One potential source of pthalates is water consumed from plastic water bottles. But quantifying water consumption is not easy.
Consider your personal water consumption over the past 24 hours and contribute to the discussion; How many ounces of water did you consume?
How many of these were from plastic bottles?
Do you know if any of the bottles contained pthalates?
How confident are you in this self report?
If you were conducting a study, what might you do to make the measure of pthalate exposure more accurate?
Full Answer Section
- Measure the levels of pthalates in the water bottles. This would provide an estimate of the amount of pthalates that were consumed.
By taking these steps, it would be possible to get a more accurate measure of pthalate exposure from plastic water bottles.
Additionally, I would consider the following factors when designing a study to measure pthalate exposure from plastic water bottles:
- The age and sex of the participants. Phthalate exposure may vary depending on these factors.
- The location of the study. Phthalate exposure may vary depending on the location, due to differences in the types of plastics used and the environmental conditions.
- The duration of the study. Phthalate exposure may vary over time, so it is important to measure exposure over a long period of time.
By considering these factors, it would be possible to design a study that would provide more accurate and reliable results.
Sample Answer
I consumed about 128 ounces of water in the past 24 hours. Of those, 48 ounces were from plastic bottles. I do not know if any of the bottles contained pthalates. I am moderately confident in this self-report, as I am aware of the potential for miscounting or forgetting.
If I were conducting a study, I would do the following to make the measure of pthalate exposure more accurate:
- Use a method to quantify water consumption that is more accurate than self-report. This could involve using a water bottle with a built-in tracker, or using a method that measures water intake through urine or sweat.
- Collect data on the type of plastic used in the water bottles. This would help to determine the likelihood that the bottles contained pthalates.