Smartwater by Elizabeth Feins

I. Intro

There are over 100 brands of bottled water in the world. Some come from springs, others are fortified with vitamins, and a few add artificial ingredients for modest flavoring. Smartwater, however, insists its liquid is the healthiest bottled water to date. Created by Glacéau, Smartwater is vapor distilled and supplemented with electrolytes. This ensures a healthier drinking experience, as well as faster hydration.

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II. Background and Discovery

Fig 1: The Water Cycle

Invented in 1999, Smartwater is created by mimicking the earth’s water cycle (Fig 1). During this cycle, water droplets from oceans, rivers, and lakes evaporate into a gas and rise into the sky, leaving behind salt, dirt, and everything else that made it unfit to drink. The water vapor then condenses, forming clouds, and rains back down to earth. However, as it falls to the ground, it must pass through various pollutants emitted by cars, trains, airplanes, factories, etc. By the time it actually lands, a drop of water contains an enormous amount of pollution. 97% of the water found on earth is salty; 2% is trapped in glaciers and icecaps. Only 1% of all the water on earth is fresh, and every drop of it became contaminated when it fell to earth. Smartwater eliminates this contamination by vapor distillation, a method of purification that imitates the water cycle without adding the pollution.

In addition to purifying the water, Smartwater is also enhanced with electrolytes—liquid substances that, among other things, aid various bodily processes. Common electrolytes in the human body include sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. A major function of the electrolyte is maintaining the balance of fluids in the body. When you sweat, you lose electrolytes; this causes fluid levels to become unbalanced and potentially leads to dehydration. By adding electrolytes, Smartwater reduces the risk of dehydration.

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III. Biography of Investigator

J. Darius Bikoff, creator of Smartwater

J. Darius Bikoff grew up surrounded by beverages; his father owned a business that sold aluminum to soda companies to make cans for their drinks. Bikoff began working for the company when he was eleven, answering phones and doing various jobs, but by the time he was in college he was contacting European businessmen overseas to negotiate products. Immediately after graduating from college, Bikoff took over the company altogether. Under his instruction, the business soared, making over $300 million per year.

In 1993, a possible contamination of tap-water was reported in Bikoff’s neighborhood in New York City. To avoid the health risk, Bikoff decided to buy a large stockpile of bottled water. The caps on the bottles irritated him greatly. Bikoff was an avid cyclist, and it was difficult to unscrew the cap while riding a bike. In 1994, he invented the push-pull cap that made it easier to take a drink while exercising. The cap became extremely popular, and many other bottled water companies adopted the design.

The exercise enthusiasm also led Bikoff to create Smartwater. He knew that excessive exercise caused dehydration, but he was also aware that drinking too much mineral water could be dangerous—the minerals found in water are non-organic, and therefore a burden to the body. So Bikoff created water that did include organic substances: electrolytes that replaced the ones lost through exercise.

In addition to Smartwater, J. Darius Bikoff invented Vitaminwater and Fruit-Infused Water, which followed the same principle as Smartwater: H2O infused with organic, healthy substances.

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IV. Impact on Humanity

Action for Healthy Kids

Smartwater is one of the most popular brands of water in existence. The eye-catching labels explain the exact method by which Smartwater is purified, educating consumers about health and exercise. People swear they can taste the difference between Smartwater and other brands of bottled water; one woman tried watering her plant with it, and found that it made the flower bloom for the first time in five years. In addition to creating a healthier world, Smartwater donates a percentage of each sale to “Action for Healthy Kids,” a program that will adjust school environments to help kids exercise more and eat and drink well.

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V. Journal Article Review: Microbiological Safety of Natural Mineral Water

The article analyzes the composition of natural mineral water and explains different health hazards that can result from drinking too much of the substance. A distinct quality of natural mineral water is that it is, in fact, natural: it cannot be exposed to any type of decontamination that alters its biological components. If any minerals are extracted from the water, it is no longer truly natural. Certain laws require drinking water to undergo sanitation to remove pollutants. Minerals, however, are not considered pollutants because they are found in unpolluted groundwater, and are therefore allowed to stay.

While the minerals are natural, they aren’t necessarily good for human health. They’re made of metal and take a lot of effort to expunge from the body. They build up in the kidneys, and if too much mineral water enters the body in a short time, kidney failure can result. Mineral water may appear to be healthy, but there are much safer drinking options.

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Works Cited

"Glaceau Smartwater." Bottled Water Store Offers Unique Bottled Water,bottled Water News and Information,private and Custom Label Bottled Water. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://www.bottledwaterstore.com/smartwater.htm

"Is Mineral Water Harmful? - by Skien - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://www.helium.com/items/51503-is-mineral-water-harmful.

"J. Darius Bikoff Biography - Life, Family, Childhood, Children, Name, School, Young, Son - Newsmakers Cumulation." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2007-A-Co/Bikoff-J-Darius.html.

"Keeping Your Electrolytes in Balance." Exercise - Get Weight Loss Advice, Cardio and Strength Training Workouts, Information on How to Get Started and More. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://exercise.about.com/b/2010/08/13/keeping-your-electrolytes-in-balance.htm.

Kondolojy,, Amanda. "Definition of Vapor Distilled Water EHow.com." EHow How To Do Just About Everything! How To Videos & Articles. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://www.ehow.com/about_5128247_definition-vapor-distilled-water.html.

Leclerc, H. and Moreau, A. (2002), Microbiological safety of natural mineral water. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 26: 207–222. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2002.tb00611.x

McGuigan, Brendan. "What Is an Electrolyte?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Ed. Niki Foster. 15 Feb. 2011. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-electrolyte.htm.

"The Water Cycle." MBGnet. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/index.htm.