The Sweetest of All Lakes

December 16, 2013 • City, Health

If you’re looking for a quick sugar fix and happen to be in the area of Ontario’s Grand River, then cup your hands together and dip them into the lake for a sweet gulp.

According to research done by Environment Canada and the University of Waterloo, record levels of acesulfame, sucralose, saccharin and cyclamate were discovered in the Grand River. These artificial sweeteners are most commonly found in diet soda and toothpaste. The river is now said to be “the highest reported concentration of these compounds in surface waters to date anywhere in the world.”

It isn’t all bad news though. According to a 2011 study done by Arizona State University, acesulfame isn’t easily broken down, which makes it the perfect marker for scientists to track where waste water is coming from.

Little is known about the effects of sweeteners on lake life. One thing is for sure though, the residents of Branford, Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo currently have the sweetest tap water around.

http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/4448501/

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