Ok, here's the iodine I bought: "Brite-Life Povidone-Iodine 10% Solution Topical Antiseptic Microbicide" Active Ingredient: Povidone-Iodine 10% equivalent to 1% available Iodine. Compare active ingredient to Betadine (name brand).

I didn't just buy poison, did I?

For water storage, what is the suggested # of drops per gallon. Or is there a minimum-maximum range for different shelf lifes?

Thanks.

-- Zach Anderson (z@figure.8m.com), December 20, 1999

Answers

What about Clorox? I just read where 10 drops/gallon is suggested. But a friend of mine insists that it is impossible to find bleach these days (locally) without harmful additives. Any guidelines here?

-- Zach Anderson (z@figure.8m.com), December 20, 1999.

There's a Water Treatment FAQ on the Providence Cooperative site that mentions povidone/iodone for water treatment. It's apparently not done much here in the States but has been used overseas. Look in the iodine section of the FAQ. The hotlink below will take you to it.

........Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@sprintmail.com), December 20, 1999.

Just use standard household bleach (UNSCENTED!)

1/4 C. / 55 gallons.

You'll be fine. And Iodine is VERY poisonous.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), December 20, 1999.

I am an OR nurse and your providone iodine will come in very handy if you need to prep a patient for surgery. However, do not, repeat, do not use it for any internal (including drinking water) purposes. Good lord, get some clorox.

-- Bill (Bill@SHF.com), December 20, 1999.

Iodine is recommended for water treatment only in a dire emergency, for no longer than two weeks, and is not ever to be used by pregnant women. If you click back to the main page of this (preps) forum and scroll right down to the bottom, you'll find an archive labeled "Water" in which repose 102 posts. All the info you need is in those posts.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), December 20, 1999.

Below is the relevant section from the Water Treatment FAQ I mentioned earlier.

=======

Betadyne (povidone iodine) Some have recommended 8 drops of 10% povidone iodine per liter of water as a water treatment method, claiming that at low concentrations povidone iodine can be regarded as a solution of iodine. One study indicated that at 1:10,000 dilution (2 drops/liter), there was 2 PPM iodine, while another study resulted in conflicting results. However, at 8 drops/liter, there is little doubt that there is an antimicrobial effect. The manufacturer hasn't spent the money on testing this product against EPA standard tests, but in other countries it has been sold for use in field water treatment. =============

It's a fairly uncommon use but it has been and is done. I'd go with a prouct like Polar Pure myself if I needed to use iodine disinfection. In a home setting I'd go with chlorine, either fresh laundry bleach or dry pool chlorine.

.........Alan.

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@sprintmail.com), December 21, 1999.

Formula for using dry pool bleach can be found at http://home.earthlink.net/~kenseger/surv/surv.htm under bleach.txt.

P.S. Anything that can sterilize water HAS to be poison. Remember the first rule of toxicology, It is not the poison, but the dose.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), December 25, 1999.