Quality assessment of various bottled waters marketed in Lebanon

Chemical, physical and microbiological analyses of different drinking water sources among diverse governorates in Lebanon

Multiple sources of drinking water are commonly used in Lebanon, including bottled water, tap water, potable water, spring, artesian wells and station filtered water. The quality of these waters is of great concern, as its contamination could lead to waterborne outbreaks. We aimed to investigate the quality of drinking water in Lebanon, considering different sources and geographic distributions, and to compare their profiles across diverse governorates. A total of 200 samples (133 potable water, 28 station filtered water, 18 tap water, 8 spring water, 7 artesian well water and 6 bottled water) from five Lebanese governorates (Nabatieh, Beqaa, Mount Lebanon, Baalbek-Hermel and South Lebanon) were analyzed for physico-chemical and bacterial properties. The results indicated elevated phosphate concentrations in all areas (> 1.35 mg/L). Additionally, all analyzed bacteria were present in all regions, highlighting the lack of contamination-free sources. While in Baalbek-Hermel, followed by Nabatieh, exhibited the highest chemical levels, microbiological contamination particularly total and fecal coliforms, was consistent across governorates, showing no significant difference (p > 0.05). However, the distribution of Streptococcus and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa varied significantly among the different zones (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). All drinking water sources in various Lebanese governorates were found to be contaminated with multiple contaminants. Based on these findings, the sources used for drinking in Lebanon are not entirely safe and require monitoring.

Investigation of the Bacterial Contamination and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Bottled Drinking Water

The 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.

Monitoring of Fluoride Content in Drinking Water by Ion Chromatography: A Case Study in the Suzhou Urban Area, China

BACKGROUND

Both deficient and excessive intake of fluoride can lead to adverse health problems.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the fluoride content in three types of drinking water in Suzhou urban area.

METHOD

Ion chromatography was employed to conduct the validation of analysis of fluoride ion in water and the method was applied to analyze the concentration of fluoride in 22 drinking water samples, including tap water, purified water, and commercially available bottled water, collected from five municipal districts of Suzhou urban area.

RESULTS

The used method was validated in the range of 0.05 and 2.00 mg/L with good repeatability and accuracy. Results of water analysis indicated that fluoride content in tap water ranged from 0.267 to 0.336 mg/L (average 0.304 mg/L), and the levels of fluoride in purified water and bottled water were 0.068-0.317 mg/L (average 0.134 mg/L) and 0-0.120 mg/L (average 0.080 mg/L), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The amount of fluoride in all samples analyzed were lower than the limit set for fluoride in drinking water according to the China standard (1.0 mg/L). The low fluoride exposure for the population in the studied area was observed, and the replacement of tap water with purified and bottled water could further aggravate the deficient of fluoride intake for local residents.

HIGHLIGHTS

The present study carried out is the first to characterize the fluoride content in these three types of drinking water in Suzhou urban area by ion chromatography.

Bottled water brands are contaminated with multidrug resistant bacteria in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: The demand for drinking water has necessitated the proliferation of bottled water companies in Kenya. This study evaluated if retailed bottled water in Nairobi Kenya complies with both local and international reference criteria. Methods: A total of 42 different water brands (25 approved by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and 17 banned brands) were analyzed for both physicochemical and bacteriological quality. The spread plate method was used to obtain the total plate count of bacteria, while the membrane filter method was used to obtain total coliform count (TCC) and fecal coliform count (FCC). Structured interviews were used to gather company-related information. Results: Overall, 16% of KRA-approved and 35.3% of banned bottled water were contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. Of the approved water brands, 4% were positive for total coliforms, compared with 17% of the banned brands.  Similarly, 4% and 17% approved and banned water brands were positive for fecal coliforms, respectively. Escherichia coli (19.1%), Pseudomonas spp. (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp. (4.8%) were the most common bacterial types isolated from all water brands, most of which exhibited multidrug resistance. In multivariable analysis, water companies that cleaned pipework and bottles using chlorine-based disinfectants (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.8), those that had food safety programs (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.019 to 0.9), had standard operating procedures (SOP) for water sourcing (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.9) and SOP for contamination protection (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.9) remained independently associated with bottled water brands exceeding WHO TCC limits. Conclusions: A number of bottled water brands were contaminated with one or more types of indicator bacteria, some of which were multidrug-resistant. Water bottling companies' processes contribute to contamination. Rigorous regulation and monitoring will improve water quality and safety.

Bottled water brands are contaminated with multidrug resistant bacteria in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: The demand for drinking water has necessitated the proliferation of bottled water companies in Kenya. This study evaluated if retailed bottled water in Nairobi Kenya complies with both local and international reference criteria.

Methods: A total of 42 different water brands (25 approved by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and 17 banned brands) were analyzed for both physicochemical and bacteriological quality. The spread plate method was used to obtain the total plate count of bacteria, while the membrane filter method was used to obtain total coliform count (TCC) and fecal coliform count (FCC). Structured interviews were used to gather company-related information.

Results: Overall, 16% of KRA-approved and 35.3% of banned bottled water were contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. Of the approved water brands, 4% were positive for total coliforms, compared with 17% of the banned brands.  Similarly, 4% and 17% approved and banned water brands were positive for fecal coliforms, respectively. Escherichia coli (19.1%), Pseudomonas spp. (9.5%) and Klebsiella spp. (4.8%) were the most common bacterial types isolated from all water brands, most of which exhibited multidrug resistance. In multivariable analysis, water companies that cleaned pipework and bottles using chlorine-based disinfectants (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.8), those that had food safety programs (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.019 to 0.9), had standard operating procedures (SOP) for water sourcing (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.9) and SOP for contamination protection (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.9) remained independently associated with bottled water brands exceeding WHO TCC limits.

Conclusions: A number of bottled water brands were contaminated with one or more types of indicator bacteria, some of which were multidrug-resistant. Water bottling companies’ processes contribute to contamination. Rigorous regulation and monitoring will improve water quality and safety.

Exploring Groundwater Resources and Recharge Potentialities at El-Gallaba Plain, Western Desert, Egypt

Egypt has a fast-growing population rate of 2.5%/year; consequently, there is an increase in the water demand for living and launching different development plans. Meanwhile, there is intensive construction of several dams in the upstream Nile basin countries. Thus, it is necessary to search for new water resources to overcome the expected shortages of the Nile water supply by focusing on alternative groundwater resources. El-Gallaba Plain area is one of the most promising areas in the western desert of Egypt attaining the priority for new reclamation projects; however, its hydrogeological setting is not well understood. The present work aims at identifying the recharge potential of the groundwater aquifers in El-Gallaba Plain, as well as exploring the role of geologic structures as natural conduits, and evaluating the groundwater types, origin and distribution. The integration of hydrogeophysical studies (aero and land magnetic surveys, vertical electrical sounding), hydrochemical analyses and remote sensing were successfully used for assessing the groundwater development potential. The hydrogeophysical studies show a large graben bound aquifer with thickness exceeding 220 m. The hydrochemical results indicate the presence of three major water types; Na mix, NaCl, NaClHCO₃ with salinities ranging between 227 and 4324 mg/L. The aquifer receives little recharge from the western fractured calcareous plateau from past pluvial periods and scarce present flashfloods. There is no indication for recent recharge from Lake Nasser to the aquifer domain. Further modeling studies are essential for establishing sustainable abstraction levels from this aquifer.

Characteristics and influencing factors of hydrochemistry and dissolved organic matter in typical karst water system

The unique hydrogeological conditions of karst area make the groundwater react rapidly to rainfall events, which makes the groundwater more susceptible to anthropogenic pollutions. The current study based on a combined excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) and geochemical-statistical investigation of water samples from the karst water system in Xintian County, Hunan Province, China, gives crucial information about the principal factors influencing karst water hydrochemistry and dissolved organic matter (DOM). The analyzed data revealed that both surface water and descending spring samples were within the Ca-Mg-HCO₃ water type and dominated by humic-like fluorophore, and well water samples were within both the Ca-Mg-HCO₃ and Na-HCO₃ water types and controlled by protein-like fluorophore. The chemical compositions of surface water and descending springs were mainly influenced by the weathering of silicate, carbonate, and evaporate rocks and precipitation. In addition to be affected by the weathering of silicate, carbonate, and evaporate rocks and precipitation, the well water was also impacted by ion exchange and other activities like anthropogenic. The DOM in the karst water system was affected by allochthonous and autochthonous inputs as well as the chemical compositions of the water.

Lebanese Population Exposure to Trace Elements via White Bread Consumption

The objective of this study was to assess Lebanese population exposure to trace elements (TEs) via white pita consumption. A survey of white pita consumption was achieved among one thousand Lebanese individuals, grouped into adults (above 15 years old, men, and women) and young people (6–9 and 10–14 years old). The most consumed pita brands, labeled B1, B2, and B3, were selected. Levels of TEs (i.e., As, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, and Pb) in B1, B2, B3 pitas were measured. The highest contents of TEs in pitas were: Ni (1292 µg/kg) and Co (91 µg/kg) in B1; As (400 µg/kg) and Cd (< 15 µg/kg) in B2; Cr (363 µg/kg), Pb (260 µg/kg), and Hg (0.89 µg/kg) in B3. The pita brand B3 was the source of the highest TEs exposure, except for Ni for which it was B1. Daily exposures to TEs due to the fact of pita consumption were compared to safety levels. There were no safety concerns for Hg, Cd, Cr or Co (except the 95th percentile of 6–9 years old). An excess of the Ni tolerable daily intake was observed for the most exposed populations. The very low margins of exposure for As and Pb suggest a worrying risk for the Lebanese population.

The unveiling of a new risk factor associated with bladder cancer in Lebanon

Background

No accurate evaluation of smoking and water pollution on bladder cancer has been conducted in the Lebanese population. Our aim is to examine the significance of smoking and one of the main water pollutants Trihalomethanes (THM) on bladder cancer risk.

Methods

Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) was used to quantify the contribution of the risk factors smoking and THMs on bladder cancer in Lebanon. To calculate PAF for each risk factor, we used the proportion of the population exposed and the relative risk for each risk factor. Relative risks for each risk factor were obtained from published meta-analyses. The population at risk values were obtained from a report on chronic disease risk factor surveillance in Lebanon which was conducted by the World Health Organization between 2008 and 2009 and a national study by Semerjian et al. that conducted a multipathway exposure assessment of selected public drinking waters of Lebanon for the risk factors smoking and THMs, respectively.

Results

Bladder cancer cases that were the result of smoking in Lebanon among males and females are 33.4 and 18.6%, respectively. Cases attributed to mid-term exposure to THM contamination of drinking water is estimated at 8.6%.

Conclusion

This paper further highlights the negative impact of smoking on bladder cancer risk and adds an overlooked and often underestimated risk that THMs have on this type of cancer. Thus, it is imperative that a national based study which assesses THM exposure by gender and smoking status be implemented to determine the real risk behind this byproduct.

Bacteriological Assessment of Bottled Drinking Water Available at Major Transit Places in Mangalore City of South India

Introduction

Safe drinking water is essential for human life. It is generally considered that bottled water is safe for usage by people. For long-distance travelers, it serves as the only source of reliable drinking water. But, several studies have reported that bottled water does not always meet the acceptability standards.

Objectives

To assess the bacteriological and physical quality of bottled water marketed in major transit areas and to check its compliance with national standards.

Methods

The investigating team visited retail shops at three main transit sites for long-distance travelers in Mangalore city. A total of 24 water bottles of 12 brands were randomly selected. The analysis of total viable count (TVC) was done to assess the bacteriological quality of samples.

Results

In 3(12.5%) samples, all of which were of local brands, batch number, the period of manufacture, and the period of expiry were not mentioned. Odor and floating bodies were present in one sample each. Five (20.8%) water bottles had been enriched with minerals. Ozone treatment was the most commonly 22(91.7%) used method for disinfection of water. In only 15(62.5%) samples, the bacterial contamination was within acceptable limits certified for drinking purposes. Water samples manufactured by multinational companies (p=0.018), those with batch number mentioned (p=0.042), the best period of manufacture (p=0.036), and long expiry dates (p=0.028) were acceptable for usage.

Conclusion

Surveillance of bottled water manufacturing industries in the settings on a regular basis needs to be done by regulatory agencies. These measures will ensure safe and wholesome bottled water for public usage.

Mycological and Bacteriological Quality and Safety of Bottled Water in Ethiopia

Background:

Safe water supply is vital and can result in significant benefits to health. However, contaminated bottled water poses a great health risk due to the poor microbiological quality of water.

Methods and Materials:

A retrospective study was conducted on 222 Bottled water samples collected from various regions of Ethiopia from January 2008 to December 2015, tested and recorded in Ethiopian Public Health Institute to determine heterotrophic plate count and Staphylococcus aureus by pour plate method; for coliforms using multiple tubes fermentation techniques; for mould and yeast count using spread method, and for Salmonellae and Shigella spp. using ES ISO 6579 and ES ISO 21567. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20 statistical package.

Results:

Among the total samples examined from 44 brands, detections of heterotrophic plate count, mould, yeast, total and thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were observed in 114 (51.4%), 33 (14.9%), 5 (2.3%), 2 (0.9%), 1 (0.5%), 1 (0.5%) and 1 (0.5%) samples respectively, but there were no detections of Salmonellae nor Shigellae species.

Conclusion:

About 40% of bottled water samples were mycologically and bacteriologically unsafe for human consumption. To prevent public health hazards, regular monitoring of bottled water using quality indicators should be a priority agenda.

Integrating geochemical investigations and geospatial assessment to understand the evolutionary process of hydrochemistry and groundwater quality in arid areas

Groundwater is the key for life in arid areas. Aquifer overexploitation and climatic conditions can significantly deteriorate groundwater quality. The Al-Qassim area in central Saudi Arabia is characterized by dense agricultural use and is irrigated mainly by fossil groundwater from the Saq Aquifer. Understanding the area's hydrochemistry, major factors governing groundwater quality, and alternative uses of the groundwater are the main goals of this study. Groundwater samples were collected and examined for major, minor, and trace elements. Ionic relationships, hydrochemical facies, geospatial distributions, and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the hydrochemical processes at play. The salinity and nitrate concentrations of the Saq Aquifer's groundwater were found to increase in the outcrop areas more than the confined areas. The spatial distributions were fragmented by three main factors: (i) modern recharge by relatively brackish water, (ii) irrigation return flow in intensive farming areas, and (iii) overexploitation and draining of deep and relatively saline zones of the aquifer. Seven water types were found representing the alkaline water with a predominance of sulfate-chloride ions and earth alkaline water with a predominance of sulfate and chloride. Mixing between fresh and brackish water, dissolution of mineral phases, silicate weathering, and reverse ion exchange were recognized as the evolutionary processes, while evaporation played a minor role. Cluster analyses characterized the fresh groundwater zone, modern groundwater recharge zone, and anthropogenic influence zone. In the confined areas, nearly all the groundwater was appropriate for domestic use and irrigation. In the outcrop areas, some limitations were found due to unsuitable conditions.

Quality assessment of Romanian bottled mineral water and tap water

This study reports the evaluation of bottled mineral water characteristics using fluorescence spectroscopy (synchronous fluorescence scans and emission spectra) and physico-chemical analyses. Samples from 14 still mineral water brands were compared to 11 tap waters collected from two Romanian cities. Correlation and factor analyses were undertaken to understand the relationships between the individual components. The concentration of major and minor ions showed great variation between the bottled mineral water samples highlighting the diversity of the water intakes, while in the case of tap water the chemical composition was relatively similar for samples collected in the same city. Fluorescence data showed that the mineral water contained low quantities of organic matter. The humic fraction was dominant in all samples, while the microbial fraction was low in most samples. Synchronous fluorescence scans provided more information, regarding the composition of organic matter, compared to emission spectra. The study evidenced the correlation between fluorescence parameters and major elements and highlighted the potential of using fluorescence for qualitative evaluation of the bottled mineral water quality, as a screening method before undertaking complex analyses.

Physico-Chemical and Bacterial Evaluation of Public and Packaged Drinking Water in Vikarabad, Telangana, India - Potential Public Health Implications

INTRODUCTION

Humanity highly depends on water and its proper utilization and management. Water has various uses and its use as thirst quenching fluid is the most significant one.

AIM

To assess physical, chemical, trace metal and bacterial parameters of various public and packaged drinking water samples collected from villages of Vikarabad mandal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Public and packaged drinking water samples collected were analysed for various parameters using American Public Health Association (APHA 18(th) edition 1992) guidelines and the results obtained were compared with bureau of Indian standards for drinking water.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations were done.

RESULTS

Among bottled water samples, magnesium in 1 sample was >30mg/litre, nickel in 2 samples was >0.02mg/litre. Among sachet water samples, copper in 1 sample was >0.05mg/litre, nickel in 2 samples was >0.02mg/litre. Among canned water samples, total hardness in 1 sample was >200mg/litre, magnesium in 3 samples was >30mg/litre. In tap water sample, calcium was >75mg/litre, magnesium was >30mg/litre, nickel was >0.02mg/litre. Among public bore well water samples, pH in 1 sample was >8.5, total dissolved solids in 17 samples was >500mg/litre, total alkalinity in 9 samples was >200mg/litre, total hardness in 20 samples was >200mg/litre, calcium in 14 samples was >75mg/litre, fluoride in 1 sample was >1mg/litre, magnesium in 14 samples was >30mg/litre. Total coliform was absent in bottled water, sachet water, canned water, tap water samples. Total Coliform was present but E. coli was absent in 4 public bore well water samples. The MPN per 100 ml in those 4 samples of public bore well water was 50.

CONCLUSION

Physical, chemical, trace metal and bacterial parameters tested in present study showed values greater than acceptable limit for some samples, which can pose serious threat to consumers of that region.

Bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water in Dharan municipality, Nepal

BACKGROUND

Water-related diseases are of great concern in developing countries like Nepal. Every year, there are countless morbidity and mortality due to the consumption of unsafe drinking water. Recently, there have been increased uses of bottled drinking water in an assumption that the bottled water is safer than the tap water and its use will help to protect from water-related diseases. So, the main objective of this study was to analyze the bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water and that of municipal tap water.

METHODS

A total of 100 samples (76 tap water and 24 bottled water) were analyzed for bacteriological quality and pH. The methods used were spread plate method for total plate count (TPC) and membrane filter method for total coliform count (TCC), fecal coliform count (FCC), and fecal streptococcal count (FSC). pH meter was used for measuring pH.

RESULTS

One hundred percent of the tap water samples and 87.5 % of the bottled water samples were found to be contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. Of the tap water samples, 55.3 % were positive for total coliforms, compared with 25 % of the bottled water. No bottled water samples were positive for fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci, in contrast to 21.1 % and 14.5 % of the tap water samples being contaminated with fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci, respectively. One hundred percent of the tap water samples and 54.2 % of the bottled water samples had pH in the acceptable range.

CONCLUSIONS

All of the municipal tap water samples and most of the bottled drinking water samples distributed in Dharan municipality were found to be contaminated with one or more than one type of indicator organisms. On the basis of our findings, we may conclude that comparatively, the bottled drinking water may have been safer (than tap water) to drink.

Determination of dimethyl selenide and dimethyl sulphide compounds causing off-flavours in bottled mineral waters

Sales of bottled drinking water have shown a large growth during the last two decades due to the general belief that this kind of water is healthier, its flavour is better and its consumption risk is lower than that of tap water. Due to the previous points, consumers are more demanding with bottled mineral water, especially when dealing with its organoleptic properties, like taste and odour. This work studies the compounds that can generate obnoxious smells, and that consumers have described like swampy, rotten eggs, sulphurous, cooked vegetable or cabbage. Closed loop stripping analysis (CLSA) has been used as a pre-concentration method for the analysis of off-flavour compounds in water followed by identification and quantification by means of GC-MS. Several bottled water with the aforementioned smells showed the presence of volatile dimethyl selenides and dimethyl sulphides, whose concentrations ranged, respectively, from 4 to 20 ng/L and from 1 to 63 ng/L. The low odour threshold concentrations (OTCs) of both organic selenide and sulphide derivatives prove that several objectionable odours in bottled waters arise from them. Microbial loads inherent to water sources, along with some critical conditions in water processing, could contribute to the formation of these compounds. There are few studies about volatile organic compounds in bottled drinking water and, at the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the presence of dimethyl selenides and dimethyl sulphides causing odour problems in bottled waters.

Bacteriological and physical quality of locally packaged drinking water in Kampala, Uganda

OBJECTIVE

To assess the bacteriological and physical quality of locally packaged drinking water sold for public consumption.

METHODS

This was cross-sectional study where a total of 60 samples of bottled water from 10 brands and 30 samples of sachet water from 15 brands purchased randomly were analyzed for bacteriological contamination (total coliform and faecal coliform per 100 mL) using membrane filtrate method and reported in terms of cfu/100 mL.

RESULTS

Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliform. Majority (70%, 21/30) of the sachet water analyzed exceeded acceptable limits of 0 total coliforms per 100 mL set by WHO and the national drinking water standards. The physical quality (turbidity and pH) of all the packaged water brands analyzed was within the acceptable limits. There was statistically significant difference between the median count of total coliform in both sachet water and bottled water brands (U(24) = 37.0, p = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliforms; majority of sachet water was contaminated with total coliform above acceptable limits. Government and other stakeholders should consider intensifying surveillance activities and enforcing strict hygienic measures in this rapidly expanding industry to improve packaged water quality.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Fecal Contamination and Inadequate Treatment of Packaged Water

BACKGROUND

Packaged water products provide an increasingly important source of water for consumption. However, recent studies raise concerns over their safety.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the microbial safety of packaged water, examine differences between regions, country incomes, packaged water types, and compare packaged water with other water sources.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Articles published in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish, with no date restrictions were identified from online databases and two previous reviews. Studies published before April 2014 that assessed packaged water for the presence of Escherichia coli, thermotolerant or total coliforms were included provided they tested at least ten samples or brands.

RESULTS

A total of 170 studies were included in the review. The majority of studies did not detect fecal indicator bacteria in packaged water (78/141). Compared to packaged water from upper-middle and high-income countries, packaged water from low and lower-middle-income countries was 4.6 (95% CI: 2.6-8.1) and 13.6 (95% CI: 6.9-26.7) times more likely to contain fecal indicator bacteria and total coliforms, respectively. Compared to all other packaged water types, water from small bottles was less likely to be contaminated with fecal indicator bacteria (OR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.17-0.58) and total coliforms (OR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.22). Packaged water was less likely to contain fecal indicator bacteria (OR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.20, 0.62) compared to other water sources used for consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Policymakers and regulators should recognize the potential benefits of packaged water in providing safer water for consumption at and away from home, especially for those who are otherwise unlikely to gain access to a reliable, safe water supply in the near future. To improve the quality of packaged water products they should be integrated into regulatory and monitoring frameworks.

[Fluoride content of bottled natural mineral waters in Spain and prevention of dental caries]

AIM

The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of fluoride in natural mineral waters marketed in Spain in order to prevent tooth decay without the risk of causing dental fluorosis

DESIGN

Descriptive and cross-sectional study during 2012.

LOCATION

Natural mineral waters marketed in Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

Three bottles with different bottling dates of 109 natural mineral waters (97 Spanish and 12 imported brands).

MAIN MEASURES

Determination of fluoride by ion chromatography

RESULTS

Median fluoride concentrations of the natural mineral waters bottled in Spain was 0.22 (range 0.00-4.16; interquartile range:0.37). Most samples (61 brands, 62%) contained less than 0.3mg/L. There are 19 Spanish brands with more than 0.6 mg/L. The median level in imported brands was 0.35 (range 0.10-1.21; interquartile range: 0.23). Only 28 of the 109 brands examined (25.6%) specified the fluoride content on the label. Good correlation was observed between the concentrations indicated and those determined.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluoride concentrations in natural mineral waters showed high variation. Given the growing consumption of natural mineral waters in Spain, this type of information is important to make proper use of fluoride in the primary prevention of dental caries.

The bacteriological quality of different brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife, south-western Nigeria

Background

The upsurge in the demand for bottled water has prompted the interest of many manufacturers in the production of bottled water and very many water bottling companies are therefore involved in its production. These range from large scale multinational companies to medium scale business enterprises, institutional and government business investment companies as well as small scale entrepreneurs. There is however little information on the comparative quality of bottled water brands produced by different classes of water bottling companies in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological quality of brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife.

Methods

Forty-three samples of bottled water comprising of three batches each of thirteen bottled water brands and two batches of two brands were purchased and analyzed for total bacterial count, presence of coliform and the presence of other bacterial indicators of drinking water quality.

Results

Only 67.4% of the water samples representing the products of 10 companies or 66.7% of the brands had heterotrophic counts within the acceptable limits. Coliforms present in 100 ml of water were detected in 26.7% of the bottled water brands. Other indicator organisms detected included Staphylococci isolated from 27.9% of the samples (33.3% of the brands) and specifically Staphylococcus aureus found in four brands constituting 14% of the samples. Pseudomonas strains were consistently detected in consecutive batches of three brands of the water samples.

Conclusions

Bottled water samples produced by the large scale multinational producers were of acceptable bacteriological quality unlike those produced by most small companies. Significance and Impact of Study: There is need for a greater control of water bottling processes carried out by commercial bottled water producers in Nigeria.

Physico-chemical and bacterial evaluation of packaged drinking water marketed in delhi - potential public health implications

INTRODUCTION

Quality of drinking water is a powerful environmental determinant of health. The main objective of introduction of bottled water in the society was its better safety, taste and convenience over tap water. The present study was conducted to assess physicochemical and bacterial qualities of bottled water and sachet water which were available in various markets of Delhi.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen water bottles and four water sachets were selected through stratified random sampling from various public places in Delhi and their analysis was done at National Test House, Ghaziabad. RESULTS were then compared with national (IS10500, IS14543) and international (WHO, FDA, USEPA) standards.

RESULTS

Bottled water showed better quality than sachet water. The mean value of copper (0.0746mg/l) in bottles exceeded the standard values of IS10500 and IS14543(0.05), while the mean value of lead (0.008mg/l) exceeded the FDA standard value (0.005). When the results of sachets were compared with those of standards, the mean values of selenium (0.1195mg/l) and lead (0.862mg/l) were found to exceed values of both Indian and International standards. For the biological parameter i.e. coliform count, the mean value for bottles was 0 (nil), whereas the mean value for sachets was 16.75, which showed the unhealthy nature of sachets.

CONCLUSION

The parameters which were tested in the present study showed excess of various chemical and bacterial parameters in drinking water, which could pose serious threats to consumers. Thus, these results suggest a more stringent standardization of bottled water market with special attention to quality, identity and licensing by concerned authorities, to safeguard health of consumers.

Fecal contamination of drinking-water in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Access to safe drinking-water is a fundamental requirement for good health and is also a human right. Global access to safe drinking-water is monitored by WHO and UNICEF using as an indicator "use of an improved source," which does not account for water quality measurements. Our objectives were to determine whether water from "improved" sources is less likely to contain fecal contamination than "unimproved" sources and to assess the extent to which contamination varies by source type and setting.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Studies in Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish were identified from online databases, including PubMed and Web of Science, and grey literature. Studies in low- and middle-income countries published between 1990 and August 2013 that assessed drinking-water for the presence of Escherichia coli or thermotolerant coliforms (TTC) were included provided they associated results with a particular source type. In total 319 studies were included, reporting on 96,737 water samples. The odds of contamination within a given study were considerably lower for "improved" sources than "unimproved" sources (odds ratio [OR] = 0.15 [0.10-0.21], I2 = 80.3% [72.9-85.6]). However over a quarter of samples from improved sources contained fecal contamination in 38% of 191 studies. Water sources in low-income countries (OR = 2.37 [1.52-3.71]; p<0.001) and rural areas (OR = 2.37 [1.47-3.81] p<0.001) were more likely to be contaminated. Studies rarely reported stored water quality or sanitary risks and few achieved robust random selection. Safety may be overestimated due to infrequent water sampling and deterioration in quality prior to consumption.

CONCLUSION

Access to an "improved source" provides a measure of sanitary protection but does not ensure water is free of fecal contamination nor is it consistent between source types or settings. International estimates therefore greatly overstate use of safe drinking-water and do not fully reflect disparities in access. An enhanced monitoring strategy would combine indicators of sanitary protection with measures of water quality.

Quality assessment of various bottled waters marketed in Saudi Arabia

This study focuses on the chemical analysis of the available brands of domestic bottled water in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. The distribution of the chemical constituents (major, minor, and trace elements) is determined and compared with the chemical content labeled on the bottles and with drinking water standards of Saudi Arabian, World Health Organization, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The obtained results indicated that except for fluoride and bromate, the concentrations of dissolved salts, soluble cations and anions, nitrate, and trace elements of most bottled waters on sale were within the permissible limits set by standards used. On the other hand, the comparison between determined and reported label values recorded a substantial variation in some parameter values. Results indicated that more than 18 % of the sampled bottled waters exceeded the allowable limits for drinking water. Generated Piper diagrams revealed that the majority of investigated waters were sodium chloride-sulfate type; however, the hydrochemical modeling indicated that all water samples were undersaturated for anhydrite, gypsum, and halite.

Public perception and economic implications of bottled water consumption in underprivileged urban areas

This paper presents a comparative assessment of public perception of drinking water quality in two underprivileged urban areas in Lebanon and Jordan with nearly similar cultural and demographic characteristics. It compares the quality of bottled water to the quality of the drinking water supplied through the public network and examines the economic implications of bottled water consumption in the two study areas. Participants' perception of the quality of drinking water provided via the public network was generally negative, and bottled water was perceived to be of better quality in both areas, thus affecting drinking water preferences and consumption patterns. The results reveal that the quality of bottled water is questionable in areas that lack enforcement of water quality standards, thus adding to the burden of an already disadvantaged community. Both areas demonstrated a considerable cost incurred for purchasing bottled water in low income communities reaching up to 26 % of total income.

Determination of trace metals in drinking water in Irbid City-Northern Jordan

Drinking water samples from Irbid, the second populated city in Jordan were analyzed for trace metals (As, Ba, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se) content. The study was undertaken to determine if the metal concentrations were within the national and international guidelines. A total of 90 drinking water samples were collected from Al-Yarmouk University area. The samples were collected from three different water types: tap water (TW), home-purified water (HPW), and plant-purified water (PPW). All the samples were analyzed for trace metals using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. All the samples analyzed were within the United States Environmental Protection Agency admissible pH limit (6.5-8.5). The results showed that concentrations of the trace metals vary significantly between the three drinking water types. The results showed that HPW samples have the lowest level of trace metals and the concentrations of some essential trace metals in these samples are less than the recommended amounts. Slight differences in the metal contents were found between HPW samples, little differences between PPW samples; however, significant differences were found between TW samples. Although some TW samples showed high levels of trace metals, however, the mean level of most elements determined in the samples were well within the Jordanian standards as well as the World Health Organization standards for drinking water.