『Abstract
The use of bottled mineral waters use is increasingly becoming
popular and the need for better knowledge of their chemical composition
is a key issue for defining their quality, particularly for those
elements that are not monitored on a regular basis. The link between
geology and water chemistry is well known and can lead to extreme
differences in element distribution and is an issue that needs
to be addressed. Such an opportunity has been provided by a project
of the EuroGeoSurvey Geochemistry Expert Group aimed at the characterization
of groundwater geochemistry using bottled mineral waters purchased
in supermarkets all over Europe. On these waters pH, conductivity
and concentrations of 69 elements and ions were measured at the
BGR geochemical laboratories. On a total of 1785 “samples”, 158
represent waters bottled in Italy in 126 different sites scattered
throughout the country. Most of the purchased mineral water is
packaged in PET bottles. In this paper, the dataset concerning
Italy has been used to provide an overview on the relationship
between natural concentration of the determined chemical elements
in groundwater and geo-lithological features. These relationships
have been investigated mostly taking into account the surface
geology and other information available on water sources. Application
of R-Mode factor analysis to the data set allowed the determination
of the possible relationship between the distribution of individual
elements and lithology or other surface enrichment phenomena.
In particular waters draining through volcanic rocks are enriched
in elements such as As, B, Br-, Cl-, Cs,
I, K, Li, Na, NO3-, PO43-,
Rb, Sc, SiO2, Sr, Te, Ti, and V up to 3 orders
of magnitude higher than waters draining through other lithologies.
REE and Y show significant difference in median concentration
due to interaction of waters with plutonic rocks. Many elements
have a large spread of concentrations, which reflects natural
variations and interaction with particular lithologies. One of
the five R-mode factor analysis associations, recognized as being
representative of elements analysed shows high nitrate and V loadings
along with As, PO43- and Se. The
latter association probably reflects a sign of anthropogenic contribution
in some aquifers in volcano-sedimentary or silico-clastic deposits
and in intensively cultivated areas.
Keywords: Bottled mineral water; Chemical composition; Geology;
Italy; Hydrogeochemistry』
1. Introduction
2. Geological and hydrogeological outline
3. Materials and methods
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Grouping of mineral waters
4.2. General classification of water
4.3. Differences related to lithology
4.4. Differences not systematically related to lithology
4.5. Factor analysis
5. Concluding remarks
Acknowledgments
References