Can Water Be Stored in the Trunk?
1 Answers
Excluding the additional load weight from water that may increase fuel consumption, water can indeed be stored in the trunk without posing any harm to human health. However, prolonged storage may affect its taste. Additional Information: 1. Scientific Theory: Professor Jiang Pingping from the School of Chemical and Materials Engineering at Jiangnan University stated that PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles for bottled water generally do not contain plasticizers due to the manufacturing process of PET. The stability of PET is determined by the degree of polymerization of the material. Typically, PET remains very safe at temperatures below 120°C. Since car interiors obviously do not reach such high temperatures, the claim that storing mineral water in the trunk produces toxic substances lacks scientific basis. 2. Precautions: The production standards for mineral water bottles are very strict. Previous experiments by experts have shown that even after prolonged boiling, the release of harmful substances like formaldehyde from these bottles is far below national standards. However, at temperatures exceeding 80°C, plastic bottles may soften, and the bottled water may oxidize, inevitably affecting its taste. Short-term storage is acceptable, but long-term storage of mineral water in the car trunk is not recommended.
