Chemical Evaluation of Commercial Bottled Drinking Water from Egypt

Abstract

Inorganic constituents and trihalomethanes were analyzed in five major brands of commercial bottled water currently used by many Egyptians and tourists visiting Egypt. The inorganic analysis included determination of both anion and cation species. Trihalomethanes analysis included the determination of chloroform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane. For the purpose of comparison, selected samples of tap water and rain water from Cairo and Giza were also analyzed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) was used for the analysis of elements including heavy metals. Ion chromatography (IC) was used for the analysis of anions. Ion selective electrodes (ISE) were used for measuring physical constants and for the analysis of nitrite, cyanide and sulphide ions, and ammonia. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were used for the analysis of trihalomethanes. All water samples were within the acceptable levels of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and were lower than maximum contaminant levels (MCL) established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Tap water from both Cairo and Giza was of a higher quality than any of the bottled water with regard to the analyzed chemical constituents. Out of the five brands of bottled water only Mineral®brand had a concentration level approaching the maximum allowed concentration for most of the chemical constituents, and it also contained the highest total dissolved solids. Trihalomethanes were found in all of the tap water but at much lower levels in Baraka®and Siwa®bottled water. Charcoal filters were effective in reducing the trihalomethanes concentration but showed no significant changes in other constituents.