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Is It Safe to Drink Water From Tennis Ball Containers?
The Physician and Sportsmedicine
|July 15, 2016
Summary
Plastic tennis ball containers are sterile but may leach chemicals. Rinsing these containers before drinking water use is recommended to minimize exposure to low levels of toluene, trichloroethane, and thiocyanic acid.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Food Safety
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Plastic containers are commonly reused for beverages.
- Potential chemical leaching from plastics into drinking water is a concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the safety of plastic tennis ball containers as drinking water receptacles.
- To identify any chemical contaminants leached from the containers.
Main Methods:
- Three brands of plastic tennis ball containers were tested.
- Containers were cultured for sterility (bacteria, viruses).
- Water samples were analyzed for organic compounds over 20 hours.
Main Results:
- Containers were found to be sterile.
- Low levels of toluene, trichloroethane, and thiocyanic acid were detected in the water.
- Detected chemical levels were below toxic thresholds.
Conclusions:
- While sterile, tennis ball containers can leach trace amounts of organic compounds.
- Thoroughly rinsing containers before reuse is advised for tennis players to ensure water safety.
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