View Full Version : Chlorine Dioxide Tablets?
gravityman
06-10-2003, 14:49
Hi,
Has anyone heard anything about the new Chlorine Dioxide tablets? Apparently Katadyn is now selling these. One tablet for one quart of water. I have no idea how long it takes to work, or any other details. As far as lightweight, you can't beat it! But the cost is almost unmanageable. They have it on their website for $14 for 30 tablets. Heck, that's almost as much as buying bottled water (50 cents a quart)!
Just thought I would see if there is any more buzz about this product.
Gravity Man
Historically, the problem with tablets is a short shelf life once the bottle is opened.
Haven't seen or heard about chlorine dioxide tablets. However, the 2 part Aqua Mira has been a popular method for water treatment among thru-hikers.
gravityman
06-10-2003, 16:11
The Tablets come in foil wrap, so the open bottle is not an issue (and it's lighter). They tablets do have a limited shelf life of 2 or 3 years. Not an issue for a hiker really...
I do use the Aquamira. I really would like to find a source for the larger size bottles from Pristine, but haven't managed that yet...
Gravity Man
Do most of you filter and tablet or tablet rather than filter?
Gravity Man,
I may be wrong, because I did not read entirely or carefully, but in glancing at the back of the Katadyn Micropur packet, I believe I read "4 hours" as the length of time necessary to treat the water. I'm quite sure that is correct, but then when I think about waiting 4 hours for a drink I'm talking myself out of believing myself. I checked the Katadyn webpage, but they do not have detailed instructions regarding the product.
Stuart
Gravity Man,
I may be wrong, because I did not read entirely or carefully, but in glancing at the back of the Katadyn Micropur packet, I believe I read "4 hours" as the length of time necessary to treat the water. I'm quite sure that is correct, but then when I think about waiting 4 hours for a drink I'm talking myself out of believing myself. I checked the Katadyn webpage, but they do not have detailed instructions regarding the product.
Stuart
Mini-Mosey
06-11-2003, 18:44
I just use good old iodine tablets-2 tablets per quart of water-50 tablets in a bottle-takes about 30 minutes for the quart of water to be drinkable.
Iodine tablets have a short shelf life, especially once opened.
Have you considered Polar Pure?
gravityman
06-12-2003, 10:12
First, Iodine doesn't kill crypto, chlorine dioxide does.
Second, we started our thru using using polar pure, but the taste really bothered us, even when using vitamin C to neutralize it, so we stopped treating all but the worst sources. My wife got giardia. ops...
Chlorine dioxide is almost tastless, and easy to use. We really like it, but tablets would really be nice. 4 hours is WAY too long to wait though. That just wouldn't work...
Gravity man
Originally posted by Yankee
Do most of you filter and tablet or tablet rather than filter?
:-?
I just use the AquaMira to treat my water and do not filter (still, siltty water I do use bandana)...that being said I do carry a filter bottle that I use to dip and drink while I hike, in order to carry less water and spend less time treating/filtering water during the day, and allows me to drink while I wait for the AquaMira to do it's thing at camp.
Last year at Cosby Knob someone told me that he treated his water with iodine and after 30 minutes there was still a bug swimming around in it. I guess the bug was sterilized! I think the iodine/ vitamin C deal is great. The vitamin C makes a huge improvement.
Youngblood
06-12-2003, 16:08
Originally posted by Yankee
Do most of you filter and tablet or tablet rather than filter?
I think that most people do one of four things:
1- Filter
2- Chemicals
3- No treatment
4- Boil
I don't think too many people go to the trouble of filtering and using chemicals unless they are especially vunerable and/or worried about the water quality. If you use a filter and are really worried about water quality, it probably is not a bad idea to carry a small bottle of iodine tablets for a backup. Boiling is usually done when snow camping.
I use chemicals, but I have used other folks water filters when the water source made me nervious, such as a stagnet pond in New Jersy. Most of my backbacking these days are around the southern Appalachians and the water sources have been excellent.
Actually for clean snow there is no need to boil - just melt, imo
Mini-Mosey
06-16-2003, 07:47
Could someone please enlighten me on Polar Pure--does it come in tablet form, etc.? I know nothing about it. Thanks very much for any help.
Youngblood
06-16-2003, 09:02
Originally posted by Mini-Mosey
Could someone please enlighten me on Polar Pure--does it come in tablet form, etc.? I know nothing about it. Thanks very much for any help.
Polar pure is iodine crystals (tiny little balls of iodine) that are contained in its own unique bottle. The bottle is designed with a sleve at the top that keeps the crystals from coming out when you pour out the saturated iodine solution. I don't remember the weight, but I believe it is in the 3 or 4 ounce range.
When you use up the solution, you just create more by adding water to the bottle. About an hour or so after you add new water, the iodine crystals will disolve enough to create a new batch of saturated iodine solution. It lasts a long, long, long time. I don't know of anyone every mentioning that they have used up a bottle of Polar Pure.
Youngblood
steve hiker
11-28-2003, 18:46
Thought I'd bring this back up. Anyone ever use the Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets? They are chlorine dioxide like Aquamira, and both claim to be EPA approved. But they make different claims as to effectiveness.
Katadyn claims to be "the only water purification tablet that is EPA registered as a Microbiological Water Purifier to inactivate all protozoa (like Cryptosporidium and Giardia), bacteria (like E Coli and Salmonella) as well as viruses (Hepatitis and Norwalk virus). In contrast, Aquamira states that "to remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium pathogens, use Aquamira water bottle and filter kit." These quotes are from the Campmor website:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=1026&cgmenbr=226
gravityman
12-01-2003, 13:41
From what I have read, both the tablets and aquamira kill giardia and crypto. My earlier message about waiting 4 hours is apparently something the FDA made them put on their labling and only is true for the coldest and murkiest of water. It would be the same for Aquamira.
The tablets are still cost prohibitive. So I'll be sticking with aquamira. Once that cost comes down, the tablets will be GREAT.
Gravity Man
Thought I'd bring this back up. Anyone ever use the Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets? They are chlorine dioxide like Aquamira, and both claim to be EPA approved. But they make different claims as to effectiveness.
Katadyn claims to be "the only water purification tablet that is EPA registered as a Microbiological Water Purifier to inactivate all protozoa (like Cryptosporidium and Giardia), bacteria (like E Coli and Salmonella) as well as viruses (Hepatitis and Norwalk virus). In contrast, Aquamira states that "to remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium pathogens, use Aquamira water bottle and filter kit." These quotes are from the Campmor website:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=1026&cgmenbr=226
SorFinger
01-26-2004, 01:25
Ok. I'm new here and this is actually my first post, so forgive me if it turns out funky. Also, anyone feel free to correct me if I've been misinformed about anything. :)
The chlorine dioxide heading caught my attention. Not sure if any of you have seen it or have any thoughts on it, bur MSR makes a water purification device called MIOX, I think. It basically uses this device, a sample of the water, rock salt, and an electrical current (provided by 2 AA batteries) to produce a concentrated dose of chlorine dioxide, which you then dump into your bottle of water that needs to be sterilized. The waiting time is 30 min to 4 hours, depending on what needs to be killed. There's also test strips available so you can be sure it does its job.
From what I understand, the chlorine dioxide just sterilizes the "bugs" in the water to keep them from replicating after you've consumed it and making you sick. This device is not a filter so yucky water will still look yucky even when it's safe to drink (ewww).
Sound good so far? It retails for about $129 (OUCH!)
Rain Man
01-26-2004, 14:27
Ok. I'm new here and this is actually my first post, so forgive me if it turns out funky. Also, anyone feel free to correct me if I've been misinformed about anything. :)
The chlorine dioxide heading caught my attention. Not sure if any of you have seen it or have any thoughts on it, bur MSR makes a water purification device called MIOX, I think.
There are two other discussion forums on the MSR MIOX on WhiteBlaze from around Christmast time, I believe.
The long one:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2926&highlight=MIOX
The short one:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2994&highlight=MIOX
You are correct in what you said about this water purifier (NOT a water filter).
Rain Man
.
Thought I'd bring this back up. Anyone ever use the Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets? They are chlorine dioxide like Aquamira, and both claim to be EPA approved. But they make different claims as to effectiveness.
I used Micropur tablets on a 2-day trip last weekend. Given that nightime temperatures were below freezing, I didn't want to risk a filter or end up with frozen AquaMira. The tablets come in individually sealed foil packets, so shelf life is not an issue. For occassional weekend trips, it doesn't make sense to open a bottle of 50 iodine pills when the shelf life is 3 months after opening. Also, I like to have a backup to a filter or AquaMira (I have run out between resupplies) on longer hikes, and the foil packets of Micropur are perfect. - keep a 1/2 dozen tabs in the first aid kit. The Micropur tablets worked well for me last weekend. The stream next to the October Mountain Lean-to was running though partly snow-covered, so I got water, filtered it through a bandana, warmed it to ~80 degrees on my alcohol stove, and dropped in a tablet. The tablet fizzes immediately on submersion, presumably releasing ClO2 gas. Just cap the bottle and wait 30 minutes. There was a chlorine smell to the water and a faint taste (I thought it weaker than the taste from using AquaMira). The cost of Micropur might be high for continuous use, but as backup and for those late winter-early spring trips, it fits the bill.
TJ aka Teej
03-04-2004, 12:13
...so I got water, filtered it through a bandana, warmed it to ~80 degrees on my alcohol stove, and dropped in a tablet. The tablet fizzes immediately on submersion, presumably releasing ClO2 gas. Just cap the bottle and wait 30 minutes.
Hi Deb,
I like this brand's packaging better, too.
But when you had the water on the stove, why not just boil it?
Hi Deb,
I like this brand's packaging better, too.
But when you had the water on the stove, why not just boil it?
Because I hate drinking hot water. I just wanted to warm the water enough that the chemicals would work in 30 minutes rather than 4 hours. Boiling is a good option too, but the cool time is too long for me.
TJ aka Teej
03-04-2004, 13:08
Because I hate drinking hot water.
Oh, I see. Nevermind! :D
TdumbquestionJ