Before you travel to a third world country or go out for a long hike, you should consider purchasing portable water filters and portable water purifiers for travel and hiking. These will provide you with safer drinking water so you can stay hydrated. Before you buy, however, there are some things you should know about them.
The first thing you will want to know is that there is a big difference between filters and purifiers. Filtration is the process of filtering dirt and debris from the water while killing microorganisms with the use of boiling or chemicals. Purification, on the other hand, utilizes carbon with reverse osmosis to filter particles out of the water.
To elaborate, the primary purpose of filtration is to kill the bacteria and remove some sediment. The most common way to filter water is by boiling it for a minimum of three minutes. Unfortunately, this will not kill all of the bacteria. To remove sediment, the water will need to be filtered with a cloth.
Chemical filtration. Another way to filter water is by using chemicals such as iodine or chlorine. These methods are much quicker than boiling and can be used while hiking or when it is not feasible to boil the water. Both chemicals are very cheap and can be carried in small packages or bottles. The major drawback to chemicals is that they can be harmful if overused or improperly used.
Iodine. Iodine is very effective at killing bacteria and viruses, but when used in large quantities of water it may be time consuming. Additionally, women who are pregnant and people with thyroid problems should not use iodine.
Chlorine thins the water, making dirt and sediment sink to the bottom. It will make the water clearer on the upper levels. However, if chlorine is used in excess or improperly mixed with water, it can cause serious illness, organ damage, and lead to death.
Water purification is more expensive, but they are much safer. They use carbon and reverse osmosis to filter harmful particles out of the water. The carbon is used to remove pollutants, and chemicals from the water while making it taste and smell better. Reverse osmosis is used to filter out toxic metals, such as lead, and other impurities.
Ultraviolet purifiers. Most water purifiers recommend that you boil the water after it is purified to kill the remaining microorganisms. Sometimes, however, you are not able to do this. If you cannot, there are purifiers that have ultraviolet (UV) light mechanisms that disable the ability of bacteria and viruses to reproduce, making them less harmful.
Solar water disinfectors. A relatively new technology is solar water disinfectors (SODIS). These work by using the UV and heat from sunlight to kill unsafe microorganisms. They are most effective in sunny or tropical areas.
Doing research and having your questions answered are the most important steps to selecting portable water filters and portable water purifiers for travel and hiking. Once you are familiar with their advantages and disadvantages, you can choose the best one for you. Stay safe and stay hydrated.
The first thing you will want to know is that there is a big difference between filters and purifiers. Filtration is the process of filtering dirt and debris from the water while killing microorganisms with the use of boiling or chemicals. Purification, on the other hand, utilizes carbon with reverse osmosis to filter particles out of the water.
To elaborate, the primary purpose of filtration is to kill the bacteria and remove some sediment. The most common way to filter water is by boiling it for a minimum of three minutes. Unfortunately, this will not kill all of the bacteria. To remove sediment, the water will need to be filtered with a cloth.
Chemical filtration. Another way to filter water is by using chemicals such as iodine or chlorine. These methods are much quicker than boiling and can be used while hiking or when it is not feasible to boil the water. Both chemicals are very cheap and can be carried in small packages or bottles. The major drawback to chemicals is that they can be harmful if overused or improperly used.
Iodine. Iodine is very effective at killing bacteria and viruses, but when used in large quantities of water it may be time consuming. Additionally, women who are pregnant and people with thyroid problems should not use iodine.
Chlorine thins the water, making dirt and sediment sink to the bottom. It will make the water clearer on the upper levels. However, if chlorine is used in excess or improperly mixed with water, it can cause serious illness, organ damage, and lead to death.
Water purification is more expensive, but they are much safer. They use carbon and reverse osmosis to filter harmful particles out of the water. The carbon is used to remove pollutants, and chemicals from the water while making it taste and smell better. Reverse osmosis is used to filter out toxic metals, such as lead, and other impurities.
Ultraviolet purifiers. Most water purifiers recommend that you boil the water after it is purified to kill the remaining microorganisms. Sometimes, however, you are not able to do this. If you cannot, there are purifiers that have ultraviolet (UV) light mechanisms that disable the ability of bacteria and viruses to reproduce, making them less harmful.
Solar water disinfectors. A relatively new technology is solar water disinfectors (SODIS). These work by using the UV and heat from sunlight to kill unsafe microorganisms. They are most effective in sunny or tropical areas.
Doing research and having your questions answered are the most important steps to selecting portable water filters and portable water purifiers for travel and hiking. Once you are familiar with their advantages and disadvantages, you can choose the best one for you. Stay safe and stay hydrated.
About the Author:
Gretchen Robertvine plans on employing the SteriPEN Sidewinder Water Purifier when she is backpacking and camping in the Appalachian Mountains next year. She is a independent contributor who writes for organizations such as Survival Camping World and Better Health Innovations, two top internet retailers.
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