bring a water filter? + info on GSE water purification

solsurf

my question:
**does it make sense to bring a hand pump water filter for extended asia journeys, with the possiblity of working in remote villages for weeks to months? **

filters do not work on viruses.
how much of a threat are viruses vs. the other stuff that a filter *does remove?

some info on GSE:
grapefruit seed extract or GSE can be used for water purification.

it is of course great for stomach bugs as many people know. i've been recommended 2 to 4 tablets (or 25-60 drops of liquid) per day just to stay healthy. the liquid is better if you're ill. the tabs are o.k. for most of the time.

nutribiotic, a supplier, recommends 5-10 drops/glass 25-50/gallon for purifying water.

nutriteam.com has good prices.

this website talks about using it and other methods of purification
http://www.offpistemag.com/themag/medic/vol4/pure.html

"Lab tests indicate that GSE is effective against a wide range of pathogens, including viruses. Many medical practitioners have successfully used GSE to treat bacterial, protozoan, fungal, and viral infections"

edwardseco

Get a very good filter (you will have to spend) and it can do wonders. A replacable cartridge might be handy for extended stays. Wish I had one when I was out in village stay. However, it is a very public existance and I never ever refuse or would treat proferred food or beverage in India. Never had any illness while out in the mofussil aside from a sinus infection..

Nick-H

GSE has never done much for me and I wouldn't trust it to purify my water.

I believe that if you spend enough on a water filter that it will remove molecules ie chemical contamination as well as even viruses.

Bottled water is very cheap, especially if you are staying in the same place for a week or so and can get a 25 Ltr can. Even if you buy it by the 2 litre bottle you could get a lot of it for the price of a bottle of GSE, a vast amount for the price of a really fancy filter.

__________________
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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

mira4bai4

From my understanding a filter preferably ceramic of 0.04 Microns will remove the following: Giradia, Viruses, Bacteria, Cryptosporidium,
Detergents, Lead, Pesticides, Sediments, Suspended Particles, Bad taste and odor, Chlorine, Heavy Metals, Pathogens, Suspended Particles, Organic Compounds. It may be useful to boil the water afterwards to take care of anything that remains.

amy

with the water filters, you get different micron filters. if you get a good one (at least 0.2 microns was recommended to me for india) it will filter all viruses EXCEPT the very small ones. apparently this includes hep a, which the immunisation against is very effective so isnt an issue if you have had your jab. i asked my travel doc about any other small viruses that may be of concern there and he seemed to think there werent any to worry about.

dkornels

Personally, I would take both a portable water filter and colloidal silver on any trip where I may be concerned about bacterias and viruses. I would filter the water first then put a few drops of colloidal silver in the filtered water.

Here's an article on colloidal silver http://www.zetatalk.com/health/theal20b.htm

I use a water filter pitcher that is both slender/small and has a high capacity cartridge. Here's an some info. on what a filter can actually take out, http://ultimatewaterfilter.com/pitcherfiltration.html

D. Kornels

Nick-H

Colloidal Silver: a rediscovery of a harmless but effective drug? Or something that should be left in the past?

Check out [url="http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/PhonyAds/silverad.html"]This Page] for reasons why it might not be a bad thing that the development of modern antibiotics consigned it to the past

Nick-H

Colloidal Silver: a rediscovery of a harmless but effective drug? Or something that should be left in the past?

Check out This Link for reasons why it might not be a bad thing that the development of modern antibiotics consigned it to the past

bruniskina

what about boiling the nonsense out of it? doesn't that do the trick?

Wazen

I would think so..

What is the minimum amount of time boiling water, before its steril?

Anyone look into the battery operated water-purifiers?
MSR MIOX Water Purifier
$129.95
They use electronic waves to kill all living organisms in the water...

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...y_rn=45 00462

amarama

If your using collidial silver, don,t drink it ever. It kills all the bacteria in your intestines. If your worried about virisus and bacteria you need the bugs in your gut to be balanced. If you insist on using silver here is what you do. Obtain a PLASTIC spoon, pour the silver into your mouth and hold it for a while. Then spit it out. Don't swallow it. My advice is not to fool with collidial silver. There are to many factors to consider in this thread. But the point is if you are truly healthy, you body will destroy anything you caught.

edwardseco

"if you are truly healthy, you body will destroy anything you caught."

So was my brother in law before he caught Hep A..

vistet

Bringing water to the boiling point, even at high altitudes, is sufficient. Hospital decontamination units are deemed in working order as long as they reach 85 degrees Celsius.

cyberhippie

Are you sure vistet?? When I worked in the sterilising unit it had to reach
110C or was deemed not safe!!

rcreeker

I recently had a tour of the water treatment plant in my community and asked the technician about what kind of purification system to use. What I was told is that ANY system will be deficient if particulates are not removed first with some sort of fine filter. Bacteria can "hide" in particulates and not be killed even by chlorine or iodine. So I am now considering a filter followed by some other purification (chlorine or some other purifier) to get the bacteria that the filter leaves behind.