Assessing health risks in bottled water: chemical compounds and their impact on human health

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health Vol. 46; no. 6; p. 178
• Main Authors: Wątor, Katarzyna, Rusiniak, Piotr, Kmiecik, Ewa, Bugno, Ryszard, Ristić Vakanjac, Vesna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Advertising campaigns; Benzhydryl Compounds - analysis; Benzhydryl Compounds - toxicity; Bisphenol A; Bottled water; Chemical composition; Chemical compounds; Chemical contaminants; Child; Child, Preschool; Contaminants; Drinking behavior; Drinking water; Drinking Water - analysis; Drinking Water - chemistry; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Geochemistry; Geology; Groundwater; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humans; Infant; Iron; Mathematical analysis; Micronutrients; Mineral Waters - analysis; Mineralization; Original Paper; Phenols - analysis; Poland; Pollutants; Public Health; Risk Assessment; Soil Science & Conservation; Spring water; Surface water; Terrestrial Pollution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water quality; Poland; Harmful elements; BPA; Bottled water; Risk assessment; Emerging contaminants
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01908-5

Bottled mineral and spring water constitute one of the main sources of drinking water. Relevant legal acts in each country individually regulate the highest permitted concentrations of harmful substances in these waters. However, current regulations do not take into account newly emerging contaminants such as BPA. Analysis of the chemical composition of 72 bottled waters from the Polish market showed that undesirable elements occur in quantities that do not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Special attention should be paid to bottled therapeutic water, which may contain elevated concentrations of some micronutrients, such as Al, B, Ba, Fe, Mn, or Sr contributing to the pattern of health risk with excessive consumption of this type of water. The presence of BPA was confirmed in 25 tested waters. The calculated hazard index values showed that the most exposed group are children up to 12 years of age. The greatest attention should be paid to waters with high mineralisation, for which the calculated risk values are the highest.