Physicochemical Characteristics of Selected Sachet and Bottled Water in Abraka, Delta State

Abstract

Some physicochemical properties of five brands of sachet and five brands of bottled water sold/produced in Abraka; Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State was investigated. Amounts of heavy in the water samples were also determined. The results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) respectively. Seventy percent of the samples had pH levels below the minimum level of 6.50 recommended by WHO and NSDWQ, suggesting that the water samples are acidic. The slight acidity of the water samples may not be unconnected to impurities from poor treatment techniques. Results for other physicochemical parameters: EC (78.60 ± 34.06 µs/cm), TDS (42.80 ± 18.46 mg/L), Temperature (30.02 ± 0.46 OC), Cl- (16.88 ± 7.01 mg/L), NO3- (0.12 ± 0.05 mg/L), NO2- (<0.001 mg/L), TH(10.60 ± 7.09 mg/L), Cu(0.05 ± 0.00 mg/L), Fe(0.34 ± 0.19 mg/L), Zn(0.11 ± 0.02 mg/L) and Mn (0.03 ± 0.00 mg/L) for sachet water samples; EC (99.60 ± 76.18 µs/cm), TDS (54.20 ± 41.84 mg/L), Temperature (29.96 ± 0.21 OC), Cl- (20.85 ± 17.44 mg/L), NO3- (0.12 ± 0.03 mg/L), NO2- (0.01 ± 0.01 mg/L), TH(15.00 ± 16.36 mg/L), Cu(0.04 ± 0.01 mg/L), Fe(0.20 ± 0.15 mg/L), Zn(0.11 ± 0.03 mg/L) and Mn (0.09 ± 0.01 mg/L) for bottled water samples; were within permissible limits, indicating that the water samples are good enough for human consumption.