The Oasis Foundation and H2O Essential™*
The Oasis Foundation is devoted to improving the quality of daily life for the world's underprivileged, most of who struggle with health deficiencies associated with malnutrition and an inadequate supply of safe drinking water. To assist in accomplishing that goal, the Oasis Foundation developed an alliance with Bond Technology Systems, Inc. and acquired the opportunity to distribute H
2O Essential. H
2O Essential employs a proprietary formulating technique that features the unique benefits of the essential mineral copper (Cu) as both a dietary and a microbiastatic supplement when added to water.
The Cu ion is essential to many normal biochemical processes in the human body. It must be obtained either through a healthy diet or through supplementation because it is not synthesized when needed. Cu is essential to humans in the development of hemoglobin for the transfer of oxygen, the generation of energy through anaerobic oxidation, normal reproduction, proper nervous system and immune system performance and the formation of connective tissues. The adult RDI (recommended daily intake) for Cu is 2mg and the RDI for children is 1-2mg. One serving of H
2O ESSENTIAL provides approximately half of the RDI for Cu in each liter of supplemented water.
The Cu ion is essential in the metabolic processes and cellular functions of most bacteria and other microorganisms however, becomes toxic when the organisms levels of tolerance are exceeded. This toxicity is generally due to the Cu ion's effect on enzyme-catalyzed steps in their metabolic and reproductive cycles. These anti-microbial effects have been demonstrated on many aquatic microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, algae and single cell organisms. H
2O ESSENTIAL provides a stabilized Cu ion solution with an enhanced anti-microbial efficacy when utilized to supplement water.
Therefore, the benefits of H
2O ESSENTIAL as a nutritional supplement and bacteriastat in water are significant. It provides:
- Approximately one-half of the RDI of the essential mineral Cu per liter of water.
- A stable Cu ion in varying water chemistries.
- Anti-bacterial action when these microorganisms initiate growth phases in water.
- Residual stability in water thereby affording anti-microbial actions when cross-contamination occurs.
- Anti-microbial actions at 1.0ppm (parts per million) concentration in water. It is significant to note that this level is below the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum allowed levels (MAL) of 1.33ppm and the World Health Organization (WHO) MAL of 2.0ppm.
It is significant to understand that H
2O Essential is not an oxidant as is chlorine, but achieves its bacterial kill kinetics via the microbes' metabolic processes. The bacteriastatic action of H
2O Essential in water is demonstrated in the tables below.
Table I. The Kill Kinetics of H2O Essential on Colonies of Escherichia coliDemonstrating Different Growth Rates **
| Growth Rate |
Log Reduction |
Percent Kill |
| Active |
3.42 |
99.96% |
| Vigorous |
6.41 |
99.99996% |
Table I illustrates the bacteriastatic action of H
2O ESSENTIAL when colonies of
Escherichia coli, experiencing different growth rates, were dispersed in standard hard water (400ppm Ca/Mg) containing 1.0ppm H
2O Essential and exposed for three hours. The kill kinetics H
2O Essential accomplished on both colonies of
E. coli exceeded 99.95%, with the higher rate of 99.99996% accomplished among the vigorously growing colonies. The presence of
E. coli in water indicates the occurrence of fecal contamination and identifies an inefficient water treatment and disinfection system. Water intended for human consumption should not contain these or any other pathogenic bacteria. The significance of the data in Table I are: 1) bacteriastatic efficacy in water with chemistry that negatively effects the stability and efficacy of standard Cu solutions, 2) bacteriastatic kill rates correlating to bacterial growth rates and 3) residual bacteriastatic efficacy demonstrated by Cu ion stability, kill kinetics related to growth rates and time of exposure.
Table II. The Kill Kinetics of H2O Essential on Selected Water Borne Pathogens **
| Organism |
Escherichia coli |
Vibrio cholera |
Salmonella cholerasuis |
Camphylobacteria jejuni |
| Log Reduction |
6.4 |
4.0 |
5.0 |
6.0 |
| Kill Rate % |
99.9999 |
99.9882 |
99.9996 |
99.9999 |
Table II further illustrates the significant bacteriastatic actions of H
2O Essential. Log reductions ³ 4.0 and kill rates exceeding 99.95% were accomplished against the common water borne pathogens
Escherichia coli,
Vibrio cholera,
Salmonella cholerasuis and
Camphylobacter jejuni when the organisms were exposed to a 1.0ppm solution of H
2O Essential for three hours in water.
In summary, H
2O Essential is a nutritional supplementation of Cu when added to drinking water, and as significantly, is an effective residual bacteriastat. H
2O Essential affords consumer protection when drinking water is obtained from sources with inadequate disinfection and/or exposed to bacterial cross contamination during delivery and storage.
Significant Factors Regarding H2O Essential The formulating of H
2O Essential employs a proprietary technique and the use of copper sulfate pentahydrate ( CuSO4o5H20) as the Cu ion source. The following are significant factors to understand regarding the consumption of Cu and the utilization of H
2O Essential:
- The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states under
- 21 CFR § 184.1 that substances added directly to human food must be affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
- 21 CFR § 184.1261 the approval of CuSO4o5H2O as a GRAS list ingredient.
- 21 CFR § 170.3(oX20) the recognition of CuSO4o5H20 as a GRAS list ingredient when used as or in a nutrient supplement.
- Typically used in multi-vitamins and infant formula.
- The recommended daily intake of Cu is 2mg for adults and 1-2mg for children.
- One serving of H2O Essential, one drop in two liters of water, a 1ppm Cu solution, provides approximately half of the recommended daily intake of Cu per liter of supplemented water.
- U.S. EPA maximum allowed level of Cu in drinking water is 1.33ppm and the WHO maximum allowed level of Cu in drinking water is 2.00ppm.
- H2O Essential is convenient and easy to utilize as a supplement in drinking water.
- Provided in a screw capped 30ml dropper bottle, sufficient to supplement the drinking water of a family of four for approximately three months.
- H2O Essential as a drinking water supplement provides:
- A nutritional supplement for Cu.
- Consumer assurance when drinking water is obtained from sources with inadequate disinfection and/or exposure to bacterial cross contamination during delivery and storage.
To learn more about our partnership with H2O Essential™ click below to watch an 8-minute video.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
** Reported by Dr. Richard A. Robison, Department of Microbiology, Brigham Young University
©Bond Technology Systems, Inc. January 2000.
