Geochemical Impacts of the Physical Parameters and Heavy Metals Risk of the Drinking Bottled Water Produced and Marketed in Baghdad City, Iraq

Abstract

Physico-chemical parameters of fourteen bottled water brand produced and marketed in Baghdad Capital City with two tap water samples were environmentally assessed. The results are compared with corresponding guidelines of Iraqi Standards and the World Health Organization.The mean values of physical and aggregate properties of the tested waters are; pH, 6.5 and 6.9, EC,192 and 555 μS/cm at 25◦C, TDS, 92 and 275 mg/L, Total hardness as CaCO3, 36.97 and 143 mg/L and alkalinity as HCO3-1, 44.85 and 66 mg/L. The mean concentration of major ionic composition of the tested waters are; Cl^-1, 34.8 and 40.55 mg/L, SO4^-2 35.58 and 126.5 mg/L, Ca⁺² 7.67 and 10 mg/L, Mg⁺² 4.3 and 10 mg/L, K⁺¹ 0.639 and 1.35 mg/L and Na⁺¹ 9.4 10 mg/L. These properties show increasing in the tape water than those of bottled waters.Classification based on TDS suggests very low to little low mineral concentrations and total hardness suggests soft to moderately hard waters. Piper diagram reveal bicarbonate-sulfate water type suggests originating from carbonate/gypsiferous sediments.Geochemical concentrations of heavy metals analysis in bottled waters are less than those in tap waters except B and Pb concentrations. Arsenic concentration shows value lies in between polluted and unpolluted level, which probably comes from damages of tap and waste waters networks. Three water samples show high concentration of sulfate ions, suggest originated in gypsiferous sediments.The physicochemical parameters of bottled and tap waters are coincide with guidelines of World Health Organization and Iraqi Standards, which indicates potability without risks.

Keywords: Bottled water, tap water, physico-chemical parameters, Piper diagrams, heavy metals, ICP-MS.