Re: After the Nuke War - growning uncontaminated food

 

Ted Campanelli wrote:

how do you know Ted actually exited his cave?  it is possible
Ted has in his possession communications technology allowing
Ted to grunt from within his cave..

<g>

 

I have a question.  Can you purify the water that has been
contaminated?  boiling the water?  I read that a solar still would be
needed but is it able to rid the water of toxic componets? and for
drinking would iodine "cure" the water?

 

I have a question.
CY: You can't ask questions, only flames on this group.

Can you purify the water that has been
contaminated?
CY: yes.

boiling the water?
CY: Boiling will kill microbes, won't help much with radiation.

I read that a solar still would be
needed but is it able to rid the water of toxic componets?
CY: Radioactive contamination can happen in one of several ways. Some
particles settle out, or can be filtered. Others dissolve, and need to be
held back while you distill off safer water.


and for
drinking would iodine "cure" the water?
CY: No. Iodine from the camping places will help kill microbes, will do very
little to help with radiation.

 




  Depending on the dose and all, iodine might help (marginally) lowering
the amount of radiation uptake by the thyroid. But in the great scheme
of things in a Mad Max post-nuclear world, that is probably the least of
your troubles.

 



Potassium Iodate is what is used to protect the thyroid from radiation.
Why are there so many places selling it if ordinary iodine would do? I'm
pretty sure iodine won't do the trick.

Gets a million hits:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=potassium+iodide&aq=8&oq=potassi