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#179100 - 08/12/13 02:31 AM Water treatment
WyOutdoors Offline
member

Registered: 07/19/13
Posts: 15
I have been using Tincture of iodine 2% when I go backpacking and have had great success with it. I haven't gotten sick and I usually can't taste the iodine in the water. I've been hearing a lot of people talk about aquamira drops lately. I am curious what people think about the two and which they prefer.

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#179103 - 08/12/13 08:53 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
Pika Online   content
member

Registered: 12/08/05
Posts: 1814
Loc: Rural Southeast Arizona
There have been several studies on the efficacy of various water treatment chemicals including iodine and household bleach. Most chemicals work well on bacteria and viruses but few are truly effective against encysted Protozoa such as giardia and cryptosporidium. Iodine and bleach are not among those that are reliably effective against cysts. Chlorine dioxide compounds such as Micropur are effective against cysts but only given about four hours contact. Cysts are best removed by filtration. For really cruddy water I will filter first and then add ClO2 as Aquamira or Micropur.

Iodine has been shown to cause a number of health issues if used in excessive amounts and what is excessive is highly variable. When I was in the Army I drank a lot of iodine-treated water. I was OK for short periods but after a month or so I would suffer a low grade general malaise that I attributed to iodine. Now, I will use it only if there is no alternative.


Edited by Pika (08/12/13 08:56 AM)
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#179104 - 08/12/13 09:28 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
What Pika said. The CDC used to list iodine as the treatment of choice... That's no longer the case.

I take Micropur tablets to back up a very light filter.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#179109 - 08/12/13 11:35 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: lori]
WDW4 Offline
member

Registered: 08/01/13
Posts: 18
Loc: Lexington, KY
In regard to iodine, I used iodine exclusively during 13 treks (from 3 to 29 days) over a 2 year period. Probably drinking 2-3 liters a day at minimum. (4 drops iodine per liter) I was treating very questionable water (in a developing country with poor sanitation). I got stomach sickness once while on trek, although I attribute that particular sickness to some super-sketch food, not the water. So, that is my experience. Now I use a water filter just for the difference in taste.


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#179113 - 08/12/13 04:20 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: WDW4]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
After a few weeks of using iodine to disinfect my water (only on weekends), I broke out in a really horrible all-over rash with deep lesions (lichen planus), that left permanent scars. I was so sensitized to iodine that I still cannot eat seafood or anything made with iodized salt, which causes lots of problems, not just socially (since most people and restaurants cook with iodized salt) but also medically.

Iodine treatment for water is definitely contraindicated for pregnant women and children, which should tell you something. It's also a no-no for anyone who may have thyroid issues.

Plus iodine has been shown to be ineffective against cryptosporidium, which is becoming an increasing problem in many areas.

The CDC recommends iodine for water purification only for brief emergency use.

_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#179114 - 08/12/13 04:23 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: OregonMouse]
WyOutdoors Offline
member

Registered: 07/19/13
Posts: 15
What about the aquamira drops?

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#179116 - 08/12/13 05:08 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
billstephenson Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
I'll offer that you really want to get to know your water sources if possible.

Around here I don't treat my water very often. I use a Britta charcoal filter if it isn't pristine, and maybe boil it if I have any reason to suspect it's tainted.

I've also began to take a "Lifestraw" with me in case boiling isn't a good option. The Lifestraw is great for drinking water, it will remove darn near anything bad for you, and the charcoal filter plus boiling will purify any water you come across. That's a pretty light and inexpensive method.

The Chlorine Dioxide tablets are small and light enough to have a few on hand in my med kit, but right now I don't have any and I've never used them. They'er expensive, and I just don't need them here.

The real problem I have with Chlorine Dioxide is that it will certainly kill the good bacteria in your gut too, and that can increase your chances of getting sick. That's often the root cause of getting sick from untreated water.

In the past I've used iodine too, but after it set the required time I filtered it with a Britta Charcoal filter. That makes a big difference in how clear the water is and it removes the taste of the iodine. There may be some left over chemicals in the water doing that but I never got sick. I'd do the same if I were using the Chlorine Dioxide. It won't remove the chlorine, but it will reduce the taste of it by a lot so it does remove a lot of something.

If I knew I always had to use a treatment I'd buy a Sawyer Squeeze filter instead of what I'm using now, but I wouldn't use chemicals as my primary method. They're for emergencies only.

_________________________
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"You want to go where?"



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#179122 - 08/12/13 06:59 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
What about the aquamira drops?


Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers. The only liquid solution I know of that is a purifier is what is made by the MSR Miox.

I don’t want backpackers out there using the liquid and having a false sense of security. A certain concentration level and contact time is needed. A weak mixture of chlorine dioxide just isn’t going to kill the nasties and that is what AquaMira liquid is.

The chlorine dioxide tablets are good. Just ensure that they say they can kill all the nasties. If they are good, they will say that a contact time of up to four hours is required.

Aquamira’s website has this to say about its tablets: “When used as directed, Aquamira Water Purifier Tablets meet the EPA guidelines for Microbiological Water Purifiers making it the safest solution on the market. Great for weekend hiking, camping, hunting, or fishing trips.” Nothing of the sort is stated for the liquid.

I was always hearing before from others that it was just a bureaucratic issue about EPA registering and that it didn’t mean much. I always thought that if Aquamira wasn’t willing to have proper laboratory studies to get it EPA registered, then they didn’t care enough for my needs. Now that they have gotten their tablets registered, a different picture seems to be painted. The drops don’t meet EPA guidelines for killing all the nasties and, therefore, don’t qualify as “the safest solution on the market” as they promote for their tablets.

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#179123 - 08/12/13 07:02 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: billstephenson]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By billstephenson
The real problem I have with Chlorine Dioxide is that it will certainly kill the good bacteria in your gut too, and that can increase your chances of getting sick. That's often the root cause of getting sick from untreated water.


I am curious about your statement as many municipal water treatment plants use chlorine dioxide.

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#179130 - 08/12/13 10:13 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
billstephenson Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
Originally Posted By ndsol
Originally Posted By billstephenson
The real problem I have with Chlorine Dioxide is that it will certainly kill the good bacteria in your gut too, and that can increase your chances of getting sick. That's often the root cause of getting sick from untreated water.


I am curious about your statement as many municipal water treatment plants use chlorine dioxide.


For sure, Chlorine dioxide is toxic, that's why it is used to treat water. That treatment is probably a necessary evil as things stand now, but that doesn't mean it's the optimal solution, hence all the filtration systems you can buy for your home to filter that out.

Gut bugs play a huge role in maintaing health, so it behooves us all to keep them healthy, and minimizing their exposure to Chlorine dioxide for health reasons seems obvious to me.

Still, when chlorine dioxide kills a bug in water it converts to chlorite, which is also toxic. So while you won't get sick from the bug, you do ingest some nasty stuff in the form of a very powerful oxidant. At the very least I would want to take a dose of antioxidants with it. A packet of emergen-C would be good. I take those everyday anyway, and bring extra when I'm backpacking, but that won't protect or replace your good gut bugs. Drinking good, untreated water might though.

I have to add a bit...

The good bacteria in your stomach is like a first line of defense against any bad bugs you might ingest. You need to keep them healthy. Taking probiotics is one way, eating yogurt with live cultures, kimchi, sauerkraut, raw fruits and veggies, etc.

What kills those good bugs are things like antibiotics, chlorine, and probably soft drinks that contain sulfuric acid, like Coke. Antibiotics are the worst, and the stronger they are the harder they are on your good stomach bugs.

So, if you've taken a round of antibiotics, then head off backpacking and are only drinking water treated with Chlorine dioxide or iodine you could be very susceptible to getting nailed by those very few nasty bugs, rather from water or personal hygiene or any other source, whereas with a healthy gut you'd never even notice you got any, your gut would fight them off with ease.




Edited by billstephenson (08/12/13 10:46 PM)
Edit Reason: added a bit...
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#179131 - 08/12/13 10:21 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By ndsol


The chlorine dioxide tablets are good. Just ensure that they say they can kill all the nasties. If they are good, they will say that a contact time of up to four hours is required.


That four hour time can be more than is needed. It's for dirty, cold water.

http://www.katadyn.com/usen/technical-support/micropur-support/

Of course, it doesn't say whether clean, warm water should have the 30 minute or 4 hour treatment time to treat cysts....

The wait time is why thru hikers often get the Aqua Mira Frontier Pro - which is NOT suitable to rely on it for anything but filtering the largest critters out - but, cysts are quite large by comparison to bacteria. So a pass through the Frontier Pro followed by 30 minutes with chlorine dioxide does the trick.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#179132 - 08/12/13 10:55 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: lori]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By lori
Originally Posted By ndsol


The chlorine dioxide tablets are good. Just ensure that they say they can kill all the nasties. If they are good, they will say that a contact time of up to four hours is required.


That four hour time can be more than is needed. It's for dirty, cold water.


That is true. But my point was to ensure that the package says that a contact time of up to four hours is required. In very few cases, however, would that much time be needed. I would usually treat water at night and it would definitely be ready in the morning.

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#179134 - 08/12/13 11:00 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: lori]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Except that the Aqua Mira Frontier Pro filter is 3.0 microns. I had to do a lot of research to find that out because (3 years ago) Aqua Mira did not disclose the filter diameter. (I just checked their web page and they still don't!) The CDC recommends a 1.0 micron filter for protozoa (giardia and crypto).


Edited by OregonMouse (08/12/13 11:02 PM)
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#179146 - 08/13/13 02:32 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
JPete Offline
member

Registered: 05/28/09
Posts: 304
Loc: Eastern Ontario
WyOutdoors,

I have used both, each for six months at a time. I used the iodine crystals in the refillable bottle. I think it was called Polar Pure or something like that. Haven't seen it on the market for some time. I now use Aqua Mira liquid (we get it as Pristine).

I had no problems with either, but prefer the chlorine dioxide. While I did not mind the taste of iodine, it's nice to not have it, and I'm convinced the chlorine dioxide does a somewhat better job.

But for me, Billstephenson makes the most important point: learn to evaluate water sources. Even on the AT I was able to use water straight fairly often and never suffered for it. But remember that there can always be something you'd rather not know about just around the bend out of sight. If I have any question in my mind, I treat (sometimes with a double dose and for several hours).

best, jcp

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#179212 - 08/15/13 04:42 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
Lots of input already. I'll add my two cents:

Chemical treatment
  • Iodine--works against bacteria and viruses, not against cysts.
  • Chlorine dioxide (ClO2)--several log more effective than iodine against bacteria, effective against giardia in 30 minutes, 4 hours for crypto.
  • Miox (mixed oxidizers)--brews up a mix of free chlorine, ClO2, hypochlorous acid and trace amounts of other oxidizers. Same general effectiveness as ClO2, in my experience tastes rather stronger (probably varies depending on source water and one's palate sensitivity).
  • Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite)--A little better than iodine against cysts, less effective against bacteria and viruses than ClO2. Basically free.


I don't like chemical treatments for aesthetic (taste and odor) reasons and their spotty efficacy. ClO2 tablets are the simplest and probably affect water taste the least, so that's my standard fallback in case my primary method fails, or I'm day hiking. Over the long haul, it's a very expensive option (the two-part liquids are much cheaper than the tablets). All the tablets are made by the same company but are packaged by a few for retail sale.

I will never rely on iodine or household bleach, period; virtually every other chemical option has much better results. Miox is fun to fiddle with, but tastes like a salty swimming pool.

UV

Broadly effective against viruses, bacteria, cysts. Affected by turbidity and temperature (device design can counteract the temperature effect to some extent). Instant (stir and drink) and does not affect taste. It's fine for soloing, but IMHO too fiddly for groups (far too much scooping, stirring and pouring). Batteries are an ongoing cost and don't be tempted by cheap offbrand CR123s.

Filtration

The most common tool. I've used many, many over the years and so long as I'm not fixated on viruses (I'm not) does what I need w/o affecting taste. After years of pumps I've converted to gravity filtration. Because I'm lazy. I won't go into comparatives among brands and models, I've settled on the Sawyer system. It flat works and with adequate backflushing is a lifetime purchase. They do make a virus-level filter with a rather lower flow rate. If I were headed to the tropics I'd get that.

Drink up!

Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
I have been using Tincture of iodine 2% when I go backpacking and have had great success with it. I haven't gotten sick and I usually can't taste the iodine in the water. I've been hearing a lot of people talk about aquamira drops lately. I am curious what people think about the two and which they prefer.
_________________________
--Rick

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#179219 - 08/15/13 10:12 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: Rick_D]
WyOutdoors Offline
member

Registered: 07/19/13
Posts: 15
Are aquamira drops sold at local store or mist they be purchased offline?

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#179222 - 08/16/13 01:02 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: WyOutdoors]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
Are aquamira drops sold at local store or mist they be purchased offline?


I've bought it over the counter in Washington state, but not in California. I don't think they wanted to pay for the Cal/EPA testing. The Pristine version might also be available, they're in Vancouver, CA. Same stuff.

Cheers,
_________________________
--Rick

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#179237 - 08/16/13 09:46 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: Rick_D]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By Rick_D
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
Are aquamira drops sold at local store or mist they be purchased offline?


I've bought it over the counter in Washington state, but not in California. I don't think they wanted to pay for the Cal/EPA testing. The Pristine version might also be available, they're in Vancouver, CA. Same stuff.

Cheers,


Why does this canard continue to be perpetuated. As I stated above, I was always hearing before from others that it was just a bureaucratic issue about EPA registering and that it didn’t mean much. So why did did they then obtain registration for their tablets, but not the drops? The drops don’t meet EPA guidelines for killing all the nasties and, therefore, don’t qualify as “the safest solution on the market” as they promote for their tablets.

Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers. I don’t want backpackers out there using the liquid and having a false sense of security. A certain concentration level and contact time is needed. A weak mixture of chlorine dioxide just isn’t going to kill the nasties and that is what AquaMira liquid is.

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#179246 - 08/17/13 02:31 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
Quite a bold statement that I'm sure you can verify with a cite, yes?

Aquamira crypto test for US-EPA certification

Originally Posted By ndsol
Originally Posted By Rick_D
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
Are aquamira drops sold at local store or mist they be purchased offline?


I've bought it over the counter in Washington state, but not in California. I don't think they wanted to pay for the Cal/EPA testing. The Pristine version might also be available, they're in Vancouver, CA. Same stuff.

Cheers,


Why does this canard continue to be perpetuated. As I stated above, I was always hearing before from others that it was just a bureaucratic issue about EPA registering and that it didn’t mean much. So why did did they then obtain registration for their tablets, but not the drops? The drops don’t meet EPA guidelines for killing all the nasties and, therefore, don’t qualify as “the safest solution on the market” as they promote for their tablets.

Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers. I don’t want backpackers out there using the liquid and having a false sense of security. A certain concentration level and contact time is needed. A weak mixture of chlorine dioxide just isn’t going to kill the nasties and that is what AquaMira liquid is.
_________________________
--Rick

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#179251 - 08/17/13 09:53 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: Rick_D]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By Rick_D
Quite a bold statement that I'm sure you can verify with a cite, yes?

Aquamira crypto test for US-EPA certification


Not bold, just truthful. All one has to do is look at the Aquamira site. According to their site, the tablets qualify as “the safest solution on the market”. No such claim is made for the drops and no EPA registration is listed (unlike the tablets). What is clear is that the drops have not been registered with the EPA (unlike the tablets) and, as such, their efficacy for killing the nasties to EPA requirements is unproven. As such, why trust an unproven product that is not marketed for backpackers' uses? That is not a risk that I am willing to take given the plethora of reasonable alternatives available. I don't mind people buying the liquid, but only as long as their eyes are wide open to its limitations.

As for the 13 year old study, I don't think it stands for the proposition proffered. That was done with respect to Carnebon 200 and Aspetrol separately. Are either of those actually the mixed liquid? Secondly, you may want to review the conclusions as both of those failed in killing cysts in half of the tests. Also note, that was only with respect to cysts and not other nasties. The report says it is to be submitted to both the EPA and CAL EPA. So why wasn't registration successful?

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#179254 - 08/18/13 12:53 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
Rick_D Offline
member

Registered: 01/06/02
Posts: 2939
Loc: NorCal
So you missed this, yes?
Quote:
EPA Registered Water Treatment; EPA Reg. No. 9150-9-71766

And for a comparison against iodine and Miox against bacterial biofilms, this.

EFFICACY OF CHEMICAL WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BACKCOUNTRY

Aquamira and Pristine liquid treatments work, and can be used with confidence. I prefer filtration, myself.

Cheers,
Originally Posted By ndsol
Originally Posted By Rick_D
Quite a bold statement that I'm sure you can verify with a cite, yes?

Aquamira crypto test for US-EPA certification


Not bold, just truthful. All one has to do is look at the Aquamira site. According to their site, the tablets qualify as “the safest solution on the market”. No such claim is made for the drops and no EPA registration is listed (unlike the tablets). What is clear is that the drops have not been registered with the EPA (unlike the tablets) and, as such, their efficacy for killing the nasties to EPA requirements is unproven. As such, why trust an unproven product that is not marketed for backpackers' uses? That is not a risk that I am willing to take given the plethora of reasonable alternatives available. I don't mind people buying the liquid, but only as long as their eyes are wide open to its limitations.

As for the 13 year old study, I don't think it stands for the proposition proffered. That was done with respect to Carnebon 200 and Aspetrol separately. Are either of those actually the mixed liquid? Secondly, you may want to review the conclusions as both of those failed in killing cysts in half of the tests. Also note, that was only with respect to cysts and not other nasties. The report says it is to be submitted to both the EPA and CAL EPA. So why wasn't registration successful?
_________________________
--Rick

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#179257 - 08/18/13 04:14 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: Rick_D]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By Rick_D
So you missed this, yes?
Quote:
EPA Registered Water Treatment; EPA Reg. No. 9150-9-71766

And for a comparison against iodine and Miox against bacterial biofilms, this.

EFFICACY OF CHEMICAL WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BACKCOUNTRY

Aquamira and Pristine liquid treatments work, and can be used with confidence. I prefer filtration, myself.

Cheers,


No, I did not miss it, but it is irrelevant to the discussion as related to backpackers. There is a dramatic difference between an “EPA Registered Water Treatment” and an “EPA Registered Purifier”.

As Aquamira states, “When used as directed, Aquamira Water Purifier Tablets meet the EPA guidelines for Microbiological Water Purifiers making it the safest solution on the market.” But for the liquid, Aquamira makes the following claim, “Aquamira Water Treatment treats drinking water using chlorine dioxide to kill bacteria, control the build up of slime and improve the taste of stored water.” See the difference?

As for your other link, perhaps a review of some quotes would be helpful to put the scope of the study in context:

Quote:
This study investigated a narrow set of operating conditions in the laboratory, using a model experimental system that is undoubtedly limited in its ability to predict all field conditions.

The reader, of course, should be cautious. We did not address key factors that are important in the natural environment, including the presence of turbidity and organic matter, which can have a profound impact on treatment efficacy (usually reducing efficacy dramatically). Consequently, this study is meant to provide only one piece of data that a consumer might use to make an informed decision about which treatment method to choose for a particular application, recognizing that the complexity of such decisions can be further confounded by factors such as cost, ease of use, packed size, weight, and susceptibility to marketing claims by manufacturers.


Interestingly, you didn't address any issues I raised about the 13-year old study you previously cited as support.

HYOH, but to state unequivocally that, "Aquamira and Pristine liquid treatments work, and can be used with confidence." provides a false sense of security for the situations backpackers face.


Edited by ndsol (08/19/13 10:05 AM)
Edit Reason: Quote did not properly post.

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#179259 - 08/18/13 10:33 PM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
topshot Offline
member

Registered: 04/28/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Midwest
Originally Posted By ndsol
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
What about the aquamira drops?


Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers.
That is incorrect. The drops and tablets have the same concentration of ClO2 if used as directed. There were legal reasons for the EPA registration inconsistencies. Suggested reading

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#179260 - 08/19/13 12:47 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: topshot]
ndsol Offline
member

Registered: 04/16/02
Posts: 678
Loc: Houston, Texas
Originally Posted By topshot
Originally Posted By ndsol
Originally Posted By WyOutdoors
What about the aquamira drops?


Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers.
That is incorrect. The drops and tablets have the same concentration of ClO2 if used as directed. There were legal reasons for the EPA registration inconsistencies. Suggested reading


Thanks for the information as it is more illuminating on the subject. However, the link does raise a few concerns.

1. The information from the link is that "the initial claims from the bulk supplier for Aquamira Water Treatment were 'bacteria, taste and odor', and all testing was done in potable water. . . . " So that pretty definitively states how far Aquamira can go in making its claims, which is not far enough for backpackers.

2. The following statements are made:

(a) "The reason that the instructions call for a reaction wait time of 5 minutes is so that the mixture can be added to the water at the peak of ClO2 production. If a person adds the mixture too early or late, the final concentration of ClO2 in the water can be significantly less than the required 4ppm." That gives me some pause for concern as I am unsure how many of us pull out our stopwatches to ensure that the mixed solution is dumped at the exact proper time.

(b) "We recommend poring [sic] some of the treated water into the mixing cup and then pouring that back into the container of water to flush out any residual material from the mixing cup." How many do this religiously?

(c) "Mixing in a windy area or at higher temperatures can add to this potential loss of ClO2." So if it is hot or windy, proper concentration may never be reached.

3. Finally, "Recently Aquamira procured the EPA registration for the base chemical from the supplier and we are now in the process of submitting our own label with appropriate claims to the EPA. This is a lengthy process, and requires every claim to be backed up with test data. Some of the data was not available from the bulk supplier and must be supplied by Aquamira. We expect this process to take up to a year from now to complete." It has been over 2-1/3 years since Aquamira's prediction as to when the process would be complete, which is well over twice the amount of time at the longest. Yet still no EPA registration. Take from that what you will, but at this point I still stand behind my opinion that Aquamira Liquid is not intended for our needs as backpackers. After all, Aquamira doesn't state that it is.

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#179268 - 08/19/13 11:51 AM Re: Water treatment [Re: ndsol]
skcreidc Offline
member

Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 1590
Loc: San Diego CA
Kinda late to this party....But...

In the interest of this discussion, and note that I have NOT read ANY of the link,

Quote:

1. The information from the link is that "the initial claims from the bulk supplier for Aquamira Water Treatment were 'bacteria, taste and odor', and all testing was done in potable water. . . . " So that pretty definitively states how far Aquamira can go in making its claims, which is not far enough for backpackers.


That statement in itself suggests that if your backpacking water issue is bacteria, you would be fine as most of us would select potential "potable water" sources to drink from. I take this statement more as an indication that the water chemistry is within acceptable drinking water standards and isn't abnormally high in one or another chemical component such as say Ca and SO4, or maybe water percolating through mine tailings. Acceptable as treatment is assuming that these tests showed Aquamira was effective at treating bacteria of course.

Interesting there is no mention of virus or Protozoa treatment testing.

This discussion is interesting and it was informative to read the responses. I'll have to check out the links later. Personally, I am not inclined to use any chemical additives in my drinking water. But I am curious about all these different methods of water purification. I am also curious, NDSOL, if not developed for backpacking use (and/or to make money with), what do you think this stuff was originally developed for? Third world water treatment for bacteria?

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