Why Shouldn't You Keep Bottled Water in the Car?
1 Answers
Keeping bottled water in the car can pose safety hazards. Generally, bottled water has an expiration period, typically one year for bottled mineral water. Bottled mineral water does not contain chlorine and lacks antibacterial properties. In the high temperatures of summer, it can take just a few hours for bacteria to multiply significantly. More details about keeping bottled water in the car are as follows: 1. Impact of high temperatures: When the trunk temperature exceeds 70°C, it can easily cause the one-year shelf life of bottled water to end prematurely. Normally, one cubic meter of air contains about 5,000 bacteria (not pathogenic bacteria), and over time, these bacteria can multiply and affect drinking water hygiene. Generally, opened bottled water will have bacteria levels exceeding safe limits after more than 48 hours. When temperatures exceed 70°C, the plastic bottle softens, making it easier for oxygen to penetrate the bottle and causing the water's shelf life to end prematurely. 2. Impact of sunlight: If bottled water is placed in direct sunlight inside the car, it can easily lead to an explosion. When sunlight passes through the car window and directly hits the bottle, the bottle acts like a convex lens, focusing the light. Combined with the already high temperature inside the car (around 70°C), the focused light spot from the bottle can reach temperatures of over 120°C, which can easily ignite other flammable materials and indirectly cause an explosion.
