Chemical quality of bottled waters: a review

Bottled water has become very popular for quenching thirst and as a dietary (mineral) supplement. The plethora of natural mineral waters precludes any unequivocal system of classification, which makes it difficult for the consumer to choose a water with properties that suits him/her exactly. The ever-increasing popularity of bottled waters means that it is of the utmost importance to determine not only their mineral content, but above all, the content of possible contaminants, especially organic ones. In this respect bottled waters are a special case, because apart from organic contamination from the environment, the water may become secondarily contaminated as a result of its being improperly transported and stored. Pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and carbonyl compounds have been detected in samples of bottled water. This overview shows the available published information on levels of inorganic constituents and organic contaminants in samples of bottled water in the context of sample preparation procedures and analytical techniques.