SURVEY ON THE QUALITY OF BOTTLED NATURAL DRINKING WATER

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the physicochemical and microbiological quality of bottled drinking water (BDW) brands which available in retail shops in Egypt comparing to those of drinking water standards. Various physicochemical parameters [pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), hardness, alkalinity, chloride, sulfate, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, magnesium as well as fluoride] and microbiological analysis [total bacterial count (TBC), E. coli and Pseudomonas sp.] were considered. The changes of physicochemical and microbiological properties were recorded when the BDW was exposured to sunlight for 20 days or when stored at different temperatures for 30 days. In another side, the study deals with the suitability of using moringa seeds powder (MSP) as natural environmentally friend, alone and in combination with calcium hypochlorite Ca(OCl)2 for remediation of contaminated well water. So, the obtained results could be summarized as follows: Part I 1. General analysis of collected bottled drinking water (BDW) at zero time ● Conductivity was not given on the label either in Egyptian or world standards in spite of such parameter was related to calculation of TDS as: TDS = EC x 0.45 such parameter was varied between investigated brands, it ranged between 195 to 743µs/cm giving parallel relationship with TDS content. It is of interest to notice that the lower the TDS content, the higher the quality of BDW. ● pH value should be ranged between 6.5-9.5 or between 6.5-8.5. Data obtained from analysis assured such regulation either in Egyptian or universal ones. pH values were ranged between 7.80-8.10. ● Turbidity gave all values less than 1 (NTU) which are in line with those of ESS (1 NTU) or WHO (5 NTU). While, the IBWA reported that such parameter should be 0.5 NTU which goes in parallel with the results except in two brands that was 0.72 and 0.78 NTU. ● According to various standards, only WHO standard reported that alkalinity should be 200 PPm as CaCO3 which agree with alkalinity values that ranged between 56 to 156 PPm in different investigated brands. ● All of investigated minerals and/or salts agree with the permissible levels that reported by either Egyptian or universal standards. In case of nitrite content (most of brands) and manganese (just in three brands), the measured levels were higher than those of reported ones in Egyptian and universal standards.