ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical and bacteriological properties of sachet and bottled waters sold in Benin City, Nigeria.
Sachet and bottled water samples were purchased randomly and at different times from different vendors and producing factories within Benin City. Questionnaires were administered to factory staff about the quality checks after batch production of water samples. Standard methods were employed to evaluate the physicochemical parameters of the water samples, and a membrane filtration technique was used to isolate and enumerate bacteria from the samples. The isolates were identified using cultural and molecular techniques, and phenotypic virulence properties of the isolated were evaluated via DNAse, gelatinase, lipase and haemolysin. The Kirby-Bauer method was employed to determine the antibiotics sensitivity of the isolates, and the multiple antibiotic resistance index was evaluated.
The physical examination revealed that bottled water samples had more detailed information than sachet water, which ought to guide consumers about safety. It was observed that 93.62% of water factories had quality control officers while 6.38% had none. Physicochemical parameters of bottled and sachet water samples revealed that most of the parameters namely were within the permissible limits. The bacterial counts (cfu/100mL) for sachet water samples ranged from 1.50 ± 0.71 to 12.00 ± 1.41 and bottled water samples ranged from 00.00 ± 0.00 to 33.50.00 ± 9.19 against stipulated guidelines of WHO for drinking water quality (10 cfu/100 mL). Isolates identified in the water samples included Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus pumilus, Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus. This study showed that Bacillus pumilus was the most occurring bacterium (27.91%), while the least occurring isolate was Enterobacter cloacae (4.65%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most resistant bacterium, with a multiple resistance index of 0.53, while Bacillus pumilus was the least antibiotic-resistant bacterium, with a multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.25. This work has exposed the flaws in production. Daily random checks and proper handling processes are recommended since contamination is inevitable. Accurate information about the products should be made available on packaged water labels. Equal attention should be given to bacteriological contamination and not only to physicochemical parameters. Factory workers need to be trained and sensitized, to be aware of the quality and safety of the products which have to be everyone’s priority in handling commercial packages. Law enforcers should enforce stricter measures for the safety of the packaged products.
