Comparative Quality Assurance Studies of Sachet Packaged Drinking Water from Three States of South West Nigeria

Abstract

Physicochemical and microbiological analysis of fifteen (15) samples of sachet-packaged drinking water procured from three states (Oyo, Lagos and Ogun) of South West of Nigeria were carried out to evaluate their suitability for drinking. Plijsiochemical analysis for metals concentration; hardness, pH, acidity, alkalinity and conductivity determined showed mat some of the samples were not within the recommended limits. Generally, the metal content of the samples was high as shown by iron in excess of 0.3mg/L in all the samples and lead in excess of 0.05mg/L in two of the samples. Microbiological examination for total counts of bacteria and fungi, the presence of faecal colifonn, Escherichia coli, Vibrio sp. Salmonella sp. Shigella sp: streptococci-and Staphylococcus aureus was performed. Coliforms counts 10-200cfu/ml; E. coli 0.2-8.Ocfu/ml; Staph,aureus 10-2000 cfu/ral and total plate count >100cfu/ml; were detected in 11, 4, 8 and 10 samples respectively out of the 15 tested: Using the standards supplied by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and. Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria and as specified by World Health Organisation (WHO), only 1.3% of the water samples were suitable for drinking. The research confirms the speculations about the impure state of the sachet packaged drinking water sold in Nigeria as “pure water”, about 50% of which had N AFDAC registration numbers.