Toxicity of water stored in polyethylene bottles

Media prepared with redistilled water which had been stored in polyethylene bottles never used for storing anything else was injurious for the growth of excised roots of Bryophyllum calycinum grown in glass. The toxic material was at least in part non-volatile and thermostable. In experiments in which plastic containers are used the effect of the plastic on the particular biological material should be examined for each stage in the experimental procedure where the plastic is used.