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KlearWater and Pathogens
There are three basic categories of pathogens that affect drinking water;
VIRUS
- Extremely small
- Some diseases have no cure
- Not particularly hard to kill (for ClO2 products)
- Capable of mutating
- Examples: common cold, flu, polio
MUST have a 4-log kill (99.99%) for the pathogen to be considered disabled
BACTERIA
- The most important category of pathogen for drinking water
- Size is much larger than viruses and some bacteria develop colonies that are much larger still.
- Bacteria can form biofilms which the bacteria uses to defend itself. Over 99% of harmful bacteria are contained in biofilm in water.
- Diseases caused can be insidious and difficult to cure. Many affect the bowels.
- Some bacteria, like anthrax spores, are hard to kill and are particularly deadly
- Examples: E-Coli, Cholera, Salmonella, tuberculosis
MUST have 6-log kill (99.9999%) kill for the pathogen to be considered disabled
PROTOZOAN CYSTS
- Cysts are transmitted by animal feces usually through drinking water.
- Giardia is the most common cyst to affect campers. It is often referred to as "beaver fever" or "camper's stomach." Giardia easy to get and hard to eliminate.
- Cryptosporidium is a cyst that is growing more common but is not nearly as common as giardia in the US. The symptoms are not as debilitating as giardia.
MUST have 3-log kill (99.9%) to be considered disabled. Many experts consider a 2-log kill to be adequate (under study by EPA).
Fun Facts
- The hand cleaners that states "kill 99.9% of germs" is useless-consider the required log kills above.
- Chlorine does not work at all on many cysts
- ClO2 kills by interrupting the life supporting proteins of pathogens. Mutation cannot protect mutating viruses.
- ClO2 is absolutely deadly for simple-celled organic pathogens. It is harmless to complex organisms (like people).
- Pumps and filters ARE NOT effective for viruses. If the filter media is small enough to work, it clogs. Made larger, it does not filter all viruses.
- Chlorite tablets (that form ClO2 when activated) are much less effective against biofilms than ClO2. The organic binder in these pills is outlawed for human consumption in the EU-Why?
- Competing liquid ClO2 products not only require mixing but are NOT SAFE. The concentration will burn skin and mucous membrane. KlearWater is more efficacious at lower concentrations because it is durable and does not "gas off." KlearWater is the only safe multi-use product.
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