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I've heard that handling ultra pure water, can cause acid like burns due to water drawing out chemicals from the skin. I heard it from a bio PHD, and can't find any evidence googling it now.


This one is new to me - even more stupid than the drinking myth if that is even possible.


Well, it might have an element of truth. It is Hydric Acid, after all.

It is fairly well known that water will dry out the skin by leeching the oils.

(edit: and when I say element I mean microscopic element)


Actually most water is a dilute solution of carbolic acid with a pH around 5.5 because of the dissolved CO2 in the water.

This sometimes catches people out when they use pure water to store something like DNA which will breakdown over time at this pH. It is in theory why you should use a buffer like Tris/ETDA to store DNA. I have found that storing DNA for a short time in water is normally OK, but if you want to keep the DNA for more than a month it is a good idea to use a buffer.


You probably mean carbonic acid. Carbolic acid is an organic compound also known as phenol.




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