How to filter heavy metals and arsenic from stream water?

[Tagaeri]

Looks like the best option might be carrying in enough water with me, collecting + filtering or boiling additional water from known safe sources (e.g. rainwater), and taking a chemical backup for other occasions. I might also add some of those Chlor-Floc sachets to my survival pouch.

 

[Teepee]

Did your digging turn up anything?

From what I can gather, the Chlor-floc is aluminium based and the PUR stuff is Iron based. Arsenic seems to be taken out more effectively by the iron. They are both expensive too as a treatment method.

Whats clear though from this digging is that Arsenic is really nasty stuff, I knew it was nasty but not this nasty. You really don't need a lot. 10 parts per billion is our drinking water limit and it's 5ppb in the US.

It's been interesting reading about this tech but I have to be honest, I would take some water in and store it, or use filtered rainwater.

 

[Tagaeri]

Thanks for all your input everyone.

I think you're right Teepee, arsenic is too dangerous to muck about with. I'll carry in what I need for a couple of days, and collect rainwater if possible. I'll add some of the powder mentioned to my survival pouch though, just in case.


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[Teepee]

Some flocculant powder and a filter medium would make a very good addition to a survival pouch I think, covers more bases than chlorine tabs with turbid water.

 

[British Red]

Even flocculants only remove turbidity (particles in suspension....floating) not dissolved matter. They aren't a complete solution either - although a useful tool to add to filtration, heat, chemicals, UV etc. Even distillation (or rain) does not result in 100% pure H2O (otherwise a still would make water, not whisky).

All that said, the chances of finding significant or dangerous contamination in a UK water source are extremely low. Our watercourses are monitored for contamination these days by anglers the rivers authority etc. The most likely toxins to find would likely be cyano toxins from an algal bloom in still water.

If using a decent backpacking fiter or a coarse filter / boil regimen, I wouldn't lose much sleep over UK water sources.

 

[Huey]

Hi Tagaeri, are your woods in the Penwith area? I live a bit further east where there isn't so much mining but also get around the Duchy a bit and was wondering about this too. If you do manage to find an economical and lightweight solution, I'd love to hear it!

Cheers, Huey

 

[Pete E]

Thanks for all your input everyone.

I think you're right Teepee, arsenic is too dangerous to muck about with. I'll carry in what I need for a couple of days, and collect rainwater if possible. I'll add some of the powder mentioned to my survival pouch though, just in case.

If the arsenic levels were high enough to cause a problem in humans, would it have a visible effect on stream life?

Also, just how much of an issue is it likely to be? I what levels are likely to be present, and if you are only drinking a few litres each month, is it going to cause any problems?

I live in North Wales, and as a child I can remember least one stream that flows into the River Dee near Cefn Mawr that was bright orange. I had been told that it was due to iron ore minerals in the ground, but I also suspected it was contamination from the then near by Monsanto chemical works.

 

[BillyBlade]

First Need XL

I do a lot of camping in the Leadhills area of Scotland, and arsenic and heavy metals have been found there, admittedly in the past, due to the gold mining that went on. I remember going there with my school an awfully long time ago, and being told about the methods used in gold mining back in the industrial age. Hence my use of the above purifier, as the activated charcoal will take a lot of the above nasties out. Not cheap, and worst case scenario is it only filters 125 gallons before shutting itself down and requesting cartridge replacement, but I have absolute faith in it.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpacking-Water-Filter-Reviews/First-Need-XL

Good luck finding what you need.

 

[Tagaeri]

Hi Tagaeri, are your woods in the Penwith area? I live a bit further east where there isn't so much mining but also get around the Duchy a bit and was wondering about this too. If you do manage to find an economical and lightweight solution, I'd love to hear it!

Cheers, Huey

Yep, Penwith. For now I've gone with carrying in as much as I can, and if I need more I'll use Chlor-Floc powder + the Thirst Aid bag.


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[Tagaeri]

First Need XL

I do a lot of camping in the Leadhills area of Scotland, and arsenic and heavy metals have been found there, admittedly in the past, due to the gold mining that went on. I remember going there with my school an awfully long time ago, and being told about the methods used in gold mining back in the industrial age. Hence my use of the above purifier, as the activated charcoal will take a lot of the above nasties out. Not cheap, and worst case scenario is it only filters 125 gallons before shutting itself down and requesting cartridge replacement, but I have absolute faith in it.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpacking-Water-Filter-Reviews/First-Need-XL

Good luck finding what you need.

Thanks, I'll take a look.


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[Jared]

Come across this from another forum

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/household_water_treatment.html

 

[Tagaeri]

Come across this from another forum

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/household_water_treatment.html

Thanks, very useful. Confirms what I've read elsewhere.


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