Question: is povidone iodine same as iodine?
Answer: Povidone-iodine is a chemical complex of povidone, hydrogen iodide, and elemental iodine. It contains from 9% to 12% available iodine (thus 10% povidone-iodine contains 1% avaliable iodine). It works by releasing iodine which results in the death of a range of microorganisms.