Quote: (Originally Posted by
PacketSniffer)

This statement is very important since one doesn't have the benefit of the activator any longer.
What activator? If you are referring to the NaOH as an activator then that's not true. Although the NaOH is used in the second reaction step it is returned in the third reaction step. It is not used at all. If you were referring to water as the activator then that's used indeed, but (only slightly) more is produced as a result of the reaction. What is it that you designate as activator?