Micropur tablets

glefic

glefic

Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
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Has any1 ever used the Micropur water purifier tablets? I see it say wait 4hrs
before you drink the water. Can you drink it before that time? And can you use it with less then 32oz 1leter?
 
I think I remember reading somewhere that the 4 hr wait time is to ensure the treatment of some of the tougher cysts like Crypto. I think most of the other nasties are killed off within the first hour but I can't be sure. I'd like to hear from some more knowledgeable folks as well. I just bought some MicroPur tabs for my kit but I haven't used any of them yet.
 
4Hrs??
Ours here in OZ say 2hr per liter. I have a box in front of me it says 30 mins for Bacteria and virus 2hrs for Giardia and Amoebas.
I know they are tempreture sensitive ( It is a chemical process and any chemical process slows down in varying degres due to cold)
If you drink before the time is up then the tabs haven't had time to do their work.
The tabs are also affected by the turbidiy(?) of the water. The more silt the harder the tabs have to work and their may not have enough Muscles ( as my three yr old would say) to finish the job.
I had an interesting conversation with a woman we are outfitting to do the Kokoda track later this year. She has a three liter Camelbak and a one liter nalgene bottle. I was trying to explain. If she drinks one liter an hour ( the bare min for heavy work) she will drink herself out of water ( keeping in mind two woman have died there in the last month from Dehydration)
1st hour drink one liter from CB replace with water from NAL bottle, refill NAL and pop Micro tabs.
2nd hr one liter from CB
3rd hr One liter from CB replace one liter form NAL bottle, refill NAL bottle pop tabs
4th hr one liter from CB
5th hr one liter from CB, replace one liter from NAl, refill NAL pop, tabs.
6th hr drink one liter from CB. Camelbak now empty, Water in NAl still has one hour of treatment to go.
Ok six hours pretty hard walking might be the end of the day. But this equasion is only drinking one liter an hour in steep dense primary rainforest.
You drink any more than one liter an hour and you run out sooner. I was trying to explain she should at least have two NALs on the go just to keep up.
I didn't even try to do the don't carry all your eggs in one basket ( or water in one bladder) routine.
She was a Army Nurse in Vietnam, So what would I know about de-hydration in the Jungle?
Carl
 
We have used a lot of iodine and chlorine tablets to purify water. I usually wait 30 minutes per liter/quart of water and have never had any problems. I think the wait time actually says 1 hour for the tablets we use.
 
I've used them before. 4hrs is the maximum time you should wait if treating particularly "iffy" water. It also has to do with the temperature of the water when it is being treated. If I recall, the colder it is the longer you wait. I've used them for a while now and no problems so far. That being said, follow the directions and don't take my word as gospel ;)
 
Doug Ritter from Equipped.org has this to say:

Katadyn in 2003 introduced a new tablet water purification product, the "Micropur MP1" ($14), which uses chlorine dioxide to eliminate all the nasties. Unlike iodine or other available chlorine products, it will reliably kill Cryptosporidium cysts (actually, chlorine dioxide doesn't contain chlorine, but that's a distinction that would require more technical details than we need to get into here). They claim this is the only chemical water disinfection product registered with the EPA as a "purifier." Chlorine dioxide leaves virtually no taste when used according to instructions and does not discolor the water.

NOTE: The other chlorine dioxide product on the market, the two-part liquid "Aquamira" ("Pristine" in Canada) by McNett, is not EPA registered. Knowledgable sources tell us its concentration level when used according to directions is not enough to do the job under all conditions. In response to our queries, McNett note that they "do not yet make specific purification claims for Aquamira in the USA," which would come as a surprise if you read their materials, but that's also a subject for another day. In any case, they have declined to answer pointed questions about their product and their claims, to provide requested results of any testing or to provide requested specifics or documentation about their claims to be "approved as a drinking water purifier in other countries."

The tablets are packaged in strips of 10 tablets (2 x 5), three strips per package, enough to treat 30 quarts/liters. Each strip is about 6 x 2.625 x 0.125 inches. It has a three-year storage life, shorter than other treatment options.

The EPA has also required that the instructions allow four hours for treatment. We inquired about this, since it seems awfully long for such a treatment in most cases, based on our research into chlorine dioxide water treatment. Katadyn responded that their test results verified full virus and bacteria removal (in room temperature and in cold water) in 15 minutes and elimination of cryptosporidium and giardia in 30 minutes at room temperature. He explained that, it does take four hours for full crypto kill in very cold, very dirty water.

Thus, it appears to us that the EPA required the simplistic four-hour treatment regime instructions since they figure we are incapable of determining whether water is cold or dirty. Excuse me while I rant a bit. It is always nice to know your government considers you an incompetent dolt incapable of understanding some simple instructions and seeks to protect you from yourself, even when it penalizes the vast majority. It would be simple enough to provide some variable specificity of treatment depending upon water temperature or turbidity. Polar Pure manages to do exactly that for water temperature with a little thermometer to measure water temps. It is also worth noting that were the EPA to require iodine treatments to meet the same standards, they were approved many years ago to lesser standards, that the instructions for same would also require an extended treatment regime.

Why do I give a hoot? Because some people are going to read those instructions, decide four hours is too long, and then either use something less effective or go without, or they'll drink it sooner and then worry, possibly with unnecessary adverse psychological effects. That's human nature. Ignoring human nature when developing methodology is rarely a good idea. Give us the facts and let the majority of us capable of doing so use products intelligently. Eventually, the EPA allowed Katadyn to provide the chart pictured above to be placed on the packaging, so at least someone who takes the time can see the actual test results.


EDIT, I have used them several times in the past, yes your water smells like a pool. but I have yet to get seriously sick from something I can blame on the water. Also if you read the reviews on amazon (me and a coworker were just talking about these the other day), there is a lady who gave them a 1 star since there is a warning "do not get in eyes" she replied.... how can I put something in my stomach that will affect my eyes...... dear god the gene pool must be cleaned.... obviously she has NO understanding what these tablets are.... and further more she must NEVER eat hotsauce.
 
Spoolup thank you so much for that post it pritty much answered all my questions i had about these tabs.
 
Thanks Spoolup, saved me from finding that to post it.

IIRC even other treatment products like iodine say you may have to wait up to 4 hours for very cold, very dirty water.

So, use a prefilter (either a steripen prefilter, a coffee filter or a bandanna over the mouth of the container when filling, then drop in the tablet. IF it's winter, try to carry the bottle/canteen under your jacket next to your body.

Or get really anal, prefilter, boil, then purify.

The Katadyn tabs are the bee's knees, IMO.
 
Government regulations don't leave much room for common sense (it's a concept they aren't familiar with), so 4 hours is their rule. It really depends on the water supply and how badly one needs the water. If rehydration is a life saving measure that can't wait, some would drink straight from the source. Otherwise, a longer wait might be more acceptable.
 
Well, that's one reason I always carry so much water.
In the heat down here, you go through a lot, so you need to replenish. I carry two 1 qt canteens and a 2 qt canteen, minimum.
I drink from the 1 qt, and when they are empty, I refill them from teh 2 qt, then refill the 2 qt and pop in a couple of tablets. So I still have half a gallon to drink while the tablets work their magic.
 
I carry 2ea. 32oz Nalgene bottle and MP1 tablets & Katadyn Vario pump... works Great for my application here in Texas....
 
here goes the hijack lol
Yes , I love the Vario, I purchased both the Vario & Hiker Pro , I used the vario 1st and have not looked at the hiker pro since I picked it up.so guess what is fixing to hit the F/S or Trade section ,LOL .
Great item the vario is for stream & ponds/lakes... I really have enjoyed using it,without a hitch
 
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