The study surveyed 15 kinds of the domestic and imported bottled water available
in the water market in Al Qurayyat City, Al Jouf Region, northern Saudi Arabia.
The domestic water brands included Al Qassim, Hilwa, Taiba, Hana, Nuva, Hijra,
Dala, Aquafina, Arwa, Naba, Al Ghazal, Nestle and Yanabe Al Qassim. The
imported water included Volvic and Evian. Each water brand attained a
characteristic taste according to the chemical composition. Hydrogen ion
concentration ranged between 6.8 and 7.4. All the water brands were free of
bacteria. There was a marked difference in the concentrations of total dissolved
solids, bicarbonates, total hardness, sulfates, chlorides, calcium, potassium,
magnesium and sodium among the studies water brands. Evian water contains
high level of bicarbonate (360 mg/l), total dissolved salts, calcium and magnesium.
Arwa attained the highest level of sulfate (74.5 mg/l), Nestle recorded the highest
level of chloride (68 mg/l), whereas Al Qassim showed the highest level of sodium
(29 mg/liter) and nitrate (7.00 mg/l). However, Hilwa water has the highest level of
potassium (7.9 mg/l). |