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Do electrolytes “survive” chlorine & char. filters?


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Home Forums General Forums Food, Hydration, and Nutrition Do electrolytes “survive” chlorine & char. filters?

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  • #1236544
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    In the past I've used a pump filter and then added electrolyte tabs (Nuun and Camelback) to water…easy.

    Now I'm switching to chlorine drops with a Frontier Pro filter.

    Have searched the forums – no "hits" on this.

    So,
    1). does anyone know if the chlorine (household bleach) "destroys" (or otherwise negatively affects) the electrolytes?

    2). does the charcoal filter eliminate the electrolytes?

    Can I fill up with dirty water, drop in the chlorine and electrolytes, wait, drink through the filter, and still get my electrolytes?!

    Thanks!

    #1503457
    Lynn Tramper
    Member

    @retropump

    Locale: The Antipodes of La Coruna

    1). does anyone know if the chlorine (household bleach) "destroys" (or otherwise negatively affects) the electrolytes?

    No. It only removes organic matter

    2). does the charcoal filter eliminate the electrolytes?

    It won't elminate sodium, not sure about potassium (but I think it is OK). Anything else in your electrolytes?

    #1503513
    Robert Blean
    BPL Member

    @blean

    Locale: San Jose -- too far from Sierras

    "Anything else in your electrolytes?"

    How about sugars or other carbs? Some endurance stuff is a mixture of electrolytes and carbs — I have always assumed that passing such a drink through a filter that has a charcoal element would not be good. Am I unnecessarily worried?

    — MV

    #1503515
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    As Lynn said, a charcoal filter won't strip out everything, but you should assume that some of the carbs etc may well be stripped out.
    The simplest solution may be to add whatever after you have filtered it?

    Cheers

    #1503538
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    >> "anything else in your electrolytes?"

    Looking at the label of CamelBak's "Elixir", it's mostly sodium and potassium compounds. I don't see anything that, to me (with a Very untrained eye), looks like carbs.

    I don't have a container of Nuun handy.

    Very helpful info on the carbs issue though, as I've thought of switching to Hammer (HEED, or another of their products), which does indeed have other ingredients (carbs).

    #1503553
    Charles Grier
    BPL Member

    @rincon

    Locale: Desert Southwest

    As already noted, electrolytes will not be affected by a free chlorine or iodine water treatment.

    If you run anything containing dissolved carbohydrates through charcoal it will almost immediately choke the charcoal. Activated charcoal is used in water treatment because it has a very high internal surface area combined with an affinity for many organic compounds. These are adsorbed on the surface area of the charcoal. If you run a solution high in glucose or HFCS through a charcoal bed the adsorbtive capacity of the charcoal will quickly become saturated.

    #1503583
    Rick Dreher
    BPL Member

    @halfturbo

    Locale: Northernish California

    Right, you do not want to load up charcoal (or any other filter medium) with sugars because you'll quickly create a bacteria nursery. Filter then mix is the needed order.

    Also: household bleach?

    Cheers,

    Rick

    #1503600
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    Get your water, treat for time required, then add your mix. Simple and you have no worries.

    Any reason to just bypass the filter and use Aquamira or MicroPur instead? That is the simplest around.

    #1503802
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    Thanks so much to all for, once again, sharing your knowledge so freely!

    >> Sarah: Using filter to stop large nasties (mainly giardia) so I don't have to wait 3-4 hrs for bleach. Other reason for filter is the carbon element to eliminate chem. taste.

    Thanks again…will surely keep the carbs out of my filter!

    Happy Trails

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