As I was writing and re-writing my thesis, fiddling with the mineral
water bottle, seemed to be my only distraction. (Internet stops working
at 12 and there are 2 more hours to 5am when internet would resume).
Presence of green algae (my subject of research) had been growing in the
water cans and not wanting to have them beyond my lab time, I had
decided to buy mineral water bottles.
Back to my fiddling with the bottle, did I realize that it seemed to have an unnecessary extra amount of plastic in the form of the band proudly proclaiming out the brand name. I decided to delve further into the colourful band on the transparent bottle, since I needed a very important info regarding the date of manufacturing. I wanted to make sure that my sense of consumer awareness be satiated. I know that most people would never go about bothering the expiry/manufacturing date on a mineral water bottle, when all they care would be for a "seemingly hygiene" gulp.
Given my joblessness, and the time of the day, I decided to read further through the ad-band. It had the name of the brand, a refreshing hi-def picture of water splashing against itself, address of the manufacturing unit, expiry date, volume, ISI certification, batch number, warning to crush the bottle after use (of which I had made a personal mental note), some nutritional info and finally the processes which this water has gone through. I was wondering as to how many consumers would be knowing these details and how many would ever care to. Then it dawned on me that I very well understand these processes and the nutritional info: a deadly combination for my own senses.
It mentioned ozonization and addition of minerals like magnesium and potassium and I know not what else. These two together rang a knell in my head. Ozone, metals and water under the excess of temperature, pressure etc. are the best combo to generate free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can have severe detrimental effects to human body. Almost all the new range of oral and topical medicines run with the tagline that they are loaded with antioxidants to tackle the ROS that might harm their potential customers. OMG!!! so much is going on against ROS and here we are being given ROS to drink, neatly packaged and pricey. This just seems outrageous!!!
I know, some of you who work with ROS would prefer to differ on this saying that ROS need not be generated and if at all generated, have a very short life-time; but think of it. What if all the temperature variations and pressure that they are subjected to lead to some chain reactions and keep them going on till it reaches your hands???
Bottomline: we might be carrying a potential disaster, misinterpreting it to be an elixir
P.S. this should not bother anyone who has no clue of ROS and is expected to be a funny read for those who think they know ROS. This could very well be the product of my mind feasting over my thesis, that has only ROS and stress for the "n"th time.
Back to my fiddling with the bottle, did I realize that it seemed to have an unnecessary extra amount of plastic in the form of the band proudly proclaiming out the brand name. I decided to delve further into the colourful band on the transparent bottle, since I needed a very important info regarding the date of manufacturing. I wanted to make sure that my sense of consumer awareness be satiated. I know that most people would never go about bothering the expiry/manufacturing date on a mineral water bottle, when all they care would be for a "seemingly hygiene" gulp.
Given my joblessness, and the time of the day, I decided to read further through the ad-band. It had the name of the brand, a refreshing hi-def picture of water splashing against itself, address of the manufacturing unit, expiry date, volume, ISI certification, batch number, warning to crush the bottle after use (of which I had made a personal mental note), some nutritional info and finally the processes which this water has gone through. I was wondering as to how many consumers would be knowing these details and how many would ever care to. Then it dawned on me that I very well understand these processes and the nutritional info: a deadly combination for my own senses.
It mentioned ozonization and addition of minerals like magnesium and potassium and I know not what else. These two together rang a knell in my head. Ozone, metals and water under the excess of temperature, pressure etc. are the best combo to generate free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can have severe detrimental effects to human body. Almost all the new range of oral and topical medicines run with the tagline that they are loaded with antioxidants to tackle the ROS that might harm their potential customers. OMG!!! so much is going on against ROS and here we are being given ROS to drink, neatly packaged and pricey. This just seems outrageous!!!
I know, some of you who work with ROS would prefer to differ on this saying that ROS need not be generated and if at all generated, have a very short life-time; but think of it. What if all the temperature variations and pressure that they are subjected to lead to some chain reactions and keep them going on till it reaches your hands???
Bottomline: we might be carrying a potential disaster, misinterpreting it to be an elixir
P.S. this should not bother anyone who has no clue of ROS and is expected to be a funny read for those who think they know ROS. This could very well be the product of my mind feasting over my thesis, that has only ROS and stress for the "n"th time.
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