View Full Version : Aquamira or just plain bleach?
Do you think just a couple of drops of plain beach per litre will be as effective as Aquamira. What about abylong term health concerns with the two?
warraghiyagey
03-23-2007, 01:56
A trusted friend I met on the trail, Greenbean swore by 3-5 drops of bleach depending on water. So now I swear by it. I wasn't using anything for most of Maine and NH and then worked in a little bleach as the water got a little "sketchier" as Greenbean put it.
Sure beats the filters I saw my friends grappling with everyday. . . the last time wrapping them at the PO to send home.
I also found very light tiny bottles of iodone tablets which were fairly convenient, but you have to remember to shake them after about thirty seconds in the water or they stain your water bladder.
Still more convenient than filter and much lighter.
One more thing. If you use iodine tabs you should have a yogurt or two when in town. :)
Peace
SOBO6/07
Earl Grey
03-23-2007, 02:05
From wikipedia
Household or chlorine bleach, a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite) (NaClO), has a pH (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH) level of 11 and is used in the home for whitening clothes, removing stains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stain), and disinfecting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfect). Sodium hypochlorite yields chlorine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine) radicals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_%28chemistry%29), which are oxidizing agents (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidizing_agent) and readily react with many substances.
Yes it disinfects but do you really want to be putting all that into you?
warraghiyagey
03-23-2007, 02:43
From wikipedia Household or chlorine bleach, a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite) (NaClO), has a pH (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH) level of 11 and is used in the home for whitening clothes, removing stains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stain), and disinfecting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfect). Sodium hypochlorite yields chlorine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine) radicals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_%28chemistry%29), which are oxidizing agents (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidizing_agent) and readily react with many substances.
Yes it disinfects but do you really want to be putting all that into you?
Unless you're a vegan you're body has acclimated to Much worse. This is a few drops from a tiny eye dropper - a visine size bottle can last weeks.
These tiny drops in a 3 liter pak that might need a little shock.
Way too many people do this to raise concerns about the health aspects.
It works. And it is safe. Most vaccines aren't that safe if you drink them straight from the bottle but in the right amount they do what they're supposed to.
So does bleach.
Bring along some flavor/electrolyte drink mix to add here and there and you won't get tired of water, water water.
Think of the time and pack weight savings. It's tested and true by many hikers.
Peace:)
Unless you're a vegan you're body has acclimated to Much worse. This is a few drops from a tiny eye dropper - a visine size bottle can last weeks.
These tiny drops in a 3 liter pak that might need a little shock.
Way too many people do this to raise concerns about the health aspects.
It works. And it is safe. Most vaccines aren't that safe if you drink them straight from the bottle but in the right amount they do what they're supposed to.
So does bleach.
Bring along some flavor/electrolyte drink mix to add here and there and you won't get tired of water, water water.
Think of the time and pack weight savings. It's tested and true by many hikers.
Peace:)
Is Aquamira not the same basic thing? Chlorine?
From wikipedia
Yes it disinfects but do you really want to be putting all that into you?
I clean and repair pools 5 days a week. I can eat chlorine at this point.
Hell I don't think I need to treat water cause I've got enough chlorine reserves in my blood stream.:D
warraghiyagey
03-23-2007, 02:56
Is Aquamira not the same basic thing? Chlorine?
I'm sure Wikipedia can tell you the precise differences but . . . Yes.
OH, big news break by NBC - a shrewd correspondent wrote a big expose on how Wikipedia isn't always accurate.
Wow, I thought. Nice work blowing the lid off that tightly kept secret that they openly admit as part of the process on almost every page. I mean the site is Caveat Central.:)
I clean and repair pools 5 days a week. I can eat chlorine at this point.
Hell I don't think I need to treat water cause I've got enough chlorine reserves in my blood stream.:D
You are 25 years old and invincible! ;)
ShakeyLeggs
03-23-2007, 04:28
I found this little tidbit on the FEMA (http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/watermanage.shtm) website;
Chlorination
You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. Because the potency of bleach diminishes with time, use bleach from a newly opened or unopened bottle. Add 16 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water, stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water.
Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.
Fiddleback
03-23-2007, 10:11
As a water treatment, bleach will do an OK job against bacteria and some virus. But it is not particularly effective against giardia and crypto. Put another way, giardia is resistant to bleach in the concentration recommended for water treatment. However, chlorine-dioxide treatment such as AquaMira's is effective against the cysts. Chorine dioxide is different from bleach's chlorine components.
In descending order of effectiveness against the whole gamut of parasites;
1) chlorine dioxide, 2) iodine, 3) bleach.
There's a history of giardia and crypto infestation in municipal water supplies/systems which use chlorination. One study noted that as more and more European water systems move to chlorine dioxide treatment the incidence of giardia outbreaks has dropped. The cause and effect has yet to be firmly linked but it probably will be...
The good news is that giardia (and crypto?) is not as widespread in backwaters as once thought or filter manufacturers 'suggested.' The bad news is that 99% of backwaters' bacteria live within a bioflim (slime). This slime can cause filter failure and reduces the effectiveness of chemical treatments. But in testing, chlorine dioxide was again found to be the most effective while there were some indications that iodine-based treatments are ineffective in penetrating the biofilm ("Efficacy of Chemical Water Treatment Technologies in the Backcountry", McKenzie and Jordan, Backpackinglight, Issue 2, p24).
In terms of efficacy, chlorine dioxide is the better choice.
FB
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/wpd/CompareDevices.aspx
Don't use bleach because if there is any organic matter in the water which there will be it becomes cancer causing especially over a long period of time