- Water can be contaminated in two different ways: either by organisms or by substances. Organisms include bacteria, viruses or other microscopic pests that can cause intestinal problems, infections and disease. Substances refers to minerals and chemicals in the water that render it toxic to organisms, especially humans. This can refer to pesticides or mine tailings that have found their way into runoff that has entered the water in question. Personal water purification can remove biological contaminants like bacteria, but it is ineffective against toxic water.
One of the most common and effective ways to kill all microorganisms in water is by boiling it. Bacteria and similar dangers cannot survive in boiling water for very long. Studies conducted by the Wilderness Medical Society show that boiling water above 160 degrees Fahrenheit will destroy all pathogens in about 30 minutes, while boiling at 185 degrees lowers the time to only a few minutes. - At times, however, boiling water may not be as easy or applicable as it seems. For situations like these, you can use chemical methods instead to purify water enough for drinking. One of the oldest and most common means of purifying water is with iodine. Iodine has a chemical ingredient that kills pathogens without making the water too toxic to ingest. There are iodine tablets that dissolve in water and need about 10 minutes to work in warm water, and up to 30 minutes if the water is cold. Especially cloudy water thick with biological matter may require a double-dose of iodine tablets.
Iodine also comes in a "Polar Pure" bottle device that uses iodine crystals with a filtration system to spread the iodine throughout the water. Iodine also comes as a liquid solution, which acts like the tablet form but is more haphazard, as solutions can come in a variety of different strengths, each with its own instructions. - Chlorine can also be used as a chemical means to purify water, but it is not as effective as iodine, and may leave some pathogens alive unless used in combination with a filter. Some chlorine comes in combination with a hydrogen peroxide sample that neutralizes the high level of chlorine after it has killed all organisms, making the water safe to drink. An at-home water purifier often used as an alternative to chlorine is plain liquid bleach. 16 drops in 1 gallon of water should spread and kill pathogens in about 30 minutes.
- There are also a wide number of water filters that can be used instead of chemicals. These filters have sheets or porous materials that let only water pass through, straining out organisms and larger contaminants. Filters have varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the type, and are more unwieldy than chemical methods with the additional danger of them cracking or breaking through misuse.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -