A portion of the canned email back from the makers, McNett Corp. I asked them for the effectiveness of AM against Giardia/Crypto and any studies they knew of that could substantiate any claims they made.

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for your e-mail.

Though Aquamira is approved as a drinking water purifier in other countries (notably in Western Europe and Canada) it has not completed all phases of its US EPA review. Therefore, we do not yet make specific purification claims for Aquamira in the USA.

However, the portion of the US EPA work that is complete now allows it to be labeled for treating bacteria in drinking water. Follows is a bit of information on Aquamira's active ingredient, Chlorine Dioxide. As you probably know, Chlorine Dioxide is being used in a growing number of backcountry water treatment products. For independent research on the effectiveness of Aquamira, we suggest checking out www.backpackinglight.com (http://www.backpackinglight.com/). There you will find info from a study conducted through Montana State University.

These are the links to the only testing they sited, performed by a paid reviewer.
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Water%20Treatment/Chemical%20Treatment/Pristine%20Water%20Purification/Dr.%20Ryan%20Jordan/Field%20Test/

Highlights for those who dont want to read the whole thing--
-- Field Test
( He previously recommended double the recommended dosage for effectiveness.)
Thus, 14 drops of a 2% ClO2 stock solution added to a liter of water results in an INITIAL dosage of about 12 mg/L as ClO2. Multiplied by 30 minutes, this gives a CT value of 360 mg/L-min. Compare that to the data shown in the EPA Guidance Manual "Alternative Disinfectants and Oxidants", Chapter 4, April 1999, that was referenced earlier, and you can rest assured that this is a pretty high dose that should easily knock out whatever's in the water, be they viruses, cysts, or bacteria.
However, I have some concern with this high dosage. EPA recommends that the total ClO2 dose should not exceed 1.4 mg/L, so that chlorite, a toxic byproduct of ClO2 oxidation, remains below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 1.0 mg/L. With a dose of 12 mg/L, achieving this MCL for chlorite would be nearly impossible, I suspect. Consequently, my educated conclusion, pending the availability of further information, is that Pristine or Aqua Mira should not be used as a long-term day-to-day water treatment method (for example, for a 6-month long distance trail through-hike).
( italics are mine, added for emphasis for the browsers)
-- Long Term Report
They needed to use a .2 micron filter ( A backpackeer filter ) first, then treat with AM to achieve the necessary 99.99% ( 7 log reduction ) efficacy needed to pass bacteria testing. This section was more pointed at AM vs. Iodine treatment than AM vs filter.

Good info, and something to think about.

Thanks for that info...that is why I ended up with the First Need Water Purifier.
Although I have the Aqua Mira as backup.

which measure various chlorine-based approaches against encysted parasites, such as Giardia, and the conclusion was that adding enough compound to have a sufficient amount of free chlorine ions, particularly if the water is cold and turbid, rendered the water virtually undrinkable. I've had Giardia, from a Wyoming lake, and I'll always filter first, then I'll consider what else I might need for viruses and the smaller bugs...

all i carry now is aqua mira:cool: neo

all i carry now is aqua mira:cool: neo
No, man, all you carry is 6 times the EPA and FDA recommended dosage of toxic chlorite per use ( or 12 times if used like the doctor in the article found to be effective ). Then again, if you are not on a thru, then the dosage is safe for short-term use, but if on a thru, please use a filter. I dont want anything to happen to my favorite hammock hanger. Who else is gonna pass out the KoolAid?;)

[QUOTE=Amigi'sLastStand]No, man, all you carry is 6 times the EPA and FDA recommended dosage of toxic chlorite per use ( or 12 times if used like the doctor in the article found to be effective ). ..../QUOTE]
Yes but Neo did hang his hammock at a Holiday Inn Express last night.