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[pct-l] Re: PCT advice

Good evening, Chemist,

My understanding is that AquaMira has none of the potential problems of
iodine. Since I am used to the little filter it has gotten most of the use
up to now, however, I plan to try AquaMira as a possible lower-weight
option.  I will have to see if I can adapt to waiting for a while to use the
water.  Normally I enjoy drinking my fill of filtered water right at the
source, but I never enjoy the time in mosquito heaven associated with
pumping.  I may find that I prefer to scoop and be on my way walking while
the stuff acts because I find that fewer mosquitoes trouble me when I am
walking vs. when I am perched on the shore pumping.

We'll see...

Steel-Eye


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Lissner" <mlissner@pitzer.edu>
To: "'Sharon & Chuck Chelin'" <chelin@teleport.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 10:03 AM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Re: PCT advice


> That's all well and good, but doesn't Aquamira sanitize the water while
> simultaneously leaving no taste and having no negative side effects?
>
> -Chemist
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Sharon & Chuck
> Chelin
> Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 8:16 PM
> To: scourtway@bpa-arch.com; dude
> Cc: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Re: PCT advice
>
> Good evening,
>
> The use of iodine for water treatment is attractive, and I have used it
> myself for short periods, however I am concerned about using it for
> longer-term trips.  Following is a piece warning about potential toxicity,
> but the good news is we all get to decide for ourselves.
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> ==========================================================================
>
> A Warning About Iodine Toxicity
>
> According to Understanding Nutrition by Whitney, Hamiltion and Rolfes (a
> nutrition text book), iodine is a component of the thyroid hormone
thyroxin
> which helps to regulate growth, development, and metabolic rate.
> Excessive intakes of iodine can also cause an enlargement of the thyroid
> gland... [and] depressed thyroid activity. this goiter like condition can
be
> so severe as to block the airways in infants and cause suffocation...
> Average consumption in [the U.S.] rose from 150 micrograms per day in 1960
> .. to an all-time high of over 800 micrograms per day in 1974. It has
since
> decline to about 200 to 500..." "The toxic level at which detectable harm
> results is thought to be over 2,000 micrograms per day for an adult..."
Now
> to the tablets.. . My bottle of Potable Aqua (which I carry as a back-up
for
> the broken filter) has a net contents of 0.21 ounces for 50 tablets.
> Here are the calculations:
> 0.21 oz/50 tablets ==> 0.0042 oz/tablet = 0.1191 gram/tablet; each tablet
is
> 6.68% Iodine, thus 0.0668 * 0.1191 * 1,000,000 = 7,956 micrograms of
iodine
> per tablet. Note that this is PER TABLET.
>
> One tablet treats a quart of water. For Giardia control, or if the water
is
> cold or of poor quality, the directions say to use 2 tablets per qu art.
> (Who doesn't want to control giardia ?!!) The average backpacker should be
> drinking a gallon a day (varies widely). One gallon treated with iodine at
> the rate of 1 tablet per quart would contain about 31,800 micrograms of
> iodine. At the rate of 2 tablets per quart, it would be 63,600 micrograms.
> These levels exceed the believed toxicity level by a mile. This is the
> reason that prolonged use of iodine isn't recommended, and the reason (in
> addition to taste/smell) that I switched to a filter. As for short term
use
> I guess the relevant question is, "How's your thyroid feeling?"
>
> Medicine for Mountaineering, 3rd edition:
> "Ingested iodine is absorbed as iodide, and an average adult requires 150
to
> 200 micrograms per day. Daily consumption of one to two liters of water
> disinfected with 8 mg/L of iodine would provide 30 to 80 times that
amount,
> but such quantities would not affect most individuals with normal thyroid
> function. Almost all patients who have developed iodide goiter after
> consuming excess iodide have consumed far larger amounts for six months to
> more than 5 years."
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "dude" <dude@fastmail.ca>
> To: <scourtway@bpa-arch.com>
> Cc: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 12:08 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Re: PCT advice
>
>
> > I'd say that anyone who is truly concerned with "ultra-light" wouldn't
> > cary a filter when you can carry about 100 iodine tablets in a tiny
> > ziplock for about 1/100th of the weight :-)
> >
> > peace,
> > dude
> >
> >
> >
> > > In review from what we saw this season, anyone (and their dog) who
> > > uses the so called "ultralight water cache dependant route" is
> > > possibly depriving someone who actually NEEDS the water of its
> > > intended use.
> > >
> > > water for thought,
> > > s.c.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "matt maxon" <matt@mattmaxon.com>
> > > To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>; <ninskyaroo@hotmail.com>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 10:32 AM
> > > Subject: [pct-l] Re: PCT advice
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> RE: water filters,  how are you planning to hike the trail?
> > >>
> > >> Are you going the Ultra lite-Water Cache dependant route or are you
> > >> going
> > > to
> > >> obtain from natural/man made sources & carry most of your water?
> > >>
> > >> I'd say if you are going to use water caches the Katadyn mini filter
> > >
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