thinwater
Well-Known Member
That seems to be the case in the EU. A potential reproductive toxin in massive doses. But consider this:
Table 1: Boron Content of Selected Foods [15,18]
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving |
|---|---|
| Prune juice, 1 cup | 1.43 |
| Avocado, raw, cubed, ½ cup | 1.07 |
| Raisins, 1.5 ounces | 0.95 |
| Peaches, 1 medium | 0.80 |
| Grape juice, 1 cup | 0.76 |
| Apples, 1 medium | 0.66 |
| Pears, 1 medium | 0.50 |
| Peanuts, roasted, salted, 1 ounce | 0.48 |
| Beans, refried, ½ cup | 0.48 |
| Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons | 0.46 |
| Apple juice, 1 cup | 0.45 |
| Chili con carne, with beans, 1 cup | 0.41 |
| Grapes, ½ cup | 0.37 |
| Oranges, 1 medium | 0.37 |
| Lima beans, dry, cooked, ½ cup | 0.35 |
| Applesauce, ½ cup | 0.34 |
| Fruit cocktail, canned, in heavy syrup, ½ cup | 0.26 |
| Broccoli, boiled, chopped, ½ cup | 0.20 |
| Orange juice, 1 cup | 0.18 |
| Spinach, boiled, ½ cup | 0.16 |
| Banana, medium | 0.16 |
| Spaghetti sauce, ½ cup | 0.16 |
| Cantaloupe, cubed, ½ cup | 0.14 |
| Carrots, raw, 1 medium | 0.14 |
| Peas, green, cooked, ½ cup | 0.10 |
| Potato chips, 1 ounce, about 22 chips | 0.09 |
| French fries, frozen, deep fried, 10 fries | 0.08 |
| Coffee, 1 cup | 0.07 |
| Lettuce, chopped, loosely packed, 1 cup | 0.06 |
| Tomatoes, raw, chopped, ½ cup | 0.06 |
| Tuna, canned, water packed, 3 ounces | 0.05 |
| Milk, whole, 1 cup | 0.04 |
| Corn, cooked, ½ cup | 0.04 |
| Rice, white, cooked, ½ cup | 0.03 |
| Chicken breast, broiled, ½ breast | 0.03 |
| Tea, brewed, 1 cup | 0.02 |
| Onions, raw, chopped, 1 tablespoon | 0.02 |
| Ice cream, ½ cup | 0.02 |
| Bread, white, 1 slice | 0.01 |
It is also present at about 25 ppm in seawater (75 ppm in the Med and very high in hypersaline lakes). They mine it from the surface of dried up lakes. In other words, a rubbish regulation. The US even has a range of recommended dietary allowances (min and max). However, the "borax substitute" isn't (it's more like washing soda and is not a persistent mildewcide) and will not serve the same function.
Yes, Patio Magic (benzalkonium chloride) will work, but not quite as well. A broad spectrum biocide. I've tested that as well. But it does not contain the same cleaning function, so you clean first and put the BAC in the rinse water.