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Are there toxins in water bottles?

Oh another question in the minds of thousands as they contemplate the scary and often tragic news they received via email.  Supposedly, according to research done by a University of Idaho student during the master’s thesis process, there is proof that plastic water bottles can breakdown into carcinogenic compounds when reused or frozen.  This information was supported in the thesis and then started making its way around the world via email.  According to one version of the email, repeated washing and reusing of plastic water bottles causes an element of the plastic called PET or polyethylene terephthalate to break down and release DEHA or diethylhydroxylamine, a carcinogen.  Water drinkers are encouraged to use water bottles only once or at least not more than a couple of days. 

Another version retells the story of a woman whose friend was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Apparently her doctor assured her that the cause was likely due to the carcinogenic elements that leached into her drinking water from the repeated use of disposable plastic water bottles.  This same story is told in yet another version where Sheryl Crow claims to have traced her breast cancer to plastic water  bottles as well. 

Have you heard this, received the email, repeated it or shared it with a loved one?  Did you mass forward the email to all of your friends?  Do you really believe this?  Some people do and have done one or all of the things I just suggested in order to share the word with others, but I hate to break the news to you, the rumor is likely false.  I’m a huge skeptic when it comes to stuff like this.  I head right over to Snopes if someone tells me a tragic story and wants me to modify my behavior in some way to stay out of danger.  There you will be able to find information on almost every mass email out there.  They’re not all false, but it’s better to check it out before forwarding it to everyone in your address book!

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Fastest Hot Water Bottle Burst

THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.The fastest time to blow-up a standard hot water bottle until it bursts is 52.68 sec, by Georges Christen of Luxembourg on the set of L'Émission des Records in Paris, France in December 2000.