Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of bottled waters in Poland: Characterization in the context of different market categories and implications for the origin authentication and natural isotopic quality preservation

Abstract

The hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopic composition of 45 Polish brands of bottled waters was analysed and evaluated in the context of two areas of its potential application in bottled water industry: (i) the origin authentication, and (ii) the quality monitoring in context of preservation of natural physicochemical parameters and isotopic composition. Three main market categories of bottled waters were analysed: natural mineral waters, spring waters and medicinal waters. The results obtained showed that isotopic composition for domestic bottled waters varied in wide range from −11.0‰ to −0.6‰ for δ18O and from −76.8‰ to −50.2‰ for δ2H. The bottled waters generally preserve the natural isotopic composition of their source of origin and discharge. However, the influence of the bottling process on the natural isotopic composition of water may be observed in relation to medicinal waters of higher salinity and natural CO2 content. The physicochemical parameters and isotopic composition of waters stored in PET-made bottles may change over time indicating deterioration of the water quality. The application of H and O isotopic composition for bottled water brand authentication among natural mineral waters and spring waters is very limited due to similar climatic factors controlling formation of meteoric groundwaters in hydrogeological systems in local or global scale. However, it is possible to differentiate and authenticate bottled waters which have specific isotopic composition resulting from unique origin connected first of all with geological factors like water-rock interaction or admixture of water of non-meteoric origin. Among Polish brands of bottled waters such unique H and O isotopic composition is associated usually with some medicinal waters.