Iodinated Providone for water treatment

Black Club - January 20, 2023

Is 10% Iodinated Providone the same as “normal” Iodine for water sterilisation?

i.e. can I dilute the 10% solution to 2% and use a few drops per quart/litre?

I use it at work, so it would be handy to know.

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I don’t have any experience with that but apparently it’s possible: https://www.wildmedcenter.com/povidine-iodine-solution.html

I also found a research paper about it https://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(10)00301-7/pdf

 

That is excellent, thanks for finding that.

From the scientific paper, it is saying 20 drops/litre, and at least 15 minutes with room temperature water. (correct me if I have misread).

 

although that other website says 4-6 drops and wait 30 minutes.

I think I’d go at go at least 6 drops for 30 minutes, and longer (2 hours?) in an area with Giardia or similar (at room temperature, longer in the cold etc)

 

Boiling is probably faster, depending upon the volume and yur stove, and extremely effective. Just bring to a boil and cool gradually.

 

Good point, but sometimes you don’t have access to a stove so it’s useful to know about other methods of disinfection. As a practical example, I remember using disinfecting tabs when hiking and didn’t have either a filter or a camping stove to boil water (now I have a filter but I still carry some tabs, just in case).

 

i carry at least an Esbit tab and a holder (light and easily improvised) routinely. On any overnight, a canister stove and the means to build a fire.  All lighter than a filter.

 

Yes, there are many methods to sterilise water, I was checking that the Iodinated Providone would also do the trick.

it’s a chemical I have at work, so provides another option. Along with chlorine, boiling, etc etc