Scientist Checks Evian Purified Drinking Water Under a Microscope — the Results Were as Expected

Safe drinking water has become a worldwide public health concern. From the most developed to the economically poor, every nation in the world is struggling to supply pure drinking water that is fit for consumption. While malpractices like pollution and unsustainable use of water are rampant, depleting groundwater levels have resulted in global water scarcity. Recognizing this as a business opportunity, some brands have promised their products provide clean and purified water free from contaminants. However, a TikTok page named Tiny World Lens (@tiny.world.lens) tested a water purified water sample under the microscope, and the results are awry. 

In the viral video with 268,000 likes, a scientist tested an Evian Natural Mineral Water sample under the microscope. When magnified to 40x, round formations that were immobile were observed. The transparent spots with dark edges were prominent at 100x. However, when magnified to 400x, the spots appeared more detailed, with fainter and smaller round formations inside them. “Would you dare to drink purified water magnified by 400 times under a microscope?” the post’s caption read. People reacted to the water sample test with a mix of insights. 

“According to the microscope, everything is dirty,” wrote @sly.poopo7 while @laurenbaily54 opined, “That’s better than tap water and rain water.” “That’s why I don’t drink microscope,” mused @duranofficial1. People were not convinced by the video’s dramatic impression of the water sample. Most suggested there was nothing to worry about, as the observations vaguely showed what could be air bubbles. “Hate to break it to you, but those are air bubbles,” said @cornchunk. “Nothing is okay with your microscope,” wrote @dread_s1. A comment by a biology student (@min_gen) explained, “Biology student here, that’s water droplets and dust. Nothing dirty in the water, probably the lens.” 

While bottled water is generally considered safer to drink than tap water, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforces safety regulations and requires manufacturers to protect water sources, test water, and follow the guidelines during processing and bottling, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA standards for safe drinking water also mandate that companies protect the bottled water from germs and chemicals. However, there have been several cases where consumers have reported off-taste or foul odor from popular bottled water brands sold at leading grocery stores and retailers. 

According to Business Insider, bottled water also has an expiration date. However, the FDA has made it legal to sell expired bottled water for years because the body thinks water can last indefinitely. Water may go bad only when it is stored improperly and may get toxic or contaminated over time. When stored at high temperatures or in unhygienic environments, bottled water may get stale as the bottle deteriorates and chemicals leach into the water. Food chemist and author of ‘150 Food Science Questions Answered’, Bryan Quoc Le, said the leaching may make the water taste like medicine, chlorine, or even ozone. Bottled water is made of PET bottles, also harmful to the environment, and release chemicals, making the water toxic and unfit for human consumption. 

You can follow @tiny.world.lens on TikTok for more videos.