[pct-l] Aquamira

[dilorenz at hotmail.com (Mike DiLorenzo)]

i'm sorry to do this to every one, to post such a long entry but this link 
is no longer active on www.thru-hiker.com where i originally downloaded this 
from.  i just asked ayce about this.  i also had no luck finding this at 
www.mcnett.com.  but there it was in the depths of my hard drive.

so having used aquamira for 2,658 miles (and counting) with no issues and 
being a giardia victim from treating colorado trail cow water with bleach 
and iodine i strongly feel that aquamira is a very good water treatment 
option for those not against chemicals.  so i'm passing this along.

again, sorry about the length.

d-low

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Aqua Mira Facts
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Chlorine Dioxide is the active ingredient in Aqua Mira.

Chlorine Dioxide Benefits
---------------------------------

1) Kills viruses
2) Kills cryptosporidium
3) Kills botulism
4) Kills e.coli
5) Eliminates many pollutants found in waste water
6) Eliminates nitrites and sulfides
7) Eliminates potential carcinogenic substances such as 3,4-benzopyrene
8) Eliminates iron and manganese in water
9) Eliminates tastes and odors produced by algae

Chlorine Dioxide as a Water Purification Product
-----------------------------------------------------------------

1) Eliminates the dyes produced by chlorophyll and plants
2) Eliminates many pesticides
3) Eliminates cyanides in wastewater
4) Does not produce THMs as chlorine does
5) Does not give rise to the formation of chloroform and boromochloromethane 
as chlorine does
6) Does not react with ammonia or nigrogenous compounds or precursors to 
form chloroform as chlorine does
7) Does not affect the thyroid gland as iodine does

Chlorine dioxide (Cl02) has been used to treat municipal drinking water in 
the United States and Europe for over 50 years. It is recognized as a 
superior disinfectant alternative to chlorine and has become increasingly 
popular. Chlorine is being phased out due to growing concerns over its 
carcinogenic by-products, principally trihalomethanes (THMs). Similarly, 
other halogens such as fluorine, bromine, and iodine, some of which have 
been used in water treatment situations by consumers, are recognized as 
having unhealthful by-products. Iodine in particular has been recognized as 
affecting the thyroid gland. Unlike chlorine, chlorine dioxide does not 
create THMs and does not affect the thyroid gland as iodine does.

In the US., the Safe Drinking Water Act and its subsequent amendments over 
the last 20 years have required dramatic improvements in the quality of 
municipal drinking water. These stringent new requirements have increased 
the use of chlorine dioxide in the US. while decreasing the use of chlorine. 
Using chlorine dioxide provides a double benefit to communities because it 
is a more effective water treatment than chlorine and is free of chlorine's 
unhealthful by-products.

These municipal water systems use chlorine dioxide in its gaseous state 
which cannot be safely packaged or transported for consumer use. Many 
consumers would benefit from such a package, including those needing to 
purify water for outdoor or travel use and for disaster preparedness at 
home.

The Powerful Benefits of Chlorine Dioxide as a Water Treatment

1) Chlorine dioxide is a more powerful inactivator of viruses than chlorine.
2) Chlorine dioxide is more effective than chlorine against cryptosporidium 
parvum oocysts in drinking water
3) Chlorine dioxide can detoxify water of botulism toxins within a few 
minutes and does so more efficiently than chlorine.
4) Chlorine dioxide produces no THMs as by-products from reactions with 
organics, while chlorine does.
5) Chlorine gives rise to the formation of chloroform and 
bromochloromethane. Chlorine dioxide does not oxidize bromide to bromine and 
therefore bromochloromethane can not be formed.
6) In contrast to chlorine, chlorine dioxide does not react with ammonia or 
nitrogenous compounds and does not react with precursors to form chloroform.
7) Chlorine dioxide kills 99% of e.coli within one minute. (7)
8) Chlorine dioxide is more active at lower conventional concentrations than 
chlorine.
9) The higher the oxidation potential of a compound, the easier that 
compound is able to oxidize organic materials. The order of oxidization 
disinfection action is (from highest to lowest) ozone, chlorine dioxide, 
chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
10) Chlorine dioxide eliminates many pollutants found in wastewater such as 
inorganic and organic sulfur compounds, cyanides and amines, aldehydes, 
keytones, phenols, and sulfur compounds.
11) Nitrites and sulfides are readily eliminated with chlorine dioxide.
12) Aromatic hydrocarbons, including potential carcinogenic substances such 
as 3,4-benzopyrene, are oxidized by chlorine dioxide.
13) Iron and manganese are eliminated by chlorine dioxide.
14) Spores of wild strains of actinomycetes from river water exhibit similar 
relative decay rates from exposure to chlorine or chlorine dioxide.
15) Pesticides Chlorine dioxide is efficient for the elimination of taste 
and odor due to algae.
16) Algae may be counteracted by chlorine dioxide.
17) Chlorophyll and plant dyes are discolored by chlorine dioxide.
18) Cyanides in wastewater are oxidized with chlorine dioxide.
19) Pesticides can be removed by chlorine dioxide.
20) Pesticides chlorine dioxide eliminates phenols without causing 
objectionable taste and odor.

Information copied from www.thru-hiker.com

Information provided by McNett Corporation, world leader in innovative water 
treatment

1405 Fraser Street, P.O. Box 996 Bellingham, WA 98227 USA tel: (360) 
671-2227 fax: (360) 671-4521 email: office@mcnett.com

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