Physio-chemical and micro bacterial assessment of bottled water samples sold in bauchi metropolis

ABSTRACT

            The advent of sachet and bottled water has increasingly filled the gap in household water security. This research work was carried out to assess the quality of bottled and sachet water sold in Bauchi metropolis. Thirty (30) water brands consisting of twenty (20) sachet water brands and ten (10) bottled water brands were assessed for their physical, chemical and microbiological parameters using standard analytical procedures. Physical examination was carried out to ascertain whether the water brands met the required standards set by World Health Organization (WHO) and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON). Physical characteristics such as appearance, odour, taste, turbidity, pH, conductivity, temperature, total dissolved solid, and total suspended were also determined by instrumental methods. Chemical Characteristics measured included Mn, Ca, Zn, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Pb, Na, and Cl-. All the chemical parameters were determined in dissolved form using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) technique in an air-acetylene flame except for Cl-. Chlorine was determined using Lovibond field comparator. Microbiological characteristics such as total bacteria count and faecal coliform were determined using pour plate and membrane filtration methods respectively. The results from the physical examinations reveals that all the bottled water met the recommendation except for mineral composition. However BW1 and BW10 of the water brands indicate their mineral compositions. While the sachet water couldn’t meet the physical examination standard. The study further reveals that for the physical characteristics for bottled and sachet water, (100%) met the recommended standard. The chemical characteristics, have 60% of the bottled water brands and 100% of the sachet water brands met the recommended standards. While the microbiological evaluation revealed that all (100%)  of the bottled water and 90.00% of the sachet water had total bacteria coliform within the recommended standards set by World Health Organization (WHO) and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON). These results raised a question of safety and it is therefore suggested that regular analysis of sachet water would greatly improve public health.