STUDIES ON THE SAFETY OF WATER STORED IN HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE WATER BOTTLES

Studies were carried out to find out any possible safety hazard that m ay arise upon consumption of drinking water stored in high density pol yethylene water bottles due to leaching of some toxic compounds in the stored water during storage for 3 days. The albino rats were fed with such water up to a period of 6 months spread over two generations. No significant difference in body weight, food consumption, feed efficie ncy ratio and organ to body weight ratio was observed in both the gene rations, as compared to the control group. The data indicate safety of such stored water, and the results are of specific importance to the personnel from Defence Services, as they have to depend on such water under the operational conditions, because of the lack of facilities to get fresh water at operation locations.