More Dangers of Plastic Water Containers

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2005/apr/27/plastic_bottles.htm

 

 

 

 

" The answer here is not to start storing your water in brass bottles,

however. In the long run, the metallic ions that leach from these

brass containers and kill bacteria could actually disturb your

zinc/copper ratios and contribute to problems like Alzheimer's disease. "

 

 

 

More Dangers of Plastic Water Containers

 

Drinking from brass water containers could help protect against

water-borne bacteria such as E. coli. This is because, according to

researchers, bacteria are less likely to flourish in brass water

containers than in earthenware or plastic ones. These findings are

especially prominent for poor regions of the world where water-born

diseases continue to be a serious health threat. In these areas, 2

million children die each year from diarrhea.

 

Thus, in an effort to determine if brass truly is superior to other

forms of water containers, researchers conducted a series of experiments.

 

Is Brass the Better Choice?

 

Brass and earthenware containers were filled with a diluted culture of

E. coli bacteria. After six, 24 and 48 hours, researchers counted the

surviving bacteria and found:

 

* The amount of E. coli in the brass containers dropped

significantly over time.

* After 48 hours they fell to undetectable levels.

 

Why does brass eliminate bacteria? For starters, brass is an alloy of

zinc and copper. Containers made of brass shed copper particles into

the water and the copper acts by interfering with the membranes and

enzymes of cells -- meaning death for bacteria. The amount of copper a

human would drink in 10 liters of water stored in a brass container

wouldn't even account for the daily recommended level of that mineral

in a healthy diet.

 

Also, brass water containers proved to be better than cheaper, plastic

ones. In light of this evidence, researchers hope people with make the

healthy switch to brass containers.

 

Nature April 8, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

The results of this study are incredibly important, considering that

millions of children in third-world countries are dying each year from

diarrhea caused by contaminated drinking water. Providing families of

these children with brass containers to store their water could save

many lives.

 

Of course, in the western world, gastrointestinal infections are less

frequent and rarely cause death. Nonetheless, bacterial contamination

of your water is an important issue.

 

This recent study is important not only because it could lead to lives

being saved in other parts of the world, but also because it provides

further evidence that using plastic bottles may not be in your best

interest.

 

Using plastic containers to store your water can not only increase

your exposure to bisphenol A, this study suggests that doing so could

also increase your exposure to potentially harmful bacteria. Since

many plastic bottles are also difficult to clean, this could worsen

the problem even more. So if you are reusing the water bottles that

come in soda-like containers you are particularly at risk as the only

way to clean those bottles is in a dishwasher.

 

The answer here is not to start storing your water in brass bottles,

however. In the long run, the metallic ions that leach from these

brass containers and kill bacteria could actually disturb your

zinc/copper ratios and contribute to problems like Alzheimer's disease.

 

Of course, if your main concern were dying from diarrhea induced by

contaminated water, using brass containers to store it in would

qualify as the lesser of two evils and be a sensible choice.

 

Consuming pure water is an important part of overall health, as is

making sure you are drinking enough of it. Since we can't all find

pure glacier water, the next best choice is to use your own tap water,

along with the best water filter you can find.

 

My first choice for water containers is glass, and I only use plastic

bottles when I travel. I used to use colored high-density Nalgene

bottles, but some recent information I came across suggests they are

unsafe.

 

Plastics that are safer to use for storing food and beverages, none of

which are known to leach harmful substances, include:

 

* Polypropylene, designated " #5 PP "

* High-density polyethylene, designated " #2HDPE "

* Low-density polyethylene, designated " #4 LDPE "

 

Now I use the wide-mouth Nalgene bottles that are made from the safe

plastic. I found them at www.campmor.com and just purchased a dozen so

I don't have to worry about replacing them when they invariably get

lost or left behind on my many trips. The wide mouth allows them to be

easily cleaned so they don't accumulate bacteria. I bring my water to

my office with me in a glass container, as that is better. It is just

difficult to travel with glass due to the obvious safety reasons.

 

Finally, please remember another important reason to avoid plastic

water bottles. While toxin exposure from plastic water bottles and

potential bacterial growth can certainly harm your health, our overuse

of them is pushing the health of planet earth in the wrong direction.

 

Related Articles:

 

Nalgene Water Bottles Appear to be Unsafe

 

Why I Now Say No to Distilled Water Only

 

The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation

 

Coke Wants to Fool You With Their Bottled Water