Bacteriological and Physicochemical Evaluation of Selected Bottled Water Brands in Nasarawa, Kano State, Nigeria

Twenty-six different brands of bottled water were tested for bacteriological and physicochemical qualities in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria. Bacteriological assessments have been used to outline the wide varieties of heterotrophic bacteria, overall coliform and faecal coliform. The chloride content, pH, temperature, conductivity, flouride content, total hardness and suspended particles have been additionally investigated. The coliform count ranged from 0 to 1000 coliform/100ml of the sample while the heterotrophic bacterial count ranged from 0 to 118 cfu/ml. In the bottled water samples, there was no faecal coliform and fluoride contents. The pH, temperature, conductivity, Chloride content, total hardness, and total suspended particles were all within acceptable limits between 6.50 and 8.30, 19.8 and 21.00C, 63.10 and 86.92µS/cm, 3.58 and 4.64 mg/l, 1 and 86 mg/l and 1.0 x 10-3 to 3.0 x 10-3 g/100ml, respectively. Staphylococcus, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Micrococcus and Bacillus were among the bacterial species found. For heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform and faecal coliform, 25 (96%), 24 (92%) and 0 (100%) of the 26 different bottled water samples met the standard respectively. For pH, temperature, conductivity, fluoride content, chloride content, total hardness and total suspended particles, all of the bottled water samples also met the criteria. According to the results of this study, 88.46 percent of the bottled waters tested were fit for consumption based on bacteriological and physicochemical factors. When producing bottled water, it is recommended that stringent criteria should be followed to ensure that the bottles are well capped, and that statistics including the producing date, expiration date and consignment number be imprinted on the bottles.