Comparing The pH Of Human Skin To The pHs Of Different Water Treatments

Abstract

The pH of multiple water treatments were tested to determine which was closest to the pH of human skin. Water pH and its effects on human health is a growing area of interest for consumers and scientists. Studies have identified that the average pH range of skin is below 5 which can be altered by the water that is consumed or used (Kulthanan et al., 2013; Lambers et al., 2006). This experiment tested 3 different water treatments, tap water, alkaline water, and distilled water, and used 3 different pH indicators, red cabbage, red apple skins, and blueberries. It was hypothesized that if the pH indicators are accurate then the pH of distilled water would be closest to the pH of skin because distilled water is studied to have a pH closest to the pH of skin (Kulthanan et al., 2013). Using household items and cooking techniques, it was determined that  neither of the water treatments have a pH similar to the pH of skin.