verb
- to remove mineral salts or minerals from (a substance, especially water)
- to deplete or remove minerals from (bone, tissue, or soil)
Usage: chiefly British spelling; American English typically uses 'demineralize'; commonly used in chemistry and water treatment contexts
Usage: medical and geological usage
Examples
- The water treatment plant demineralises tap water to reduce hardness.
- Prolonged acid exposure can demineralise tooth enamel.
- The soil was demineralised by years of heavy rainfall and erosion.
- Distilled water is produced by demineralising ordinary water through reverse osmosis.
- Certain medications may demineralise bones if taken over extended periods.
- The laboratory demineralised the samples before conducting the analysis.