Quantitative analysis of microplastic presence in commercially bottled drinking water brands and the associated human exposure

Background: Every year, globally, high rates of morbidity and mortality from waterborne diseases are reported due to non-compliant packaged water that fails to meet recommended safety standards. While studies have assessed the quality of drinking water in communities, researches on water quality in healthcare facilities are scarce. Healthcare facilities must ensure safe drinking water sources, to prevent complicating patient illnesses or prolonged hospital stay. Objective: This study aimed at determining the conformity of bottled and sachet water brands available in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital to both national and international guidelines for drinking water quality. Methodology: This was a facility based descriptive cross-sectional study involving the physicochemical and biological analysis of 10 randomly selected packaged water (5sachet and 5 bottled water) brands. Results of analysis were compared with values in WHO Guidelines and the Nigerian Industrial Standards for Drinking Water Quality. Results: Physical analysis of the water samples revealed no abnormalities. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and magnesium hardness were increased in both bottled and sachet water brands. 60% of the sachet water samples showed evidence of gross bacterial contamination (>50cfu/ml) while 20% of the bottled water samples were grossly contaminated. Conclusion: Sachet water brands failed to meet minimum standards in most of the parameters assessed. In contrast, bottled water brands were found to be of relatively safer quality. Bottled and sachet water brands sold in the healthcare facilities should undergo regular quality analyses to ensure patient safety.

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.

The abundance of microplastics in the global environment has raised concerns about their transfer into various ecosystems, including water sources. Bottled drinking water, often considered a symbol of purity is not exempt from the infiltration of microplastics. The aim of this paper was to check for presence, if any, of microplastics in bottled drinking water. Overall, five top-brand water bottles available in supermarkets were analyzed. Microplastic contamination was found in all five brands of bottled water with almost similar concentrations with a mean size of 82 ± 22 μm with an average number of microplastics present was 15 ± 20 microplastics/ 30ml of water. Microplastics were filtered using appropriate-size filter paper. Key findings suggest that microplastics are indeed present in bottled drinking water with variations in concentration and polymer types. The sources of contamination, including the manufacturing process, packaging materials, and the environmental surroundings, are explored to shed light on potential entry points for microplastics. Further investigation of the contaminants is necessary to understand the discrepancy in the presence of microplastics in bottled water and essential precautions must be implemented in the purification process of bottled water packaging.

Public perception of bottled drinking water as the cleanest and safest source of drinking water in the world and particularly Ghana, has led to their increasing demand though being pricey. In this study, we present the results of the health-related trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in 10 selected popular bottled drinking water brands sourced from Accra metropolis, Ghana. These include BonAqua Premium drinking water, AquaSplash purified noncarbonated drinking water, Safina natural mineral water, Bel-Aqua natural mineral water, EcoSpa natural mineral water, US drinking water, Special Ice natural mineral water, Everpure purified drinking water, Privada natural mineral water and Voltic natural mineral water. The analysis was achieved by using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Arsenic field test kit. The results revealed that all the 10 selected bottled drinking water had values ranging from BDL for (As), <0.02 (Cd), <0.05 (Pb) and <0.05 (Zn). However, Cu values largely varied throughout all the samples ranging from 0.0675 (BonAqua Premium drinking water), 0.075 (AquaSplash purified noncarbonated drinking water), 0.0674 (Safina natural mineral water), 0.0731 (Bel-Aqua natural mineral water), 0.0924 (EcoSpa natural mineral water), 0.0888 (US drinking water), 0.0593 (Special Ice natural mineral water), 0.0843 (Everpure purified drinking water), 0.0954 (Privada natural mineral water) to 0.0848 (Voltic natural mineral water). Therefore, this postulates that As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn pose no health risks as they are below the World Health Organisation and Ghana Standard Board’s guidelines. We recommend that more extensive surveillance of the bottled water industry as well as stringent regulations be developed and enforced to ensure that this admirable compliance rate is maintained. Key words: Drinking water quality, Trace elements, Bottled drinking water, Ghana

Determination of Heavy Metals, Nitrate and Nitrite in Mineral and Drinking Bottled Water in Tehran, Iran: a Health Risk Assessment by Monte-Carlo Simulation Method

Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) is the most frequently used catalyst in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufacture. As a result, antimony is incorporated into PET bottles at concentration level of 100-300 mg/kg. PET containers are used for drinking water and beverages, as well as food packaging and in the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that may influence the release of antimony from the catalysts into water and other products, since antimony is potentially toxic trace element. In this paper, the antimony content in nine brands of bottled mineral and spring water from Serbia, and seven brands of bottled mineral and spring water from EU countries was analyzed. The measurements were conducted using the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. In the all examined samples the antimony concentration was bellow the maximum contaminant level of 5 ?g/L prescribed by the Serbian and EU regulations. Comparison of the content of antimony in PET bottled waters with the content of antimony in water bottled commercially in glass and the natural content of antimony in pristine groundwaters, provides explicit evidence of antimony leaching from PET containers. Since waters bottled in PET have much greater concentration ratio of Sb to Pb than corresponding pristine groundwaters, it can be assumed that bottled waters cannot be used as the relavant source for the study of the natural antimony content in groundwaters. There is a clear relation between the quality of water in bottles (composition, ion strength) and antimony leaching rate. Moreover, while the rate of antimony leaching is slow at temperatures below 60 oC, at the temperature range of 60-80 oC antimony release occurs and reaches maximum contaminant level rapidly. As antimony can cause both acute and chronic health problems, factors that promote the increase of antimony concentration should be avoided.

The regular ingestion of fluoride lowers the prevalence of dental caries. The total daily intake of fluoride for optimal dental health should be 0.05-0.07 mg fluoride/kg body weight and to avoid the risk of dental fluorosis, the daily intake should not exceed a daily level of 0.10 mg fluoride/kg body weight. The main source of fluoride is from drinking water and other beverages. As in other countries, consumption of bottled water, juices and carbonated beverages has increased in our country. To analyze the fluoride content in bottled water, juices and carbonated soft drinks that were commonly available in Davangere city. Three samples of 10 commercially available brands of bottled drinking water, 12 fruit juices and 12 carbonated soft drinks were purchased. Bottled water and carbonated soft drinks were stored at a cold place until fluoride analysis was performed and a clear juice was prepared using different fruits without the addition of water. Then, the fluoride analysis was performed. The mean and standard deviation of fluoride content of bottled water, fruit juices and carbonated soft drinks were measured, which were found to be 0.20 mg (±0.19) F/L, 0.29 mg (±0.06) F/L and 0.22 mg (±0.05) F/L, respectively. In viewing the results of the present study, it can be concluded that regulation of the optimal range of fluoride in bottled drinking water, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices should be drawn for the Indian scenario.

Use of bottled water in Sri Lanka has increased over the last decade, while new brands of bottled water are often introduced to the market. However, the manufacturers' adherence to bottled water regulations is questionable, raising concerns regarding the quality of bottled water. The objective of the current study was to investigate the microbiological and chemical quality of bottled water in Sri Lanka. Thirty bottled water brands were sampled and their chemical and microbiological parameters were analyzed. Microbiological analysis was carried out within 1 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12 mo after the date of manufacture. The results indicated that 63% of brands tested exceeded the levels permitted by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) for presumptive total coliforms (TC) (<10 cfu per 100 mL) whereas 97% brands exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permitted level. Thirty percent of brands exceeded the limit for presumptive fecal coliforms (FC) (0 cfu per 100 mL in accordance with WHO permitted levels, SLSI and the Sri Lanka Health Ministry requirement). Eighty percent of brands showed higher heterotrophic plate counts (HPC) which exceeded the WHO guidelines for bottled drinking water. Throughout their shelf life, the counts of TC, FC, and HPC bacteria decreased. Bacteria identified were Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp. pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pasteurella haemolytica, the most frequently being P. aeruginosa. The dominant fungi identified were Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. Inorganic chemical parameters were within permitted levels for all brands except for initial content of ammonia. The results of this study show the need for the bottling industry to be monitored closely by relevant authorities, in order to provide safe bottled drinking water to consumers in Sri Lanka.

Microplastics contamination in drinking water is a growing concern globally as reported in recent papers. Here we report an investigation on the identification and classification of microplastics present in bottled drinking water using Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Different brands of bottled drinking water from different manufacturers were sampled for this investigation in Kenya. Rapid classification and identification of microplastics polymer types presence in the sampled water was done with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, and Raman Spectroscopy. The two techniques were used to determine molecular and atomic information of various MP polymers detected using scattered signal and plasma spectra. Five polymers polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were successfully detected and identified in the sampled water. Among the five polymers, the most common was PE, which was observed in 5 out of the 14 samples (35.71%). The second most dominant polymer was PET, which was detected in 4 out of the 14 samples (28.57%). Three polymers, PS (14.28%) and PP (14.28%) were detected in 2 out of 14 samples each, while PVC (7.14%) was identified in 1 sample. All the particles detected had sizes ranging between 20 µm to 70 µm. The findings clearly demonstrate possible contamination of bottled drinking water with microplastics. Raman spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are promising techniques for detection and identification of microplastics in bottled drinking water.

Microbiologic analysis of bottled water: Is it safe for use with contact lenses?

Chemical Evaluation of Commercial Bottled Drinking Water from Egypt

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to assess the bacteriological quality in some domestic bottled waters marketed in Al Anbar Province of Iraq. In total, 120 samples were collected from 20 different domestic bottled water companies. The current study findings demonstrated that the positive total bacterial count for aerobic bacteria was 20 CFU/ml (16.6%) out of 120 samples. From 120 tested samples, coliform bacteria had a much lower count of 13 CFU/ml (10.8%). The bacteriological analysis tests of this study showed that the brand bottled water of Alhilwa had the highest mean of total bacterial count at 485 CFU/ml, followed by Alwafi and Araco, which found at mean of 283 and 196 CFU/ml, respectively. The other brands of bottled waters included Sawa and Izmir, which had given lower mean of bacterial count at 87 and 58 CFU/ml, respectively, while all other tested brands of bottled waters had zero content of total bacterial count. According to the biomedical tests and Vitek2 system employed for this study, the isolated bacterial species as contaminants in bottled waters were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results of this study showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was sensitive to all tested antibiotics, but the Escherichia coli was resistance to amoxicillin, azithromycin, ceftazidime, and cefixime. The Klebsiella pneumonia demonstrated sensitivity to all tested antibiotics except the cefixime. Therefore, antibiotics belonging to the types of penicillin, carbapenem, and quinolones can be considered the best medicine for treating infections caused by the bacteria diagnosed in this study. In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that some domestic bottled waters sold in markets and shops in Al Anbar Province have bacteriological contents that are within permitted ranges for Iraqi and WHO standards.IMPORTANCE Researchers analyzed how lifestyle factors affect the overall health of people with bacterial infections from the water. The article describes significance of the research because many people do not have access to clean, safe drinking water where this water is essential to life, and many die of waterborne bacterial infections. So, the purpose of the article is to draw attention to the major factors of the most dangerous bacteria transmitted through water marketed in Al Anbar Province of Iraq: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Furthermore, our specific significant contribution has been to show the most important treatments for treating infections caused by the bacteria diagnosed in this study.

Purpose: To assess whether bisphenol A contamination occurred in seven brands of bottled drinking water in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Methods: Liquid-liquid extraction (using dichloromethane) was used to analytically extract bisphenol A from drinking water bottles and a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer was employed for its detection using a splitless capillary column and helium as the carrier gas.Results: The concentration of bisphenol A (BPA) was high in all the bottled water brands tested. The mean concentration of BPA of the bottled water stored indoors (4.03 ng/L) was significantly lower than that stored outdoors (7.5 ng/L).Conclusion: Our results show that significant amounts of BPA leached from bottle containers into the water. Long storage of bottled water under direct sunlight should be avoided to reduce the risk of human exposure to BPA.

This study aims to report on drinking water consumption patterns and perception on usage of drinking water available in Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 225 adults aged 21-65 completed the questionnaire which consists of three sections. Socio-demographic data, drinking water consumption patterns were determined. Perceptions were based on the quality and price as well as reasons for intake of tap, bottled drinking water and bottled mineral water. About 79% of the subjects drank 5 to 12 glasses of water a day. Among the subjects, 73%, 14.8% and 11.9% consumed tap water, bottled mineral water and bottled drinking water, respectively. The reasons for consuming bottled water include safety, health, quality and taste. The results also showed that the subjects perceived low to acceptable qualities for tap water, while bottled drinking water and mineral were perceived as having relatively higher quality. Tap water was considered cheap in price by all subjects, while bottled drinking and mineral waters were rated acceptable to high by most subjects. Findings of this study exemplify the importance of consumers’ perception on drinking water as a mean of education and communication on quality of drinking water they consume.

To assess possible risks from the consumption of drinking water from various sources, a survey of the microbiological quality of tap water, commercial bottled drinking water which is exploited from natural mineral water, and natural spring water was conducted. A total of 4 different brands of commercial bottled drinking water, and 4 types of spring water from different sources, and tap water from 4 private houses were tested for four index microorganisms, and the microbial quality changes of the water during the storage at room temperature or refrigerated temperature for 7 days. Aerobic plate counts of all of the initial water samples were still within 100 CFU/ml (drinking water standard of Korea). Total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and E. coli were not detected in all of the water samples at initial. However, aerobic plate counts of three types of spring water and three types of bottled drinking water stored at room temperature showed higher levels than the standards in 5 days. Total coliforms were detected in three types of spring water after one day's storage at room temperature, and in one type of bottled drinking water after 5 days' storage. These results indicate that some of the spring water surveyed are not safe to drink, and the spring water and bottled drinking water after opening the lid should not be stored at room temperature, if they are used for drinking.