BACKGROUND: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have increased susceptibility to irritants. Some patients have questions about types of water for bathing or skin cleansing. OBJECTIVE: We studied the pH of water from various sources to give an overview for physicians to recommend patients with AD. METHODS: Water from various sources was collected for measurement of the pH using a pH meter and pH-indicator strips. RESULTS: Bottled drinking still water had pH between 6.9 and 7.5 while the sparkling type had pH between 4.9 and 5.5. Water derived from home water filters had an approximate pH of 7.5 as same as tap water. Swimming pool water had had pH between 7.2 and 7.5 while seawater had a pH of 8. Normal saline and distilled water had pH of 5.4 and 5.7, respectively. Facial mineral water had pH between 7.5 and 8, while facial makeup removing water had an acidic pH. CONCLUSION: Normal saline, distilled water, bottled sparkling water and facial makeup removing water had similar pH to that of normal skin of normal people. However, other factors including benefits of mineral substances in the water in terms of bacteriostatic and anti-inflammation should be considered in the selection of cleansing water.
Baths ; Carbonated Water ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Drinking ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Irritants ; Mineral Waters ; Miners ; Seawater ; Skin ; Swimming Pools ; Thiram ; Water

We are calling the erupting ground water as drug water or mineral water in Korea and thinking those water and food making water. Authors tried to investigate the evidence of contamination by user on the 10 erupting ground water and gained following results: 1. All of the mineral waters on 10 area in Seoul were unfittable to drinking water standard. 2. In the view of the bacteriology 80% were contaminated by coliform group. 3. The highest value of the free carbon dioxide contents were 652.96 ppm at Sam Sun Mineral Water.
Bacteriology ; Carbon Dioxide ; Drinking Water ; Groundwater ; Korea ; Mineral Waters* ; Seoul* ; Solar System ; Thinking ; Water

The consumption of low mineral drinking water has been increasing around the world with the shortage of water resources and the development of advanced water treatment technologies. Evidences from systematic document reviews, ecological epidemiological observations, and experimental drinking water intervention studies indicate that lack of minerals in drinking water may cause direct or indirect harm to human health, among which, the associations of magnesium in water with cardiovascular disease, as well as calcium in water with osteoporosis, are well proved by sufficient evidence. This article points out that it is urgent to pay more attention to the issues about establishment of health risk evaluation system on susceptible consuming population, establishment of lab evaluation system on water quality and health effect for non-traditional drinking water, and program of safety mineralization for demineralized or desalinated water and so on.
Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Magnesium ; Mineral Waters ; Osteoporosis ; Risk Assessment ; Water Purification ; Water Supply

OBJECTIVES: Although water is essential for life and can supply essential minerals, studies that evaluate calcium intake through drinking water are limited. The aim of this study was to assess calcium contents of natural mineral water (NMW) and its possible contribution to calcium intake in healthy adults. METHODS: This study examined water consumption in 640 Korean adults with selfselected diet, analyzed the calcium content of 10 different brands of bottled NMWs sold in Korea, and assessed the amount of calcium intake from drinking water and its daily contribution to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of calcium. RESULTS: Mean calcium content in 10 bottled NMWs was 20.9 mg/l. Daily water intakes from food composition database and calculated using energy intake based on 0.53 ml/kcal were 957.2 ml and 1109.8 ml for men and 848.3 ml and 951.6 ml for women, respectively, with a significant difference by gender (p < 0.001). Daily drinking water intake was significantly higher among men than women (1203.9 ml vs. 1004.3 ml, respectively, p < 0.001). Daily calcium intakes from foods were 564.0 mg for men and 534.2 mg for women. Daily possible calcium intakes from drinking bottled water were 25.2 mg for men and 21.0 mg for women (p < 0.001). The contribution of daily calcium intake from drinking bottled water to RNI of calcium was 3.3% for men and 2.9% for women without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: One half of the daily total water intake was consumed as drinking water, and possible calcium intake through drinking water was about 3% of RNI.
Adult ; Calcium ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Drinking ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Miners ; Water

OBJECTIVES: Although water is essential for life and can supply essential minerals, studies that evaluate calcium intake through drinking water are limited. The aim of this study was to assess calcium contents of natural mineral water (NMW) and its possible contribution to calcium intake in healthy adults. METHODS: This study examined water consumption in 640 Korean adults with selfselected diet, analyzed the calcium content of 10 different brands of bottled NMWs sold in Korea, and assessed the amount of calcium intake from drinking water and its daily contribution to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of calcium. RESULTS: Mean calcium content in 10 bottled NMWs was 20.9 mg/l. Daily water intakes from food composition database and calculated using energy intake based on 0.53 ml/kcal were 957.2 ml and 1109.8 ml for men and 848.3 ml and 951.6 ml for women, respectively, with a significant difference by gender (p < 0.001). Daily drinking water intake was significantly higher among men than women (1203.9 ml vs. 1004.3 ml, respectively, p < 0.001). Daily calcium intakes from foods were 564.0 mg for men and 534.2 mg for women. Daily possible calcium intakes from drinking bottled water were 25.2 mg for men and 21.0 mg for women (p < 0.001). The contribution of daily calcium intake from drinking bottled water to RNI of calcium was 3.3% for men and 2.9% for women without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: One half of the daily total water intake was consumed as drinking water, and possible calcium intake through drinking water was about 3% of RNI.
Adult ; Calcium ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Drinking ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Miners ; Water

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dry syrups on bovine tooth surfaces. METHODS: Each specimen of the extracted bovine teeth enamel was treated with two types of dry syrup (experimental group), mineral water (negative control group), and liquid syrup (positive control group) (n=12 per group). The specimens were immersed for 1, 5, and 10 minutes and subsequently analyzed for surface microhardness changes using a Vickers hardness tester. RESULTS: The surface microhardness of sound enamel decreased as the immersion time increased. In addition, the microhardness difference (ΔVHN) among the groups after immersion for 10 minutes in both liquid syrup and two types of dry syrup was higher than that after immersion in mineral water (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the liquid syrup group and the two dry syrup groups (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups of dry syrup (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results imply the erosive potential of dry syrup on tooth surfaces. The longer the contact time with teeth, greater is the risk of dental erosion. Therefore, it is recommended that the mouth be rinsed with water after drinking the syrup.
Dental Enamel ; Drinking ; Hardness Tests ; Immersion ; Mineral Waters ; Mouth ; Tooth ; Water

Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Adolescent ; Child ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mineral Waters ; Minerals ; Schools ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Water Supply

To measure the mutagenic activity of micro-organic pollutants in drinking water, mutagenic test was conducted using Salmnella typhimurium TA 98 strain on the water sample taken from three water supply station and six tap water in Seoul in July and November 1987. The results were as follows : 1. The average amounts of organic matters in raw, treated, and tap water sampled in July were 0.38mg/l, 0.28mg/l, and 0.45mg/l, respectively, and sampled in November were 0.34mg/l, 0.24mg/l, and 0.22mg/l, respectively. The amount of organic matters of tap water sampled in November did not increase while that of tap water sampled in July increased compare to those of raw or treated water. 2. The amount of organic matters is the highest in neutral fraction compare to acidic and basic fractions. 3. In the five out of six tap water and raw water of Paldang and Kuui station sampled in July, the mutagenic ratios were greater than two (both direct and indirect mutagenicity). 4. In the three out six tap water and raw and treated water of Kuui station sampled in November, the mutagenic ratios were greater than two. 5. While mutagenic were low in acidic and basic fraction, they were high in neutral fraction. The samples which had high mutagenic activity in the total amount also showed high mutagenic activity in neutral fraction. 6. While mutagenic activity was decreased after the treatment of water, it was increased in tap water as the distance from the water supply station increases.
Drinking Water* ; Drinking* ; Seoul* ; Water ; Water Supply

BACKGROUND: The treatment of different skin conditions with spa waters is a long tradition dating back to at least late Hellenism. Interestingly, independent scientific examinations studying the effect of spa waters are scarce. OBJECTIVE: In the present in vitro study, we compared the effect of culture media supplemented with (a) thermal spa waters (La Roche-Posay, Avene) and (b) two natural mineral drinking waters (Heppinger, Adelholzener) on physiological parameters in HaCaT keratinocytes. METHODS: The different medium preparations were investigated with regard to cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, the impact on inflammation parameters with and without ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation was examined. RESULTS: Two popular thermal spring waters were found to suppress cell proliferation and cell damage. Moreover, these waters reversed the induction of interleukin-6, as measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and promoter transactivation, and the formation of reactive oxygen species after UVB stimulation. Of note, the two natural mineral waters, which are distributed as drinking waters, had some effect on the above-mentioned parameters but to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results show that spa waters, and particularly those derived from thermal springs, reduce parameters associated with inflammation. It seems likely that trace elements such as selenium and zinc are critical for the observed effects.
Cell Proliferation ; Culture Media ; Drinking ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans* ; Inflammation* ; Interleukin-6 ; Keratinocytes* ; Mineral Waters ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Selenium ; Skin ; Trace Elements ; Transcriptional Activation ; Water* ; Zinc

The information of species and quantity of enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water is important in helping understand the pathogenesis of viruses, providing information about health and hygiene, improving handling technique of drinking water, and establishing the standards of water quality. Using standard total culturable virus assay-most probable number (TCVA-MPN) method, we tried to detect infectious enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water samples that were collected and evaluated according to the information collection rule (ICR). The results obtained with TCVA method were compared to the results from both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and integrated cell culture-RT-PCR (ICC-RT-PCR) method. Five of 86 samples (5.8%) were positive as determined by the TCVA-MPN method. Two of 86 samples (2.3%) were positive for reovirus as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR, and contained infectious reovirus. One of 86 samples (1.7%) was positive for coxsackievirus type B3 as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR.
Drinking Water ; Hygiene ; Water Quality ; Water*