『Abstract
The market for mineral water has been growing steadily over the
last few years. Germany is the country with the highest number
of bottled mineral water brands (908 bottled water samples from
502 wells/brands were analyzed). The per capita consumption of
mineral water in Germany in 2003 was 129L. A wide range of values
of one to seven orders of magnitude was determined for 71 elements
in the bottled water samples analyzed by ICP-QMS, ICP-AES, IC,
titration, photometric, conductometric and potentiometric methods.
A comparison of the element concentrations and the legal limits
of both bottled and tap water (EU, Germany, US EPA, WHO) shows
that only 70％ of the 908 mineral water samples fulfill the German
and EU drinking water (i.e., tap water) regulations for all parameters
(not including pH) for which action levels are defined. Nearly
5％ of the bottled water samples not fulfill the German and EU
regulations for mineral and table water. Comparison of our results
with the current German and European action levels for mineral
and table water shows that only 42 of the bottled water samples
exceed the limits for one or more of the following elements: arsenic,
nitrate, nitrite, manganese, nickel and barium concentrations.
Ten of the bottled water samples contain uranium concentrations
above the 10μg/L recommended limit.
A selection of existing water quality classification systems
was used in order to characterize the different mineral water
types. For example, the relationships among selected variables
were examined using Durov, Piper and van Wirdum diagrams. Univariate
and multivariate (component analysis) statistical methods were
used to analyze the data to characterize the bottled water from
the different well regions of Germany. Maps of the element distributions
are presented. Most of the elements show a clear regional dependency.
The bottled water shows conspicuous geochemical influences by
the limestone aquifers of the Muschlkalk (Middle Triassic), the
sandstone aquifers of the Bunter and Keuper Lower and Upper Triassic),
the gypsum of the Keuper, and the aquifers in gneiss basement
rocks.
Keywords: Bottled water; Tap water; Environmental geochemistry;
Medical geology; component analysis』
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Water chemistry and natural variation of elements
3.2. Content and hydrogeochemical water types
3.3. Comparison with national and international standards
3.4. Regional distribution of selected elements
3.5. Results of the principal component analysis (factor analysis)
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References