Effect of Storage and Exposure to Sunlight on the Quality of Sachet Water Sold in Ibadan Metropolis

Abstract

Abstract:Inadequate pipe borne water supply has led to rapid proliferation of sachet water companies in Nigeria. Recently, another dimension added to public health concerns on water quality is the storage and handling of sachet water by distributors and vendors. This study assessed the effect of storage and exposure to sunlight on the quality of sachet water in Ibadan, Nigeria. An experimental design was adopted. Two hundred sachets of water from ten brands were collected upon production from various factories. Water samples were divided into two groups: storage indoor (room temperature) and storage with exposure to sunlight for four weeks. Physicochemical and bacteriological analyses were carried out on the sachet water samples at baseline and after three days and weeks one to four of storage. The data obtained were analysed using SPSS (20.0). The bacteria isolated were E. coli, S. aureus, K. pneumonia and P.vulgaris. Total bacterial counts decreased in the order: 0 to 1.5x10 4 cfu/100 mL (day 3) > 0 to 9.5x 10 2 cfu/100 mL (day 7) upon exposure to sunlight, however, there was continuous increase of bacteria count from day seven. Bacteria counts of water stored indoor increased throughout the study period. E. coli was present in all water samples by day 21. There was a significant difference in nitrite concentration between the two storage conditions across study period. This study revealed that storage duration and exposure conditions affect the quality of sachet water for drinking. Quality improvement of sachet water through exposure to sunlight was most effective on third day of exposure, while the maximum time of effectiveness was one week, beyond which the quality deteriorates fast irrespective of the storage condition. Hence, prolonged water storage beyond one week before drinking is discouraged.

Impact of exposure to sunlight before consumption of packaged potable water (Sachet Water) in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Southeastern Nigeria

“…The increased temperature of the different brands of sachet water exposed to sunlight in our present study possibly increased the microbial load in the water, thereby increasing the turbidity in the sachet water samples as also observed by Chinenye and Amos [19] and this corroborates with the microbial load in our study. According to our present study, the pH of each sachet water brand (US, AN, GP) decreased with duration of exposure to sunlight, which is in consonance with the ndings of Chinenye and Amos [19]. for sachet water exposed to sunlight, giving an indication that the sachet water plastic package contained acidic chemical components which potentially lowered the pH and increased acidity of water.…”

“…Furthermore, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, TDS, and hardness had the highest signi cant increment in all brands (except for conductivity in the US brand), while pH had the highest signi cant decrease in all sachet water brands (US, AN, GP) exposed to sunlight for 42 days (p < 0.05) compared to the control. This denotes that the duration of exposure of the sachet water in uenced the quantity of chemicals leached into the water, thereby making the sachet water exposed for 42 days to record the highest signi cant increase in temperature, conductivity, turbidity, TDS and hardness, and signi cant decrease in pH, and this corroborated with the report of Chinenye and Amos [19]. The increased temperature of the different brands of sachet water exposed to sunlight in our present study possibly increased the microbial load in the water, thereby increasing the turbidity in the sachet water samples as also observed by Chinenye and Amos [19] and this corroborates with the microbial load in our study.…”

“…This denotes that the duration of exposure of the sachet water in uenced the quantity of chemicals leached into the water, thereby making the sachet water exposed for 42 days to record the highest signi cant increase in temperature, conductivity, turbidity, TDS and hardness, and signi cant decrease in pH, and this corroborated with the report of Chinenye and Amos [19]. The increased temperature of the different brands of sachet water exposed to sunlight in our present study possibly increased the microbial load in the water, thereby increasing the turbidity in the sachet water samples as also observed by Chinenye and Amos [19] and this corroborates with the microbial load in our study. According to our present study, the pH of each sachet water brand (US, AN, GP) decreased with duration of exposure to sunlight, which is in consonance with the ndings of Chinenye and Amos [19].…”

“…The levels of pH in the sachet water (US, AN, GP) exposed to sunlight in the present study were lower than the ndings reported by Chinenye and Amos [19] for effect of sunlight exposure to water quality, Onosakponame [20] for effect of sunlight on sachet water quality, Okeola et al [54] for stability of packaged water produced in Ilorin (Nigeria), Adedire et al [18] for effect of direct sunlight on the chemical properties of sachet water, and Bolawa and Adelusi [8] for water quality of sachet water obtained from Markets in Lagos, Nigeria. The levels of temperature in all sachet water brands exposed to sunlight were lower than the ndings of Okeola et al [54].…”

“…It has been shown that on poor storage, sachet water deteriorates in quality and can act as vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic organisms [19]. In addition, polyethene plastic on storage are susceptible to degradation when poorly stored under high temperatures such as those seen with vendors that expose these sachet water to direct or indirect sunlight before they sold to end consumers [3,1,18,20].…”