A Pharmacist has cautioned Nigerians against drinking water (sachet, bottled and dispensing jugs) and soft drinks that are kept under the sun, saying that this could be detrimental to their health.
Pharmacist Rotkang Okunlola, a lecturer at the University of Jos, gave the caution in an interview with newsmen.
According to her, when water becomes hot, most plastic items release tiny amount of chemicals into the beverages or water inside them.
“As water get hot, the chemical bonds in the plastic increasingly break down and chemicals are more likely to seep into the content,” the pharmacist said.
Although Okunlola said that the amount of the chemicals that entered the content could be too little to cause immediate health problems, she, however, added that the long-term effects of consuming drinks or water with small doses of plastics could cause serious health challenges.
She said that antimony was used to manufacture the plastics, adding that when such plastics were kept under the sun, the antimony seeps into the content and could be toxic in high doses.
The pharmacist further explained that when the plastic contents built up in the body, it could be very hazardous and detrimental to health and could cause various incurable ailments.
She advised that all consumables, especially those in plastic containers, should not be kept directly under the sun, as this could lead to various chemical reactions in the content.
Okunola also advised that such items be kept in cool places, away from strong odours or anything that could contaminate them.
She advised Nigerians to always insist on purchasing soft drinks and water that were well kept. (NAN)
