Potability Assessment of Selected Brands of Bottled Water in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the potability of selected brands of bottled water in Abeokuta metropolis. Water quality parameters such as physical (Color, turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total solids (TS)), chemical (pH, total hardness, alkalinity, chloride (Cl-), free chlorine, sulphate (SO₄^2-), nitrate (NO3 -) and iron (Fe²⁺) and microbiological (total coliform) were determined using standard procedures. The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis for analysis of variance using SPSS 15.0. Mean values of water quality parameters were compared to World Health Organization (WHO) standards in drinking water. Results showed that water parameters like colour (< 7.0 Pt. Co.), TDS (<150 mg L^-1), free chlorine (<0.5 mg L^-1), Cl- (<27 mg L^-1), SO₄^2- (15 mg L^-1), NO³ - (<2.0 mg L^-1), Fe²⁺ (<0.1 mg L^-1) and total coliform (0.0 count mL^-1) were within WHO standards for drinking water indicating the potability of the bottled waters and hence, could be consumed without any possible health problems.