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You’ll never again look at a rubber duck in the same way!

Credits: Eawag

Rubber ducks may look sweet and innocent, but beneath their icy smile lies a terrible secret: their insides are filthy, full of bacteria and fungus that could make you sick. 

At least this is what was shown in a study run by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) and the University of Illinois (United States). Bath toys are infested with bacteria and fungus that flourish inside them, on their damp inner walls. The study, published in the journal Nature Biofilms and Microbiomes, estimate that we can find between 5 and 75 million cells per centimeter squared on the internal surfaces of bath toys that have been used for a mere 11 weeks.

Over 80% of the toys studied also contained elevated levels of harmful bacteria such as Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pathogens which could land you or your children in hospital. 60% of the toys tested also contained species of fungi. “Mouldy bath toys are widely discussed in online forums and blogs, but they have received little scientific attention to date”, explains Dr. Frederik Hammes in a communication, the supervisor of the main author of the study.

Credits: Pixabay / skeeze

The risks associated with these kinds of toys are relatively minimal, and certainly not fatal. As many parents and doctors will tell you, exposing your children to germs and a little dirt helps them develop a more robust immune system. However, the researchers add that children with weaker immune systems could be in danger if they come into contact (especially facial contact) with the harmful substances contained in the toys. “This could strengthen the immune system, which would be positive, but it can also result in eye, ear, or even gastrointestinal infections.”

The researchers insist that the best solution is not to remove the toys from the bath, nor to ban them from being sold. It is more so to put pressure on manufacturers to get them to use better quality polymers, which goes for bath toys as well as any other plastic objects that are stored in the bathroom.

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