Maintaining Drinking Water Higienity, UI Researches The Effectiveness Of Bottle Seals On Debu And Microba Contamination

JAKARTA - Cleaning bottled drinking water is an important concern, especially in the long distribution process and often involves exposure to the open environment.

In an effort to maintain the quality and hygiene of drinking water, the University of Indonesia (UI) through the Special Work Unit (UKK) of the Applied Science Laboratory (LST), the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), conducted research on the effectiveness of bottle sealing in preventing the entry of contaminants from outside.

The study, entitled 'Influencer of the Bottle Cover on the Resilience of the Exposure to Dust and Microba' was led by the Head of the UI FMIPA Chemical Laboratory, Agustino.

He explained that although bottled drinking water (AMDK) is processed with strict industrial standards, the potential for contamination remains when the product is outside the factory, especially during storage and distribution.

"Debu and microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Asjavellus niger can survive on the surface of dead objects for several days. So, the risk of microbial entry into bottles without maximum protection is quite high," said Agustino in an official statement at the UI Depok Campus, as quoted by ANTARA.

Research is conducted with two approaches. First, simulations of real conditions in the field such as in stalls, minimarkets, and terminals. Second, extreme testing in laboratories, where bottled water bottles of certain brands measuring 600ml are exposed to dust and microorganisms for 1 to 6 hours.

After that, the team examined the cap and neck of the bottle to measure the level of dust particles, bacteria, and fungi attached either to bottles that were wearing seal or not.

The results are quite significant. In extreme laboratory testing, the branded drinking water bottle seal proved to be able to reduce dust exposure by up to 80%, the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria by 97%, and the Asjalanllus niger mushrooms by 90%.

Even in real-state testing such as shops and terminals, the protection of the seal was able to prevent contamination up to 100%. The results of this study prove the reliability of bottle-covered protective seal technology to prevent drinking water from being contaminated.