Biological evaluation of some bottle water quality sold within Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Water plays a vital role in daily metabolic life processes. However, promoting public health awareness as well as provision of safe and secured bottled drinking water by stakeholders cannot be over emphasized. The study is aimed at evaluating the biological quality of some bottled water sold within Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. Studies on physical and biological parametric standard method were conducted. A total of 40 samples comprising of 4 different brands was randomly selected using stratified sampling techniques from different sampling sites within Kano metropolis in Northern Nigeria. Physical observation of bottled water labeling characteristics was evaluated. Water sample was pressurized to deflate the bio films along the walls of the container.10-20ml of the sample was pipette into centrifuge bottles corresponding to the label of each sample brand .It was centrifuged at a rotor speed of 1,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) for 30 minutes for biological evaluation. Algal cells were identified and enumerated. Results showed that none of the samples met the physical full content labeling characteristic standard. 10 Species of algal cell/ml was detected in some bottled water brands with Flagillaria spp. being the abundance in brand A and Ankistrodesmus spp. being the least in brand B. However, none was detected in sample D. It is recommended that, effective implementation of WHO water safety guidelines from the catchment
source to the consumer through campaign awareness can reduce level of exposure. Stake
holders should be encouraged to protect and store bottle water against sunlight exposure, chemicals and cleaning reagents.