To no one’s surprise, drinking water from a sun-heated plastic bottle is harmful. For decades we have thought that ingesting water from that reheated bottle that has been in the car for days is bad, and we were right; however, science has finally shown why. It is because sunlight and ultraviolet radiation cause the bottle to release toxic components that are harmful in the long term. It won’t hurt you to take a sip, but don’t do it regularly.
Toxic compounds evaporate
A study by Jinan University (China) exposed up to six types of plastic bottles to the sun, with its ultraviolet A radiation and light. This caused the bottles to release vital organic compounds (VOCs), which are substances that evaporate at low temperatures, basically at room temperature. VOCs in bottles are harmful substances, such as methylbenzene, dodecanal, alkanes, or acids, that come from fuels, paints, or cleaning products.
In any case, it is important to note that drinking from a bottle exposed to the sun is harmful if it is done constantly. You’ll be happy to take a sip or drink a whole bottle of sun at the pool, beach, or car, other than having to drink hot water. What you should not allow is for it to become a habit. In addition, it is not useful to cool the bottle or reuse it after it has been heated, since the compounds have already been released and will remain there even if it cools down.
If you go on an excursion to the beach, swimming pool or wherever this summer, we recommend using stainless steel canteens, as they do not degrade like plastic bottles do. You can also use glass bottles, but be careful, because they break easily. In addition, it is not the best for the environment either.
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