Chlorine Dioxide Backcountry Water Treatment

Chlorine dioxide is iodine and chlorine free.

Chlorine dioxide backcountry water treatment.

When we judge a backcountry water source to be clean read judge the source section above we normally wait 30 minutes after treating with chlorine dioxide. It is commonly used to disinfect drinking water. In fact their liquid chlorine dioxide treatment was my method of choice before i switched to household bleach myself. I used aquamira for the southern states of my trip.

This is the same chemical used for treating municipal drinking water. Chemical treatments are a popular choice with lightweight backpackers but unless they re using chlorine dioxide and waiting a full four hours to drink the treated water they re taking a risk with crypto. Aquamira is lightweight chlorine dioxide not iodine or chlorine but not readily available in every town. Chlorine dioxide is a gas.

The unique formula works by releasing nascent oxygen a highly active form of oxygen which is a strong oxidant and a powerful germicidal agent. It selectively oxidizes biological pathogens without co generating trihalomethanes thms bromates and other toxic disinfection by products dbps. Chlorine dioxide has become a popular alternative to iodine. Combination filtration and disinfection has a very high effectiveness in removing and killing cryptosporidium when used with chlorine dioxide and an absolute less than or equal to 1 micron filter nsf standard 53 or 58 rated cyst reduction removal filter.

When used in very small quantities to disinfect water it is safe and does not lead to health risks. Drinking water treatment methods for backcountry and travel use. So is crypto common enough to worry about. In addition to using the appropriate drinking water treatment methods listed above you can also protect yourself and others from waterborne illness by.

Chlorine dioxide has been used by municipal water treatment plants to kill a variety of waterborne pathogens since the late 1940s. Aquamira chlorine dioxide water purifier tablets aquamira has long been one of my favorite water treatment methods. Chlorine dioxide will get it eventually but requires four hours to work for sure. Chlorine dioxide kills viruses bacteria and giardia in 30 minutes but it is recommended that you wait up to 4 hours to kill cryptosporidium.

Aqua mira is one of the most popular ways to purify water on the trail. I recommend purchasing aquamira off amazon for cheap deals then shipping it in a mail drop. Disinfection with chlorine dioxide has a low to moderate effectiveness in killing cryptosporidium.