Iodine and Drinking Water

With the advancement of technology one of its most important application is that of sanitation specially concerning drinking water, reducing the risk of exposure to contaminants. Even to to this day we are still trying to change and improve on the ways we can all have access to drinkable and uncontaminated water. Along the way the use of chemicals additives to purify the water has being use widely.  

So, where does iodine land in this?

Iodine is a chemical that can be found in hospitals and pharmacies used as a disinfectant agent for wounds. In addition to that Iodine can also be used as a water disinfectant, you can find it as a tablet on in liquid form. Is in many ways an imperfect solution but it a lightweight one, for situation of survival or even for travels. Iodine has being used like this since the 1900's during military operations. 

Using Iodine is not a perfect solutions because it has an effect in out thyroid which regulates our hormonal levels. Generally we all have around 10 to 15 mg of Iodine present in our bodies, however prolong use and in high quantities can have negative effects and be harmful. There is no certainty of what exactly can go wrong and in what quantity, more studies are need it and so far there aren't enough. 

Nevertheless, considering that there are people who have or can develop certain sensibility to Iodine such as pregnant women, old people and people allergic to shell fish. The concern that exist is not entirely unfounded. The good news is Iodine can easy be filtrated out by using activated carbon. 

EMERGENCY USE 

Iodine water purification kits is a thing that you can sure find and is a good idea to have handy. It usually comes with the iodine solution be it liquid or in tablets in addition to vitamin c solution that eliminates the taste of Iodine in the water. In case of nuclear disaster emergencies Iodine can reduce to some degree the level of ration that your body absorbes, specially to your thyroid.

Chlorine  vs Iodine

When comparing chemical water treatments that use chlorine and Iodine, there was certain advantages to the use of Iodine. Iodine can in 30 minutes eliminate giarda parasites form the water, which has shown to be much effective compare to chlorine. It is also quite effective eliminating bacteria, acceptable removing virus and so so to eliminate certain parasites. Yet, is important to consider that the effective use of Iodine has less variable dependency such as temperature, pH, concentration and contact time when compare to chlorine, plus it has minimum reactivity to water or any other organic element.

WHY DON'T WE USE IT OFTEN?

Simple, we still don't know enough about it for it to be consider totally safe to use and to many the risk are to high. Since we are not sure of what could happen to the body if we drink for a prolong amount of time water disinfected with Iodine. This is the reason why  in most water treatment plants the use of Iodine is uncommon. 

In a emergency or or, and which ever chemical treatment your water is disinfected with. Your best bet is to purify and use a water filter in you own house, make sure that you can have some control on the quality of your water. EAGO Pure can offer you a large variation of filtration system and filters, from coconut shell activated carbon to Reverse Osmosis.

 For more information visit our page https://www.eagopure.com/