Drinking naturally carbonated mineral water was popular in Europe early in the 18th century. If bathing in natural mineral springs was therapeutic, it was surmised that drinking the bubbly mineral waters must be therapeutic as well. Carbonated mineral water was sought after for health, well-being, and refreshment. Today, these naturally carbonated mineral waters are still bottled and shipped from several points in Europe (and elsewhere).
For the carbon dioxide business in the 21st century, the real fun began during the latter half of the 18th century, when scientists made important progress in imitating naturally occurring carbonated mineral waters. In 1767, Englishman Joseph Priestley first discovered a method for infusing water with carbon dioxide (CO2) to make carbonated water. Later work by Bergman, Schweppe (yes, THAT Schweppe), and Jedlik contributed to the development of the carbonation process we use today.
Carbonation Contamination
A daily concern within the soft drink manufacturing industry is contamination of the finished product by aromatic hydrocarbons. This type of contamination is a direct result of the carbonation process, where the aromatic hydrocarbons are present in the liquid CO2 (LCO2) used. The International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) specification for aromatic hydrocarbons deals only with benzene, but other contaminants are also present.
The current specifications for benzene, as established by the World Health Organization and the US Food and Drug Administration, are 5 parts per billion (ppb) for bottled water and 10 ppb for drinking water. The ISBT has set a maximum limit of benzene in beveragegrade carbon dioxide at 20 ppb for soft drinks.
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