containing mineralization material C. All three types of mineralization materials are prepared from the same natural rock as raw material, without the need for multiple raw materials to be compounded, and the raw material source is single and natural and environmentally friendly.

[0009] The natural rock possesses a unique mineral composition and intergrowth microstructure. Its core characteristics are: the rock contains three nano-minerals—opal, attapulgite, and dolomite—intergrowth together to form a nanoscale porous microstructure with pore sizes of 50–200 nm. This structure endows the rock with excellent water solubility and ion slow-release capacity. The natural rock's core chemical components are silicon, calcium, and magnesium. The mineral composition, by mass percentage, is: opal 40%–90%, attapulgite 5%–20%, and dolomite 5%–40%. This ratio ensures that the rock's strength, water solubility, and mineral release all meet the requirements for healthy drinking water.

[0010] Furthermore, the natural rock is formed from basalt as its parent rock. Through long-term surface weathering and leaching, the active components such as calcium, magnesium, and silicon within the parent rock migrated and were lost. These dissolved and migrated calcium, magnesium, and silicon components were carried by surface runoff to the lake basin, where they underwent long-term chemical deposition, enrichment, and diagenesis, ultimately forming this composite mineral rock. This naturally formed rock has very low levels of heavy metals Hg, Pb, As, Cr, and Cd, with release levels in water far below the limits set by GB 5749-2022 "Standards for Drinking Water Quality". It is also naturally rich in four essential trace elements for the human body: cobalt, nickel, lithium, and strontium, with trace element content meeting the World Health Organization's requirements for healthy drinking water.

[0011] Three types of nano-minerals work synergistically in the porous structure system: dolomite can slowly dissolve calcium and magnesium ions, opal can slowly dissolve metasilicic acid, and attapulgite can stabilize the dissolution rate of the above minerals. The synergistic effect of the three can stably adjust the pH value of the water to be treated to 7.5~8.5, while releasing an appropriate amount of minerals, thus achieving the integration of water alkalinity adjustment and mineral balance replenishment.

[0012] The overall particle size range of the basic mineralizing material A, the slow-release zinc mineralizing material B, and the strontium-containing mineralizing material C is controlled to be 0.4~5mm. Specifically, different particle sizes can be set according to the application requirements, such as 0.4~0.7mm, 0.7~1.5mm, 1.5~3mm, and 3~5mm. The particles of the three mineralizing materials are all irregular particles. After cleaning, there is no dust or impurity residue, which can be adapted to the application requirements of different application scenarios.

[0013] Furthermore, the slow-release zinc mineralization material B, by mass percentage, is composed of 80%~95% of basic mineralization material A and 5%~20% of composite zinc particles. The composite zinc particles, using basic mineralization material A as a carrier, are thoroughly impregnated with a zinc sulfate aqueous solution and then modified by a high-temperature roasting process, achieving a long-term, slow release of zinc, safely supplementing the human body's need for trace zinc. The strontium-containing mineralization material C is prepared by uniformly mixing basic mineralization material A or slow-release zinc mineralization material B with celestite of the same particle size. The amount of celestite added accounts for 0.5%~5% of the mass of basic mineralization material A or slow-release zinc mineralization material B, achieving a slow release of strontium, which helps with human bone development.

[0014] (II) Preparation methods of drinking water mineralization materials The preparation process of the drinking water mineralization material of the present invention is simple, involving only physical processing and simple zinc salt impregnation and calcination, without introducing harmful chemical substances. The specific steps are as follows, including the preparation of basic mineralization material A, slow-release zinc mineralization material B, and strontium-containing mineralization material C: Raw material selection: Select natural rocks whose mineral and chemical composition meets the above requirements, and ensure that the content of opal, attapulgite and dolomite is within the specified range.

[0015] Preparation of basic mineralized material A: Using pollution-free equipment that meets hygiene requirements, the screened natural rocks are crushed, screened, and washed in sequence to obtain granular materials of the required particle size, which is basic mineralized material A.

[0016] Preparation of slow-release zinc mineralization material B: Take basic mineralization material A and immerse it in a zinc sulfate aqueous solution with a mass concentration of 0.5%~5% for 20~24 hours, ensuring that basic mineralization material A is fully in contact with the zinc sulfate aqueous solution during the immersion process; then, perform draining, washing, and drying treatments in sequence to remove residual zinc sulfate solution from the surface; then, calcine the treated material at 200~450℃ in air for 2~4 hours to obtain composite zinc particles; mix 80%~95% of basic mineralization material A with 5%~20% of composite zinc particles by mass percentage to obtain slow-release zinc mineralization material B.

[0017] Preparation of Strontium-containing mineralized material C: Take basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B, add celestite of the same particle size and mix evenly to obtain Strontium-containing mineralized material C, wherein the amount of celestite added is 0.5%~5% of the mass of basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B.

[0018] (III) Application methods of drinking water mineralization materials The drinking water mineralization material of this invention has flexible and diverse applications, adaptable to different daily use scenarios. The core application principle is as follows: the drinking water mineralization material is brought into contact with the water to be treated, and water quality mineralization is achieved by relying on the adsorption properties and ion dissolution characteristics of the mineral itself. Specifically, this includes: adsorbing and filtering trace harmful substances (such as manganese, lead, and organic pollutants) in the water to be treated, adjusting the pH value of the water to be treated to 7.5~8.5, and releasing calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid; wherein, the slow-release zinc mineralization material B can simultaneously release zinc, and the strontium-containing mineralization material C can simultaneously release strontium, ultimately making the water to be treated meet the World Health Organization's healthy drinking water standards.

[0019] The specific application can take one of the following five forms: Form 1: The drinking water mineralizing material is compounded with tea leaves and then placed into a permeable bag to make a tea bag with drinking water mineralization function; each tea bag contains 1~2g of mineralizing material and 0.2~0.5g of tea leaves. When using, it can be directly brewed to achieve water quality mineralization and regulation.

[0020] Method 2: Take 2-10g of the aforementioned drinking water mineralizing material, wrap it in a permeable bag to make a permeable soaking pack, and place the soaking pack into a drinking water container (such as an electric kettle, thermos, water cup, water bucket, water dispenser inner tank, etc.) to contact the water to be treated, thereby achieving water quality mineralization adjustment. The replacement cycle of the mineralizing material is 3-20 days.

[0021] Form 3: Pack 5-10g of the drinking water mineralizing material in a paper bag. When using, remove the paper bag and put the mineralizing material directly into the drinking water container to contact the water to be treated, thereby achieving water quality mineralization and adjustment. The replacement cycle of the mineralizing material is 3-20 days.

[0022] Form 4: The drinking water mineralization material is loaded into a water filtration container (such as a mineralization filter, filter column, water filter, etc.) as a filter media, and tap water is used as the water source. Water quality mineralization is achieved when the water flows through the filter media layer. The hydraulic retention time in the water filtration container is controlled to be 10~120 minutes, and the water output is drinking mineralized water.

[0023] Form 5: The drinking water mineralization material is used as filter media in a water filter container. The water from the reverse osmosis membrane is used as the water source. Water quality mineralization is achieved when the water flows through the filter media layer. The hydraulic retention time in the water filter container is controlled to be 10-60 minutes. The water output is drinking mineralized water.

[0024] Furthermore, in Form 4 or Form 5, a buffer tank is provided at the outlet end of the water filter container; the volume of the buffer tank is 5 to 10 times that of the water filter container, the buffer tank is made of food-grade 304 stainless steel, the inner wall of the tank is polished, with no dead corners or burrs, making it easy to clean; the water treated by the filter media is passed into the buffer tank and left for 30 to 60 minutes, which can balance the water quality indicators, avoid fluctuations in the pH value and mineral concentration of the outlet water, and maintain a stable water supply.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. The mineralized material of the present invention uses a single pure natural rock as raw material, without the need to purchase multiple raw materials for complex compounding, and the rock has large reserves and is easy to mine and process.

[0026] 2. The natural rocks selected in this invention are basalt as the parent rock, formed by lacustrine chemical sedimentation. The geological background determines that they are rich in trace elements such as cobalt and nickel, which are related to mantle-derived basalt. At the same time, they are also rich in trace elements such as lithium and strontium, which are beneficial to the human body, from the outer crust rocks. Moreover, the content of heavy metal elements Hg, Pb, As, Cr and Cd is extremely low, and the release in water is far below the limit value of drinking water hygiene standards, so the safety of use is high.

[0027] 3. The mineralized material of the present invention only undergoes physical crushing, screening, washing, and simple impregnation and roasting. The preparation process does not require the addition of any harmful chemical substances, especially no organic compounds are introduced. The resulting mineralized water is close to the characteristics of natural mineral water. The processing technology is simple, the operation is convenient, and it can achieve large-scale production with low production costs.

[0028] 4. The nanoscale porous microstructure formed by the intergrowth of three nano-minerals in the natural rock screened in this invention endows the material with excellent water solubility, controllable dissolution rate, strong synergy, and can stably achieve weak alkalinity regulation and balanced release of calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid; the zinc and strontium modified components can supplement trace elements as needed, adapting to different healthy drinking water needs.

[0029] 5. The mineralizing material of this invention covers a variety of applications such as tea bags, water-permeable soaking, paper bag packaging, and water filtration, and is suitable for different scenarios such as home and office, without complicated operation; at the same time, it is compatible with both tap water and reverse osmosis membrane water, which can meet the mineralization needs of different water qualities and has a wide range of applications.

[0030] 6. The natural rocks screened by this invention have high natural strength and water resistance, and do not produce suspended matter when soaked in water, thus meeting the requirements for water resistance stability. The buffer tank set at the outlet of the filter container can further balance the water quality, avoid fluctuations in pH value and mineral concentration, ensure the stability of mineralization effect, and facilitate large-scale promotion and application. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 These are photographs of the mineralized material prepared in Example 1 of the present invention, where Figure a shows particles with a diameter of 0.7~1.5 mm and Figure b shows particles with a diameter of 3~5 mm.

[0032] Figure 2 The XRD pattern of the natural rock selected in Example 1 of this invention is shown, where D is the characteristic diffraction peak of dolomite, Q is the characteristic diffraction peak of quartz, T and C are the characteristic diffraction peaks of microcrystalline opal (T represents tridymite, C represents cristobalite, and their co-occurrence represents microcrystalline opal-CT formed by the intergrowth of tridymite and cristobalite), and P is the characteristic diffraction peak of attapulgite.

[0033] Figure 3 These are scanning electron microscope images of the natural rocks selected in Example 1 of this invention.

[0034] Figure 4 The images shown are high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the natural rocks selected in Example 1 of this invention, where: a) shows the interwoven arrangement of plate-like microcrystalline opal crystals; b) shows the parallel arrangement of plate-like microcrystalline opal crystals and intergranular nanopores; c) shows the symbiotic morphology of attapulgite and amorphous opal (opal-A); d) shows the high-resolution lattice image of microcrystalline opal, with the inset corresponding to the electron diffraction pattern and Fourier transform diagram; e) shows amorphous opal plates; f) shows the tightly intergrown morphology of euhedral dolomite and microcrystalline opal, with the inset showing the electron diffraction pattern of dolomite; g) shows the tightly intergrown morphology of attapulgite and opal, with the inset showing the sample XRD, electron diffraction pattern, and EDS composition data; h) shows the tightly intergrown structure of attapulgite (P), dolomite (D), and opal; and i) shows the EDS energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum of opal.

[0035] Figure 5 The curves show the solubility of SiO2 in different structural states as a function of temperature. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0037] Before introducing specific embodiments, the core raw material characteristics and research and development basis of the mineralized materials used in this invention will be explained first.

[0038] This invention, based on extensive field geological surveys, mineral composition analysis, and screening through multiple sets of mineralization comparison tests, selects a special type of natural rock as the sole basic raw material. This rock is based on basalt as the parent rock, which undergoes surface weathering and leaching, causing the migration of active components such as calcium, magnesium, and silicon. Then, it undergoes chemical deposition in the lake basin to form a composite mineral system in which three types of nano-minerals—opal, attapulgite, and dolomite—are intergrowthed.

[0039] One of the core innovations of this invention is that the rock of this specific origin has excellent mechanical strength and water resistance stability due to the natural micro-skeleton of tightly embedded nano-minerals. It does not have any suspended matter or powder shedding after long-term immersion in water. At the same time, amorphous / microcrystalline opal and nano-dolomite have high water solubility and can stably raise the pH of water to the weakly alkaline range, and continuously release beneficial components such as calcium, magnesium ions and metasilicic acid.

[0040] The second core innovation of this invention lies in the fact that, through extensive testing, the optimal mineral ratio range has been clearly defined: by mass percentage, opal 40%–90%, attapulgite 5%–20%, and dolomite 5%–40%. Under this ratio, the rock structure strength, water resistance, pH adjustment ability, mineral dissolution rate, and content of natural beneficial trace elements all meet the requirements of healthy drinking water.

[0041] Based on the aforementioned limited raw materials, the three types of mineralized materials of this invention were prepared through physical processing, zinc modification, and strontium compounding. The technical solution of this invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and test data. In the following embodiments, a benchtop pH meter was used to detect the pH value of the water, the calcium and magnesium ion content was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and the metasilicic acid content was detected by colorimetry.

[0042] Example 1 Based on extensive field surveys of mines and mineral experiments, this embodiment selects natural rocks that conform to the mineral composition defined in this invention, specifically opal ore from Guanshan, Mingguang City, Anhui Province. Its mineral composition is approximately: opal 59%, attapulgite 10%, dolomite 30%, with the remainder being trace amounts of quartz and other impurities. The collected natural rocks were crushed, graded, and sieved to obtain four particle sizes: 0.4–0.7 mm, 0.7–1.5 mm, 1.5–3 mm, and 3–5 mm. After washing with pure water to remove impurities and drying, basic mineralized material A was obtained.

[0043] The macroscopic morphology, mineral phases, microstructure, and water quality regulation performance of the materials used in this embodiment are as follows: Figure 1 The images show actual photos of mineralized material particles of different particle sizes prepared in this embodiment. Image a shows particles with a diameter of 0.7~1.5mm, and image b shows particles with a diameter of 3~5mm. The particles are irregularly angular, with no dust or impurities on the surface, which is consistent with the product morphology after sieving and cleaning.

[0044] Figure 2 The XRD pattern of the natural rock selected in this embodiment is shown, where D is the characteristic diffraction peak of dolomite, Q is the characteristic diffraction peak of quartz, T and C are the characteristic diffraction peaks of microcrystalline opal, and P is the characteristic diffraction peak of attapulgite. The characteristic peaks in the pattern are sharp and there are no obvious impurity peaks, which proves that the target mineral phase is single and has high purity, and the three nano-minerals are stably coexisting and intergrown.

[0045] Figure 3 The scanning electron microscope images of the natural rocks selected in this embodiment clearly show the plate-like aggregate characteristics of microcrystalline opal. The porous structure formed by the interweaving of the plate-like microcrystals provides reaction sites for subsequent mineral ion dissolution and water quality adjustment.

[0046] Figure 4 These are high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of the natural rocks selected in this embodiment, which visually present the intergrowth structure and microstructure of three nanominerals, among which: Figure 4 Figures a and b show the interwoven / parallel arrangement of plate-like microcrystalline opal crystals with numerous nanoscale pores between the grains; Figure 4 Figure c in the figure shows that attapulgite (P) and amorphous opal (opal-A) are intergrown together; Figure 4 Figure d in the figure is a high-resolution lattice image of microcrystalline opal. Combined with electron diffraction pattern and Fourier transform diagram, it is proved that microcrystalline opal belongs to the disordered stacking structure of cristobalite and tridymite along the C-axis. Figure 4 Figure e shows the morphology of amorphous opal slabs; Figure 4 Figure f in the figure shows the close intergrowth morphology of euhedral dolomite (D) and microcrystalline opal, with an attached electron diffraction pattern of dolomite; Figure 4 Figure g shows the tightly intergrowth morphology of attapulgite and opal, with attached XRD, electron diffraction patterns and EDS composition data of the sample; Figure 4 The h diagram shows the overall structure of attapulgite (P), dolomite (D), and opal tightly interlocked; Figure 4 Figure i in the figure is the EDS energy spectrum of opal, which proves that its main components are silicon and oxygen, consistent with the chemical composition of opal.

[0047] To further illustrate the dissolution activity of the opal component in the material of this invention, combined with Figure 5 Perform the analysis. Figure 5The figures show the solubility of SiO2 in different structural states as a function of temperature. Quartz has the lowest solubility, with a saturation solubility of approximately 5 mg / L at 25℃; followed by chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz); amorphous SiO2 has the highest solubility, with a saturation solubility of approximately 125 mg / L at 25℃. Quadritic quartz exists in two polycrystalline forms: α-quadritic quartz (low-temperature type) and β-quadritic quartz (high-temperature type), with solubility between that of chalcedony and amorphous SiO2. The opal in the material of this invention is mainly microcrystalline opal (composed of nano-mixed crystals of tridymite and cristobalite, wherein the cristobalite contains two crystal forms, α-cristobalite and β-cristobalite). Its solubility is between that of cryptocrystalline chalcedony and amorphous SiO2, and its equilibrium solubility is slightly lower than that of amorphous SiO2. Therefore, under normal temperature soaking conditions, it can continuously dissolve metasilicic acid into the water, so that the metasilicic acid content in the water body can stably reach more than 25 mg / L, which meets the requirements of healthy drinking water for metasilicic acid.

[0048] Take 10g of the 0.4~0.7mm particle size basic mineralized material A prepared in this example, and put it into 250mL of reverse osmosis membrane effluent (i.e. RO pure water) and tap water respectively. Conduct room temperature static soaking and boiling comparison tests. Take samples at regular intervals to test the pH, calcium, magnesium and metasilicic acid content of the water. The specific test results are shown in Table 1.

[0049] Table 1. Water sample test results and comparison with WHO healthy water and mineral water.

[0050] In summary, the basic mineralizing material A prepared in this embodiment can stably adjust the pH of water to a slightly alkaline range of 7.5-8.5, while simultaneously releasing beneficial mineral components such as calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid. Under dissolved equilibrium conditions, all indicators meet the requirements for healthy drinking water. It can effectively improve the problems of mineral deficiency and acidity in reverse osmosis pure water, and optimize the mineral ratio in tap water. The mineralizing material prepared in this embodiment can be recycled for 10-20 days and only needs to be replaced periodically.

[0051] Example 2 Two g of the 0.7–1.5 mm particle size basic mineralizing material A prepared in Example 1 was weighed and placed together with 0.5 g of tea leaves in a water-permeable nylon bag for sealing, thus preparing a mineralized functional tea bag. The tea bag was placed in a teacup, and boiled water from a pure water purifier was added and steeped for 20 minutes. 50 mL of the steeping solution was measured and cooled to room temperature. The pH value of the water was tested, and the contents of calcium, magnesium ions, and metasilicic acid were determined. The test results showed that the pH of the water could be raised to 7.8 after steeping, and the contents of calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid in the water were 4.8 mg / L, 1.4 mg / L, and 26 mg / L, respectively. All indicators met or complied with the World Health Organization's standards for healthy drinking water, demonstrating that water quality can be improved through mineralization while drinking tea daily, thus contributing to healthy metabolism.

[0052] Example 3 The 3-5mm particle size basic mineralized material A prepared in Example 1 was selected, and 10g was accurately weighed and placed into a thermos. Boiled tap water was then poured in for constant temperature soaking. Utilizing the natural mineral leaching characteristics and acid-base regulating properties of the mineralized material, the pH of the water can be stably controlled to 8.0-8.5, continuously releasing beneficial mineral components such as calcium, magnesium, and silicon, ensuring that the water hardness and mineral indicators meet the standards for healthy drinking water. In this example, the mineralized material in the thermos can be repeatedly soaked and reused for a long period, with a replacement cycle of 10-20 days, making it convenient, long-lasting, and economical.

[0053] Example 4 The 0.7–1.5 mm particle size basic mineralized material A prepared in Example 1 was selected as the filter media and filled into a water filtration container to form a filter column. Tap water was used as the raw water, and the hydraulic retention time was controlled to be 20 minutes. When the water flows through the mineralized filter media layer at a uniform speed, the material can simultaneously adsorb and retain trace harmful substances and impurities in the water. For example, the manganese ion content in the water decreased from 0.08 mg / L to 0.02 mg / L as measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Functional components such as hydroxyl groups, calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid are gradually released. The pH value of the water is stabilized at 7.6–8.1, the calcium ion concentration is 12.2–14.3 mg / L, the magnesium ion concentration is 3.5–4.7 mg / L, and the metasilicic acid concentration is 13.6–15.8 mg / L. The treated effluent has a suitable pH and a balanced mineral composition, resulting in high-quality mineralized drinking water.

[0054] Example 5 The 0.7–1.5 mm particle size basic mineralized material A prepared in Example 1 was selected and filled into the water filtration container as a post-mineralization filter media. Reverse osmosis membrane effluent was used as the raw water for treatment, and the hydraulic retention time was set to 20 minutes. During the water flow through the filter media layer, the mineralized material continuously released deficient mineral components such as hydroxyl groups, calcium, magnesium, and silicon, specifically addressing the acidity and mineral deficiency of pure water. This achieved rapid mineralization modification of the reverse osmosis effluent, producing mineralized water that meets healthy drinking standards. Instrumental testing showed that the water's pH value was stable at 7.5–7.8, calcium ion concentration was 3.4–4.4 mg / L, magnesium ion concentration was 0.48–0.53 mg / L, and metasilicic acid concentration was 6.1–7.4 mg / L. The treated effluent had suitable pH and a balanced mineral composition, resulting in optimized drinking mineralized water.

[0055] Example 6 Prepare 1000 mL of a 0.5% (w / w) zinc sulfate aqueous solution using analytical grade zinc sulfate. Weigh 500 g of the 0.7–1.5 mm particle size basic mineral material A obtained in Example 1 and completely immerse it in the zinc sulfate aqueous solution for 24 h. After immersion, discard the residual liquid, wash the material twice with clean water, thoroughly drain the surface moisture, and dry it. Then, place the material in a muffle furnace and calcine it at a constant temperature of 300 °C for 2 h in an air atmosphere to obtain structurally stable composite zinc particles.

[0056] A 0.7–1.5 mm particle size basic mineralization material A was uniformly mixed with composite zinc particles at a mass ratio of 4:1 to prepare a 0.7–1.5 mm particle size slow-release zinc mineralization material B. This mineralization material B was then used as filter media in a filter column, with reverse osmosis membrane effluent as the raw water, and the hydraulic retention time controlled at 60 minutes. As water flows through the filter media layer, hydroxyl, calcium, magnesium, silicon, and zinc elements are released steadily and slowly. Under stable operating conditions, the effluent pH is maintained at approximately 7.8, calcium concentration is 5.9 mg / L, magnesium ion concentration is 1.7 mg / L, metasilicic acid concentration is 15 mg / L, and zinc concentration is 0.27 mg / L. The release of trace elements is mild and controllable, meeting the safety limits for drinking water.

[0057] Example 7 The slow-release zinc mineralizing material B prepared in Example 6 was mixed with natural celestite of the same particle size at a mass percentage of 2% to obtain strontium-containing mineralizing material C with a particle size of 0.7-1.5 mm. Strontium-containing mineralizing material C was then used as filter media in a filter column, with reverse osmosis membrane effluent as the raw water, and a hydraulic retention time of 60 minutes set. As water continuously flows through the filter media layer, the material simultaneously releases various beneficial components such as hydroxyl groups, calcium, magnesium, silicon, zinc, and strontium, synergistically completing water purification, pH adjustment, and multi-element mineral supplementation. The effluent quality is excellent and can be directly used as functional healthy mineralized drinking water. Under stable operating conditions, the effluent pH is maintained at approximately 7.7, with a calcium concentration of 5.3 mg / L, a magnesium ion concentration of 1.5 mg / L, a metasilicic acid concentration of 13 mg / L, a zinc concentration of 0.21 mg / L, and a strontium ion concentration of 1.23 mg / L.

[0058] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, the technical solutions disclosed in this invention can be adapted to actual application needs by modifying some process parameters, raw material dosages, and application forms without changing the core technical features of the present invention, and all such adjustments fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drinking water mineralizing material, characterized in that, The drinking water mineralization material includes at least one of three types: basic mineralization material A, slow-release zinc mineralization material B, and strontium-containing mineralization material C. All three types of mineralization materials are prepared from natural rocks. The natural rocks simultaneously contain three nano-minerals: opal, attapulgite, and dolomite, and these three nano-minerals are intercalated, exhibiting a nanoscale porous microstructure and slow-release dissolving activity in water. The natural rocks have silicon, calcium, and magnesium as their core chemical components, and the mineral composition by mass percentage is: opal 40%~90%, attapulgite 5%~20%, and dolomite 5%~40%. The basic mineralized material A is a granular material of the required particle size obtained by sequentially crushing, screening, and washing the screened natural rocks. The slow-release zinc mineralization material B is composed of 80% to 95% of basic mineralization material A and 5% to 20% of composite zinc particles by mass percentage; the composite zinc particles are prepared by impregnating basic mineralization material A in an aqueous zinc sulfate solution and then calcining it. The strontium-containing mineralized material C is made by uniformly mixing basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B with celestite of the same particle size, wherein the amount of celestite added accounts for 0.5% to 5% of the mass of basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B.

2. The drinking water mineralizing material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The natural rocks are formed by the chemical deposition of calcium, magnesium, and silicon lost through weathering on the surface within the lake basin, with basalt as the parent rock.

3. The drinking water mineralizing material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The particle size of the basic mineral material A, the slow-release zinc mineral material B, and the strontium-containing mineral material C is 0.4~5mm.

4. A method for preparing a drinking water mineralizing material as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The preparation of basic mineralizing material A, slow-release zinc mineralizing material B, and strontium-containing mineralizing material C involves the following specific steps: Raw material selection: Select natural rocks to ensure that their mineral composition meets the corresponding requirements; Preparation of basic mineralized material A: The screened natural rocks are crushed, screened and washed in sequence to obtain particulate materials of the required particle size, which is basic mineralized material A; Preparation of slow-release zinc mineralization material B: Take basic mineralization material A and immerse it in a zinc sulfate aqueous solution with a mass concentration of 0.5%~5% for 20~24 hours. Then, drain, wash, and dry it in sequence, and then calcine it in air at 200~450℃ for 2~4 hours to obtain composite zinc particles. Mix 80%~95% of basic mineralization material A with 5%~20% of composite zinc particles by mass percentage to obtain slow-release zinc mineralization material B. Preparation of Strontium-containing mineralized material C: Take basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B, add celestite of the same particle size and mix evenly to obtain Strontium-containing mineralized material C, wherein the amount of celestite added is 0.5%~5% of the mass of basic mineralized material A or slow-release zinc mineralized material B.

5. A method for applying the drinking water mineralization material as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The drinking water mineralizing material is brought into contact with the water to be treated to achieve water quality mineralization adjustment; the water quality mineralization adjustment includes: adsorbing and filtering harmful substances in the water to be treated, adjusting the pH value of the water to be treated to 7.5~8.5, and releasing calcium, magnesium, and metasilicic acid, wherein the slow-release zinc mineralizing material B releases zinc element slowly at the same time, and the strontium-containing mineralizing material C releases strontium element slowly at the same time.

6. The application method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The specific application form is one of the following: Form 1: The mineralized drinking water material is compounded with tea leaves and packaged into a permeable bag to make a tea bag. Each tea bag contains 1-2g of mineralized material and 0.2-0.5g of tea leaves. Form 2: Wrap 2-10g of the mineralized material in a water-permeable bag to make a water-permeable soaking pack, and place it in a drinking water container; Form 3: Seal 5-10g of the drinking water mineralizing material in a paper bag, and place it into a drinking water container after opening the bag; Form 4: The drinking water mineralization material is loaded into a water filter container as a filter media, and tap water is used as the water source. Water quality mineralization is achieved when the water flows through the filter media layer, and the hydraulic retention time is 10~120min. Form 5: The drinking water mineralization material is loaded into a water filter container as a filter media, and the reverse osmosis membrane effluent is used as the water source. The water flows through the filter media layer to achieve water quality mineralization and adjustment, with a hydraulic retention time of 10~60 minutes.

7. The application method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In Form 4 or Form 5, a buffer tank is installed at the outlet of the water filter container, and the volume of the buffer tank is 5 to 10 times that of the water filter container. The water treated by the filter media is passed into the buffer tank and left for 30 to 60 minutes to balance the water quality indicators and maintain a stable water supply.

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