32 oz snapple safe for purifying?

[Gregory Petliski]

I asked Craig this question and he suggested I post it here. Does anyone know if using a disposable plastic bottle such as the 32 oz snapple to purify water in is ok, with either iodine or chlorine dioxide tablets (I use the latter for quick day hikes). I know nalgenes are ok to drop tablets in but they are made of a different kind of plastic.

Thanks

[Gregory Petliski]

Bump? I'd love to get an answer for this.

[EndoftheTrail]

Not an expert, but I'm 99.9999% comfortable that you can use chlorine dioxide drops or tablets to treat your water in a Snapple bottle. These chemicals really aren't all that corrosive — not to plastic anyway. To me, when it comes to plastic, the real issue is whether the particular plastic is "food grade" (or not). And given the bottle is used for drinks, I would feel comfortable that it is.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Hikers have been using PET plastic bottles (recycle symbol 1) for years, along with HDPE, LDPE, polycarbonate and Tritan, for iodine and chlorine dioxide based purification. Polycarbonate (as in the the older Nalgenes) has lost favor due to BPA leaching issues. Consider that your innards are much more sensitive than any of those plastics!

Iodine may stain some plastics. IMHO, it is an outdated method for purification.

[Bob Gross]

"Iodine may stain some plastics."

Yes, and iodine will certainly darken an aluminum cook pot. That makes a statement about its strength. Old school.

–B.G.–

[Tad Englund]

No worries

[Gregory Petliski]

Awesome, thanks guys. Yes, iodine is old school, but it does work. However, I've switched to the chlorine dioxide tabs for when I dont need to carry a filter.

[David Thomas]

Yes, those plastic bottles are fine for chlorine- or iodine-purified water. Consider that bleach (which is 20,000 to 50,000 times stronger than treated water) is shipped and stored (for years!) in plastic bottles.

Here's a helpful trick if you're nervous of halogen treatment, especially in turbid water or if there are any organics in the water: After the treatment period (10, 20, 30 minutes depending on temperature), sniff the treated water just as you open the bottle. You should be able to smell the chlorine. One's odor threshold is very close to the level you need for treatment and corrseponds to a couple of parts per million in the water.

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