[pct-l] Aquamira

[jason moores]

My understanding of how Aquamira(chlorine dioxide) works is basic and based on only a small amount of research, but here I go...I combine appropriate amounts of bottle A. Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide with bottle B. Phosphoric Acid. Let sit for 5 min. to allow for the chemical reaction, which releases oxygen molecules. It's these molecules that "oxidize" (read: kill) the pathogens in the water. 

How long do I have before this chemical reaction reaches an end, or becomes inert? If I can mix up some solution prior to reaching my next water source it will shorten the time until we'll be able to drink our treated water. 

I normally carry my drops in my hip belt pocket. On longer water stretches I utilize a second mixing cap kept from a previous set. This is enough mixing space for a couple of gallons of treated water. I'll be treating water for two people so I'm adding a tiny 1oz squeeze bottle to my pouch for the additional mixing space I'll need for water in the desert. (maybe as much as 16 liters at some stops) I figure I'll mix my solution as I skip down the path and be ready to go when I get to the next source. 

Does anyone know how long this reaction lasts? Is there some flexibility here or do I need to add this mixture soon after the 5 min. mark? 5 min. is a small amount of time to wait (plus the 15 min. wait after adding Aquamira) and I'm really not sweating that. The more I thought about it the more curious I became. I checked a few sites but found nothing about shelf life after mixing. Any chemists out there?

jason

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