Grain alcohol to disinfect trail water?

[gravitino]

Assuming that we first condition the water using a filter such as the sawyer squeeze, would adding a couple of drops of grain alcohol into a cup of water be effective against viruses such as the hepatitis B virus? The sawyer squeeze is a biological filter (not a viral filter), so although it is effective against cysts, protozoa, and bacteria, it does nothing against viruses.

[Drybones]

If a couple of drops of alcohol will purify water....there's nothing living in my body.

[Rasty]

Won't work unless you get the Blood Alcohol Level to around 20 proof. That only has one small side effect which is death.

[dirtypaws]

Hep A is transmittable via water, but most everyone is vaccinated for that. B is blood borne, but there's a vaccine available for that too. Hep E is water transmittable, but is 1 - rare in the US, and 2 - still requires feces in the water - so unless you're drinking some pretty nasty stuff, Hepatitis isn't a big risk. NOROVirus would probably be the biggest risk, but, again, is a feco-oral transmission (people not washing their hands after they poop, and then sharing food). Alcohol in water won't kill norovirus. In fact, hand sanitizer won't even kill it. Not sure if aquamira or the other chemical water purifiers work on it or not.

[leaftye]

It doesn't do anything against crypto.

[peakbagger]

No, If you happen to be paranoid about Hep A &B you can get immunized for it. Its a recommended set of shots for those who work in third world countries. Aquamira or UV is the most effective for viruses.

[birchy]

Assuming that we first condition the water using a filter such as the sawyer squeeze, would adding a couple of drops of grain alcohol into a cup of water be effective against viruses such as the hepatitis B virus? The sawyer squeeze is a biological filter (not a viral filter), so although it is effective against cysts, protozoa, and bacteria, it does nothing against viruses.

Where are you hiking Africa. You would be hard pressed to find Hep-B in an American Mountain Stream

[Odd Man Out]

Alcohol can disinfect by denaturing proteins and membranes, but only works at much higher concentrations. A few drops won't do anything.

[leaftye]

Alcohol can disinfect by denaturing proteins and membranes, but only works at much higher concentrations. A few drops won't do anything.

It's at least high enough that you should be drinking it out of a shot glass.

[moldy]

I won't work. It won't protect you from anything. Try chlorine instead.

[scbobk11]

When I worked in the lab years back 70% alcohol was the minimum we used to sterilize instruments by dipping into the alcohol. That's 35 proof.

[Slo-go'en]

Just drink Tequila - it works for the Mexicans A week into the Canadian Rockies and my tummy was giving me problems. Some kind of bug in there. My buddy had bought a pint of Tequila while in town and we split it. Next day what ever was causing me trouble was killed off and I felt much better...

[leaftye]

Pure tequila isn't strong enough to kill cryptosporidium. It might be enough to kill giardia, but I can't find any studies about it.

[leaftye]

When I worked in the lab years back 70% alcohol was the minimum we used to sterilize instruments by dipping into the alcohol. That's 35 proof.

That's backwards. Double the percentage to get proof. That's how there can be 180 proof alcohol. It's probably not the contact with alcohol that kills things, but the desiccation afterwards.

[Another Kevin]

When I worked in the lab years back 70% alcohol was the minimum we used to sterilize instruments by dipping into the alcohol. That's 35 proof.

You multiplied instead of divided. 70% is (if I have the conversion right) 147 proof.

Use chlorine dioxide.

[perdidochas]

When I worked in the lab years back 70% alcohol was the minimum we used to sterilize instruments by dipping into the alcohol. That's 35 proof.

70% is 140 proof.

[kreate]

I use grain alcohol to sterilize water all the time. Put it in a dish below your pot of water; ignite and PRESTO!

[lilricky]

If you are concerned with viruses, then just get the .02 micron Sawyer filter. Like the others have said, to get grain alcohol to kill viruses in water would contaminate the water with too high a proof of alcohol.

[Feral Bill]

I expect any strong oxidizer would deactivate viruses, and no common filter would remove them.

[Trailweaver]

Additionally, alcohol is going to dehydrate you. . . one other small problem to consider.