# Iodine



## tammy_steven (10/3/12)

hello all

need to find out if i can use betadine as a Substitute for iodine as no one stocks it darwin

thanks


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## fergi (10/3/12)

tammy_steven said:


> hello all
> 
> need to find out if i can use betadine as a Substitute for iodine as no one stocks it darwin
> 
> thanks




i am pretty sure mate that its not the same thing.
fergi


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## vykuza (10/3/12)

Looks like it is. Betadine is a Povidore-iodine (a stable version of iodine, with a free iodine component when mixed with water) aka an Iodophor. I would check the usual brewing iodophor available iodine concentration, then try to reach the same concentration of free iodine using betadine's available iodine equivalent (which should be on the bottle). 

Oh, and all your gear will be pink :0

Also: 

<--- not a chemist


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## fergi (10/3/12)

dont think it is the same, iodine doesnt have all the additives that betadine has, and as you pointed out everything will probably stain yellow.from memory i think betadine is a weaker soloution as well.
better check at the chemist shop.
fergi


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## cam89brewer (10/3/12)

No its not, I have tried using it before with no reaction... you do mean for testing for starch conversion right?


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## MHB (10/3/12)

Alcohol (as in Betadine) and Acid (found in Iodophor) both interfere with the test.
I have been working on an Iodine/Starch test kit, at present its too sensitive and I have to rewrite the instructions, did post a picture of what it looks like when all goes according to plan. Its pretty hard to miss the colour change when it occurs.
Found it



Mark


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## ashley_leask (10/3/12)

It's not exactly the same, but I don't think the extra ingredients in betadine affect the iodine as far as starch testing goes. You will have to dilute the betadine so there is the same level of iodine concentration as an iodine incture soltution though. I made up a 50ml test tube of iodine solution based on betadine a while ago but can't remember the concentration off hand. Straight out of the bottle though the betadine has too much iodine to give the kind of colour results you'll be expecting if you're comparing to something from books/web.

If you want to test it for yourself, you can try the betadine on a pinch of flour on a white plate and you'll see the reaction.


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## pk.sax (10/3/12)

If you're just looking for a sanitizer, use hydrogen peroxide, also available from the pharmacy. It's 3% so will need dilution before use, make up a spray bottle, google for dilution instructions.


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## seravitae (10/3/12)

It is difficult to get iodine in pure form as its sale including salts is restricted in Australia under PACIA guidelines as a Class 2 reagent. 

Ie, you can buy it pure, but you must sign an EUD (end user declaration) including a brief of what you plan to do with it, a copy of photo ID and passport.

You are better off trying to find a formulation containing iodine that has as little other components as possible.

Hope this helps.

S.


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## the_new_darren (10/3/12)

Betadine works fine as both sanitiser and starch test

tnd


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## matho (10/3/12)

sera said:


> It is difficult to get iodine in pure form as its sale including salts is restricted in Australia under PACIA guidelines as a Class 2 reagent.
> 
> Ie, you can buy it pure, but you must sign an EUD (end user declaration) including a brief of what you plan to do with it, a copy of photo ID and passport.
> 
> ...



wow I didn't know that, when I was a kid I had lots of fun making touch powder, my mum bought me a backyard chemistry kit and it had lots of cool chemicals and nasty ones too, I had fun making things blow up


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## mikesnothere (10/3/12)

You can extract iodine from a betadine (povidone-iodine) solution. A quick google search will reveal some neat methods on how to do this.


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## Maheel (10/3/12)

cant you use tincture of iodine ?

i bought that from the chemist when playing around with converting non-malted grain and it seemed to indicate conversion of starch.

the chemist did look at me strange but after explaining i was a "craft brewer" of beer he seemed happier :lol: .


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## the_new_darren (10/3/12)

mikesnothere said:


> You can extract iodine from a betadine (povidone-iodine) solution. A quick google search will reveal some neat methods on how to do this.



They look very dangerous. Sodium hydroxide, then hydrochloric acid followed by hydrogen peroxide with boils along the way.

tnd


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## pk.sax (10/3/12)

That, is exactly what my *cough* neighbour *cough* described to me.


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## Wimmig (10/3/12)

Starsan.


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## seravitae (11/3/12)

matho said:


> wow I didn't know that, when I was a kid I had lots of fun making touch powder, my mum bought me a backyard chemistry kit and it had lots of cool chemicals and nasty ones too, I had fun making things blow up


Yes back in the old days you could get anything from a pharmacy, but nowadays there are many tight regulations on the sale of reagents.





mikesnothere said:


> You can extract iodine from a betadine (povidone-iodine) solution. A quick google search will reveal some neat methods on how to do this.


refer to comment below





the_new_darren said:


> They look very dangerous. Sodium hydroxide, then hydrochloric acid followed by hydrogen peroxide with boils along the way.
> 
> tnd



Stick with what agents you can buy that are designed for the task, starsan, etc.
extraction of iodine from providone systems is not the best yeild, on top of that you don't know what other side reactions are occuring in there, and as above, you have to deal with other dangerous reagents, and the store purchased sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid are definately *not* food grade. And performing any chemistry such as the above at home is not only dangerous without the right safety equipment, but I believe it is also technically illegal on the account of zoning laws, and that it may be considered an industrial process. Just like making biodesiel at home is illegal as zoning laws and WorkSafe guidlines specify a maximum of 5L of class 3 dangerous goods (flammable) in a residential dwelling and most makers are producing hundreds of liters.


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