Does anyone know the efficacy of chlorine dioxide tablets once they are removed from the foil wrapper?

I have some Katadyn Micropur MP1 tablets that I have removed from the foil wrappers and placed into a metal capsule that has an o-ring and I carry it around my neck. The capsule will hold 8 tablets. The o-ring is pretty soft and weak. I'm not so sure that they will stay airtight, but we'll see.

Have any of you tested something like this? If not, I'll wear them around my neck and then try to figure out some kind of test at Christmas time. I'm wearing the necklace now, and I don't plan on taking it off even in showers. Not sure how I could set up an experiment in my house though. I'm not exactly set up for biological experiments, lol. Any suggestions for creating a test environment would be welcome. Doesn't a Miox filter come with test strips? Maybe that would work?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P91E4C/

NuggetHoarder,

I have the same tablets that I bought 4-5 years ago. It's been stored in my various EDC bags and Bug Out Bags I have.

All of my tablets are still tighly sealed- even all crinkled up
in smaller containers.

I would worry about the risk to have them exposed to any moisture should the seals of those tubes failed.

The tablets releases Chlorine Dioxide once in contact with water ( according to Katadyn's site).
Any moisture on those tablets will activate it and who knows what other reactions the tablets will have on the tubes
itself.

We all know what chlorine does to some metals.

I'd advise leaving them in the original package.
If the tubes can fit the foil wrapper and tablets, try stuffing them in there carefully as a roll.

Leave the tablets in the foil packets as any exposure to air and humidity/moisture will effectively ruin them.


IIRC, there was a post on backpacker.com (or another hiking website) a few years ago and a company Rep gave a few more details on the whys of not opening the foil packets until needed.

GIven that tabs require water and a container to work; I might carry a lighter instead. You will still need water and a container plus fuel to make it drinkable, but the lighter is multi purpose, you can test it frequently and is a similar size.

I have not been able to find any definitive instruction from Katadyn about NOT re-packaging the tablets, but chlorine dioxide is highly reactive and I don't think they would be individually packaged in these really sturdy foil pouches if the manufacturer didn't want to keep them isolated from oxygen, moisture, sunlight, etc.

Just my educated guess, but I highly doubt that your re-packaged MP1 tablets will last very long. One of the selling points of MP1 is their effectiveness against Giardia and crypto, but I definitely wouldn't depend on those tablets to kill these tough buggers if that is one of your goals. They may work "okay" on easier to kill stuff, but how long they maintain that level of killing power, who knows?

I emailed Katadyn Products for an up to date official answer on this and I will post their response here.

The tablets will be good for a few hours at best.

Can you back that up with anything? I grew up around swimming pools and we used to buy powdered chlorine dioxide. We left it in open containers and it stayed open to the air for weeks at a time and sometimes would be caked with moisture from the air. Even still, a couple of scoops could turn a green pool clear in about one hour.

I very much doubt that the tablets will be any good if removed from the original packaging for any significant time.

Rather than debate or argument I would urge an experiment.
These tablets are intended to release chlorine when dissolved in water, if they have deterioted then no, or insufficient chlorine will be released.
Dissolve one tablet in the correct volume of water as per the instructions.
Test the resultant chlorine level using test papers sold for the purpose, I could recomend a UK supplier, but presume that they can be obtained locally.

Well that was the original post of this thread. The experiment will take place at Christmas time - 5 months after opening the foil. I plan to use the MIOX filter strips for the test.