Chemical Assessment of Sachet Water in Ado-Ekiti Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Twenty five different brands of sachet water produced in Ado-Ekiti metropolis have been analysed for drinking water quality using standard analytical method. The result obtained for all the water  samples indicated a pH range of 6.06 - 7.96, total solid (TS) 40.00 – 120.00 mg/l, total dissolved solids (TDS)  20.00 – 100.00 mg/l, turbidity ( 0.25 – 2.20 NTU) , conductivity ( 30.00 – 252.00 µ ohm/s), acidity 9 0.10 – 0.30 mg/l), chloride ( 28.40 – 50.11 mg/l) and nitrate (18.70 – 43.00 mg/l). Iron has the highest value (0.05 – 3.95 mg/l) in heavy metal analysis while concentrations of Pb, Cr and Ni were below detection limit in all samples. The total bacteria count (TBC) ranged between 1 and 8. The total coliform count (TCC) in almost all water samples was below detection limit. The physicochemical parameters of the analysed sachet water samples were within the WHO, NAFDAC and SON standards for drinking water. However it was observed that all the samples required chlorination prior to packaging.