Quality Assessment of Bottled and Unbottled Drinking Water in Bangladesh

Md Ripaj Uddin,Nahida Akter,A Sulieman,Mayeen Uddin Khandaker,Shahnaz Sultana,M I Sayyed,Rokaia Sultana,Basem H Elesawy,Md Jainal Abedin,Mehedi Hasan,Hamid Osman,Ahm Shofiul Islam Molla Jamal

doi:10.3390/w13152026

Abstract

The demand for bottled drinking water in Bangladesh is becoming popular due to the lack of safe drinking water sources. The present study was carried out to assess the water quality and public health impacts of local brands of bottled drinking water and tube-well water, compared to the imported ones. Several state-of-the-art techniques were employed to determine the contents of pH, EC, salinity, chloride, nitrates, nitrites, fluoride, sulfates, phosphates, bicarbonate, turbidity, color, total hardness, and total dissolved solids in the studied water samples. The measured data show that the level of dissolved minerals in the local branded bottled water is very low (with an exception for sample codes D1 and D8), while imported brands, Zamzam water, and tube-well water contain satisfactory level of minerals and fulfill Dietary Reference Intake requirements. Total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli were found to be absent in local brands of bottled water and tube-well water. On the other hand, concentrations of some radionuclides 40K, 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 222Rn, 137Cs, and 232Th in local bottled water and tube-well water were found to be less than the permissible level given by WHO (2011). The results reveal that local bottled drinking water manufacturing companies may not be following standard guidelines and quality control steps properly. Thus, improvement in their standard operating process is urgently needed to ensure strict compliance with guidelines set by Bangladesh standards and testing institutions.

Highlights

Water as a universal solvent is essential for the survival and basic needs of life
Calcium is a potential mineral for bone development, magnesium protects from cardiovascular disease, and potassium is beneficial to muscles and the nervous system
This study shows that imported brands, Zamzam water, and tube-well water contain more minerals than local brands of bottled water, and these mineral profiles fulfill the Dietary Reference Intakes requirements better than local brands

Summary

Introduction

Water as a universal solvent is essential for the survival and basic needs of life. It should be free from pollutants, toxic substances, pathogens, and hazardous radionuclides.Without water, we can hardly live for a few days whereas without food, we can live for seven days. Water as a universal solvent is essential for the survival and basic needs of life. It should be free from pollutants, toxic substances, pathogens, and hazardous radionuclides. It has been reported that about 75% of the population in developing countries has access to fresh water supply [2]. About three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, globally, people face a shortage of freshwater access. Owing to the lack of access to safe drinking water, most people in developing countries face various health problems [3]. Statistics show that annually in third world countries, about two million people die because of inadequate sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and poor hygiene

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