Sarge47
10-24-2007, 04:41 PM
Maybe you all know this and maybe not, but I've used USP-grade resublimed iodine crystals to purify my water while in the woods for years.
I've had the same bottle for about 3 years now and the crystals are still going strong.
All I ever have with me to boil water with is my army canteen tin and if I had to boil enough water to drink, I'd be boiling all the time with just that lol.
For those that aren't familiar, water is added to the iodine crystals in a one or two ounce bottle and allowed to sit until the water is saturated with iodine. Warming the bottle against the body or in sunshine will allow the water to hold more iodine. This saturated iodine water (but not the crystals) are then added to your canteen or water bottle. The temperature of the water in the canteen doesn't matter; it can be very warm or ice cold. But wait a good twenty minutes for the iodine to kill everything before you have a drink.
Iodine crystals are nearly inert, but they will evaporate (sublime) into the air if the cap is left off the bottle. They will also completely sublime into water if placed in a large enough volume.
It's basically a no brainer, I have a 1 ounce glass bottle that I keep the crystals in and I keep it full of water most of the time, the water inside it can only have so much iodine in it so no need to worry if there is too much. I then add this to the "questionable" water in my canteen, let it sit about 20 minutes then drink it.
I've never gotten sick from any water I've drinken in the wild, though some don't like the taste of iodine in their water.
For me its a better solution than boiling my drinking water all the time. I love just being able to add the solution to my canteen fill it up and by the time I'm thirsty, drink. It's alot better then gathering wood, making a fire, boiling a canteen tin full, waiting for it to cool...bleh no thanks :P
Anyway, just google USP-grade resublimed iodine crystals and be the judge for yourself.
Peace.
I, too, have a small, one ounce bottle of the same Iodine crystals you talk about, but tey're not sold "over-the-counter". I had to have a Phamicist fill the bottle for me. I got the idea from one of Dr. Ron Hood's videos.
I've had the same bottle for about 3 years now and the crystals are still going strong.
All I ever have with me to boil water with is my army canteen tin and if I had to boil enough water to drink, I'd be boiling all the time with just that lol.
For those that aren't familiar, water is added to the iodine crystals in a one or two ounce bottle and allowed to sit until the water is saturated with iodine. Warming the bottle against the body or in sunshine will allow the water to hold more iodine. This saturated iodine water (but not the crystals) are then added to your canteen or water bottle. The temperature of the water in the canteen doesn't matter; it can be very warm or ice cold. But wait a good twenty minutes for the iodine to kill everything before you have a drink.
Iodine crystals are nearly inert, but they will evaporate (sublime) into the air if the cap is left off the bottle. They will also completely sublime into water if placed in a large enough volume.
It's basically a no brainer, I have a 1 ounce glass bottle that I keep the crystals in and I keep it full of water most of the time, the water inside it can only have so much iodine in it so no need to worry if there is too much. I then add this to the "questionable" water in my canteen, let it sit about 20 minutes then drink it.
I've never gotten sick from any water I've drinken in the wild, though some don't like the taste of iodine in their water.
For me its a better solution than boiling my drinking water all the time. I love just being able to add the solution to my canteen fill it up and by the time I'm thirsty, drink. It's alot better then gathering wood, making a fire, boiling a canteen tin full, waiting for it to cool...bleh no thanks :P
Anyway, just google USP-grade resublimed iodine crystals and be the judge for yourself.
Peace.
I, too, have a small, one ounce bottle of the same Iodine crystals you talk about, but tey're not sold "over-the-counter". I had to have a Phamicist fill the bottle for me. I got the idea from one of Dr. Ron Hood's videos.