While the team found no sweeteners in the remote alpine lake, levels of acesulfame increased proportionately in bodies of water as nearby human population sizes went up. The sweetener also showed up in 65 out of 100 groundwater samples and even made its way in small amounts into tap water, suggesting that acesulfame remains stable as it moves with wastewater. Levels were too low to be of concern to human health and far too low to make the affected water taste sweet. But the fact that acesulfame is easily detected in groundwater makes it a promising tool for determining whether contamination comes from domestic sources, Buerge said. "We basically proved," he said, "that these sweeteners can be used quantitatively as a marker." One thing that scientists still don't know is whether acesulfame has any impact on fish or the environment. Those tests haven't yet been done. Related Links: Treehugger: Splenda Persists in Water |
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