Experiments in Bottled Water Quality: Price vs. Purity`

• Lanita Aslinger• Undergraduate,

Department of Biology• Tennessee Technological

University, 38505

Introduction

                               

Problem Statement:

Prices of bottled waters vary, thus misleading the consumer into believing the purity of water has an ultimate effect on price.

                             

How popular is it?

“Americans drink 4 billion gallons of bottled water a year.”

(The Western Journal of Medicine,2000)

“Over the past few years the displays of bottled water in supermarkets and

other retail outlets have grown to occupy anywhere from a single shelf up

to one complete aisle. . .” (Thurman, et al., 2002)

“Sales of non-carbonated bottled and canned beverages in convenience stores have been

increasing at a rate faster than those of traditional ‘core’ beverages, beer and soda pop.”

(Fucini, 1993)

HOW HEALTHY IS IT?

“Bottled water claims to purity are bogus”

(World Wildlife Fund, 2001)

“1997 tests showed that several widely used brands [of bottled water] contained significant amounts of bacteria, arsenic, and volatile organic chemicals.”

(Macht, 1999)

Hypothesis Statement

• Name brand bottled waters of varying classifications (i.e.Spring, Purified, Distilled) are not of better quality than discount store brands of the same classification.

Project Summary

• The objective of this research was to determine the nutritional value of different bottled waters with an emphasis on their price differences.

• A variety of tests were conducted on the bottled waters.

Methods and Materials

One gallon of each: Crystal Spring Water

Crystal Purified WaterCrystal Distilled WaterGreat Value Spring WaterGreat Value Purified Water

Great Value Distilled WaterEach individual water was tested for contents of

Calcium and Chlorine as well as pH, Alkalinity, and Total Dissolved Solute.

The following data chart was used.

Product Name

Price Source Calcium pH Alkalinity Chlorine Total Dissolved Solute

Crystal Spring Water

$0.88 

Spring; Blue Ridge, GA 10 6.5 20 0 0

CrystalPurified Water

$0.84 Municipal Water Supply; Mableton, GA

50 6.6 10 0 0

Crystal Distilled Water

$0.88 Municipal Water Supply; Mableton, GA

10 6.6 10 0 0

               

Great Value Spring Water

$0.58 Naturalle Springs; Greenville, TN

120 7.4 100 0 0

Great ValuePurified Water

$0.58 Municipal Water Supply; Greenville, TN

5 6.4 0 0 0

Great Value Distilled Water

$0.58 Municipal Water Supply; Greenville, TN

0 6.5 10 0 0

Results• Differences were evident

between the name brand bottled waters and their competitor of corresponding type.

Conclusion

• Great Value Spring Water proven as best overall drinking water.

• Proven that the less expensive brand of water is in fact a better source of drinking water.