Bottling poison

The plastic bottle of mineral water that you re-use could put you at cancer risk, warn doctors

The plastic bottle of mineral water that you re-use could put you at cancer risk, warn doctors
We often find ourselves using mineral water or soda bottles several times over to store water after we8217;ve cleared their contents. These bottles though are made for one-time use only. Using them a lot of times can prove to be harmful.

A study at Heidelberg University in Germany says that water stored in old plastic bottles could be contaminated with poisonous substances released from the plastic. Plastic containers, if used for very long, release a deadly toxin called antimony into the water. The longer the water is stored, the higher the levels of antimony, the study said.
The researchers tested ground water and 15 types of bottled mineral water in Canada and 48 brands of water in Europe. While the study found that the amount of antimony were below official levels, the antimony levels almost doubled when the bottles were used for three months.

8220;While small doses of antimony can make you feel ill and depressed, larger quantities can cause serious food poisoning, sometimes leading to excessive vomiting and even death,8221; says Dr S.K. Aggarwal, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.
Antimony is the chemical used in the making of polyethylene terephthalate PET bottles8212;the ones that companies use to package mineral water, soft drinks and juices. It8217;s best not to use these bottles for storage. Instead, opt for safer options such as aluminum, glass or stainless steel containers. And if you only like plastic, Dr Aggarwal recommends plastic bottles made of low-density polyethylene that are sold exclusively for water storage.

While the low-density polythene bottles are used mostly in kitchens, we often carry the PET bottles the ones which package mineral water with us in our cars. Leaving them in the heat as in a car for long periods can lead to the release of the carcinogen, Bisphenol A BPA. The presence of BPA in water has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, a decrease in testosterone levels, and an increase in the risk of miscarriage. BPA can leach through the wear-and-tear of the plastic into the water and by exposure to detergent.
The heat also breaks down the plastic and releases harmful chemicals that can contaminate the water.

8220;Many people have a habit of leaving a plastic bottle of water for long periods in their cars. They use the same bottle over and over again, not realising that the water is getting more contaminated by the day,8221; says Dr A. Gupta, Clinical Associate, Max Healthcare, Delhi.
Some studies have shown that BPA can make its way into the water stored in a plastic bottle even at room temperature. 8220;Having a re-usable plastic water bottle on your desk is as harmful as the one that is exposed to the sun in your car,8221; says Dr Aggarwal.