Abstract
Basic information about major elements in bottled drinking water is provided on product labels. However, more information is needed about trace elements in bottled drinking water and other sources of drinking water to assess its quality and suitability for drinking. This is the first such study to be carried out in Najran city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A total of 48 water samples were collected from different sources comprising wells, stations for drinking water treatment and bottled drinking water (purchased from local supermarkets). The concentrations of 24 elements [aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cesium (Cs), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molydenum (Mo), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), uranium (U) and zinc (Zn)] were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Anions (chlorine (Cl−), fluoride (F−), sulfate (SO42−) and nitrate (NO3−) were determined by ion chromatography (IC). Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved salts (TDS) and total hardness (TH) were also measured. All parameters of treated drinking water and bottled drinking water samples did not exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) 2008, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA 2009), Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO) 2008 and Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) 1984 recommended guidelines. It is noteworthy that groundwater samples were not used for drinking purpose. This study is important to raise public knowledge about drinking water, and to promote public health.
Highlights
Drinking water is essential for life and is an important source of essential elements
Worldwide standards for bottled drinking water have been set by different organizations; for example, the European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (Birke et al 2010)
Cations were measured by inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS) at Nottingham University, Nottingham, UK
Summary
Drinking water is essential for life and is an important source of essential elements. Exposure to trace and toxic elements often occurs through drinking water. Concentrations of major and trace elements (essential and toxic) in drinking water have been investigated in several previous studies (Avino et al 2011; Birke et al 2010; Da Silva et al 2000; Dinelli et al 2012; Lee et al 1999; Stetzenbach et al 1994). Studies have been carried out recently on drinking water quality in Riyadh, KSA (Al-Saleh and Al-Doush 1998; Hashem 1993; Khanfar 2010; Al Nouri et al 2014); only a limited range of parameters were investigated. Worldwide, bottled water consumption has greatly increased (Datamonitor 2014), which means that there should be regular independent tests on its quality. Worldwide standards for bottled drinking water have been set by different organizations; for example, the European Union (EU) (through the Drinking Water Directive), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (Birke et al 2010)
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