Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ingestediodineisabsorbedasiodide,andanaverageadultrequires150to200μgaday.
Daily consumption of one to two liters of water disinfected with 8 mg/l of iodine would
provide thirty to eighty times that amount, but individuals with normal thyroid function
probably would not be affected by such quantities. (Only two to ten times the normal re-
quirement would be produced by 0.5 to 1.0 mg/day.) The daily dose of potassium iodide
that used to be administered as an expectorant for asthmatics ranged from 1.2 to 8.0 g (0.9
to 6.0 g of iodine).
Iodinecancausefetal goitersthatproducerespiratory obstruction atbirth,butthemoth-
ersofinfantswithiodidegoiterswerealmostallasthmatics whoconsumedagramormore
of iodine daily for many months or years.
Inmates of three Florida prisons drank water disinfected with 0.5 to 1.0 mg/l of iodine
forfifteenyears.Nodetrimentaleffectsonthegeneralconditionorthyroidfunctionofpre-
viously healthy persons were detected with careful medical and biochemical monitoring.
Of 101 infants born to inmates who had been in prison for 122 to 270 days, none had de-
tectable thyroid enlargement. However, all four individuals with hyperthyroidism became
more symptomatic while consuming iodinated water.
Iodine Preparations
Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide
Tablets containing tetraglycine hydroperiodide are widely sold under trade names such
as Globaline and Potable Aqua®. One fresh tablet dissolved in a liter of water provides an
iodineconcentrationof8mg/l,farmorethanneededifthewaterhasbeenfiltered.Amajor
advantageoftetraglycinehydroperiodidetabletsistheirconvenience.Theverysmallbottle
of fifty tablets can be carried easily. Sealed bottles can be stored for months with little loss
of iodine. (The manufacturer of Potable Aqua® claims four years.)
The principal disadvantage of tetraglycine hydroperiodide is its tendency to dissociate
afterexposuretoair.Instudiestodocumenttheirstability,tetraglycine hydroperiodidetab-
lets placed in a single layer in an open dish at 140°F (60°C) lost 40 percent of their iodine
insevendays.Atroomtemperatureand100percenthumidity,thetabletslost33percentof
their iodine in four days. Studies to determine the rate of dissociation of tablets in a small
bottleopenedseveraltimesadayforoneortwoweekendsamonth,thepatternofweekend
outdoor recreationalists, have not been reported.
Tetraglycinehydroperiodidetablets(andotheriodinepreparations)addadefinitebrown
tinge to the water if 8 mg/l is present, which should aid in demonstrating their potency.
Tightlycappingandrefrigerating bottles ofthetablets mayhelpretardiodineloss,butthey
probably should be discarded a few months after opening. (The manufacturer of Potable
Aqua® recommends a year.)
Saturated Aqueous Iodine Solution
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