A while back there was an extended discussion about storing Iodine tablets. I understand that many now use the micro-vial from Blue-Line. I made some containerd from Bic Stik pens which I have used for some months now. I would like to complete the test definitively. Back when I was in college I had access to petri dishes, agar, incubation boxes and the like. I don't now and don't really want to build a bio lab in my basement. If anyone on the forum is working at a university or is a bio. student I would gladly send you a tube of iodine tablets to test. The test would need to be done strictly to be of use but I would think that some raw water from a storm drain or sewer would be adequate. Mix the iodine according to instructions 2 tabs per quart and let sit for 30 min then using two petri dishes culture from the treated water and from the untreated water from the same sample. We should know within a day what percentage of growable bugs were killed. For completeness we should also culture water treated with "new from the bottle iodine tablets" <br><br>Anyone up for this?

I would be willing to these tests in my lab. However, due to the labor involved, I would prefer to give qualitative answers (i.e. heavy growth/light growth/no growth) rather than actual log reductions in organisms/ml. Pete

I took 2 pipeetts and cut off the larger end. Then put some rubber cement on the one end and filled each one halw way with portable aqua tablets. Then slid the open end of one into the open end of the other one. When the rubber cement dries You have a perfect container. This has not been eaten through or anything like that for about 7 months now and the portable aqua tablets are still the same color as when i took them from the bottle. The only problem is the container can only be cut open and not rersealed.

something is much better than nothing and I would expect that the difference between "don't work" and "seems reasonably like what came in the original container" would be rather obvious. Check my profile for my email and send your physical contact so I can mail you a sample when your ready.

What material are those pipettes made of? Are they glass or some kind of plastic? If glass how did you "cut" them?

I have access to small vials made of various plastics that are used to store biological samples, in bulk purchases they are not expensive. Most have a gasket to prevent leakage. I can obtain a variety of samples from the sales person next week at a research festival. Barry of Blueline, if you are in the position to meet (I know you are dealing with a new house, so it may not be realistic), I live in Frederick, I could pass these samples along to you for evaluation. Pete

i thought they were made of glass...<br>but dont think you can cut it. i think you must tape the area of the glass withs you gonna cut and than saw it with a very fine saw.

Glass tubing or pipets can be easily cut to length by scoring the tubing with a fine file, just a small notch is required, then hold the tubing in each hand, (protected with glove or cloth), thumbs on each side of notch, and with the notch away from your body, snap the tubing at the cut. Pyrex glass is harder to break than softer glass but this technique is standard in labs. Usually the ends of the glass are then fire-polished by melting the cuts in a flame. A low temperature flame works for soft (soda) glass but a higher temperature flame is required for Pyrex glass. A propane torch used for plumbing works. See http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/programs/lab_safety/l_saf_guide07.htm for additional information about safe use of glass tubing.<br><br>It would be possible to make glass containers for Potable Aqua tablets using glass tubing. Melting the glass at each end could seal these. You are just left with the problem of tablet deterioration once opened. Lab supply houses sell glass ampoules, which are heat sealable containers. These would also work.<br><br>Overall I think the glass vials Barry sells are a superior way to carry smaller packages of the tablets and do not present any problems of tablet quality in storage or after opening during an emergency. Iodine vapors in a kit from leaky packaging could compromise or damage the PSK contents in addition to degrading the effectiveness of the tablets for their intended purpose. <br><br>

Minime,<br><br>Pipettes are glass. To cut them, you score them with a triangular file and then snap them in two. The raw (sharp) ends are fire-formed (melted) to make clean edges. Or at least that's how I was taught to do do it in Chemistry 101. I earned much needed extra credit making glassware for my chem prof. I probably would have failed if it weren't for that and an Arlo Guthrie album (long story).<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

I have talked to Doug about me writing a scholarly paper on all commercial methods of water treatment. I couldn't really begin until August since I'm currently writing grant proposals. It would be simple to review iodization methods since there is a body of knowledge already in the journals. As for testing different containers, it would be a simple matter of sealing Potable Aqua in various containers for the required amount of time and then determining the iodine concentration the dissolved pill affords in a known quantity of water. This could be easily done by UV spectroscopy.<br><br>Andy Osborne Ph.D, chemistry