Reusable water bottles have become a part of our daily lives. The sole purpose of carrying a water bottle is to make sure that we can have clean water anywhere and anytime. But what if the entire purpose of carrying a water bottle is in question?
We carry a water bottle so that we can prevent having water from outside which can have bacteria. However, what if the water bottle itself has bacteria? A recent study has shown that reusable water bottles hold 40,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat!
After taking swabs from several reusable bottles, the researchers were able to detect two different types of bacteria namely bacillus and gram-negative rods. Bacillus can lead to gastrointestinal issues. Gram-negative rods are associated with hospital-acquired infections and are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
Researchers found that the reusable water bottles had an average of 20.8 million colony-forming units (CFUs). A colony-forming unit is a unit that estimates the number of microbial cells (bacteria, viruses, fungi) in a sample.
Researchers found that the reusable water bottles had an average of 20.8 million colony-forming units (CFUs). A colony-forming unit is a unit that estimates the number of microbial cells (bacteria, viruses, fungi) in a sample.
The researchers also took swabs from other household items to put things into perspective. The results, however, were shocking! A toilet seat holds 515 CFUs on average. Reusable water bottles, therefore, hold 40000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat!
Reusable water bottles also hold four times more bacteria than a computer mouse and 14 times more bacteria than even a pet bowl.
So if you fall sick, it might be the water bottle and not necessarily the water.
To know more about this study, you can refer to: https://waterfilterguru.com/swabbing-water-bottles/
