Need help formulating experiment

Science
#24

Reverse osmosis + hand pump?

Looks like that would work for cryptosporidium…
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/gen_info/filters.html

1 Like
#25

For real-time, in situ, non-invasive detection and quantification of wiggly wee beasties, amongst other things, there’s really only one tool which to turn.

Also PCR.

1 Like
#26

So, I should schedule a water tasting event?

#27

Interesting read (and may include some possible methods to test). But still no prescription for a test of giardia in a tainted water source.

1 Like
#28

Thanks Darren, that article does provide a suggested method for testing.

Testing water for Giardia requires filtering 10 to 50 liters of water and having a trained analyst 
inspect the concentrated sample with a microscope.

So it appears that they ‘sample’ a rather large amount of water with a giardia capturing filter, and then probably wash the filter with a small amount of water to concentrate the little beasties

1 Like
#29

By memory, poor at best, iodine is used in the production of meth. Precipitating iodine in a double replacement reaction is possible. Nitric acid and copper iodide. (Btw the stoichiometry of the reaction is quite interesting) A very pretty reaction, but not going to make much this way cost effectively.
Why not a silver impregnated ceramic filter? I’ve used them years ago drinking out of streams and even standing water in ecuador. Sure they come s long way since then.

Could also buy a bunch of mre’s for the iodine…

Bones

#30

Talked to someone who knows far more than me on the topic …

Methodology:
Filtration for higher concentration sample followed by either immunoflourescence staining or PCR.

An available product in the marketplace:
http://btfbio.com/products/easystain/ (requires fluorescence scope)

And a control group: http://btfbio.com/products/easyseed/

2 Likes
#31

I think the term being looked for is “Potable”. So it’s free biological pathogens. I suggest drinking it with an Imodium in case experiment isn’t successful.

#32

Another friend got back with me. There’s a book, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, that outlines procedures for detection of many, many different “things.” At the bargain basement price of $400 for the latest edition, I would suggest either Half Price Books or a decent college library.

ISBN-13 DIGIT:
9780875530130

1 Like
#33

Here is a link to a 19th edition for cheap.

2 Likes
#34

Well, I got my hands on the 17th edition of the book @Nick Nick found. As expected filtration to concentrate the sample was one of the methods used; however, there are several other methods used. Time to do some reading, and comparing the costs of the various methods.

1 Like
#35

@BobKarnaugh Bob, can you be of any help on this? You said you worked with water purity.

#36

My back ground in producing ultrapure water for semiconductor processing doesn’t apply much to killing microbes in water taken from puddles and pond to make it safe for drinking in the Mad Max world. I would boil the water in that case or use one of those hiker/backpacker filters from REI.

To check out the effectiveness one might use the counting of colony forming units on agar dishes of before and after treatment samples. Contamination during sample application is an issue. One of the scientific supply companies can furnish this gear; I have never bought these supplies myself so no recommendation. But boiling works.

Stock piling clean water before the FUBAR event might also work.

Regards,

Bob

1 Like
#37

Hi. Science has filters (including the gridded filters used to count bacteria for water purity), a buchner funnel, we now have vacuum working and have done vacuum filtration; we also have microscopes, fluorescent stain, a PCR machine and all the supplies to use it.

2 Likes