MACROBIOGENIC ELEMENTS IN PACKAGED AND GROUNDWATER WATERS FROM VARIOUS SLOVAK AND FOREIGN REGIONS

Abstract

In the work, the contents of macrobiogenic elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) in 20 randomly selected samples of bottled water sold in commercial networks in the Slovak Republic were investigated, and these values ​​were compared with our analyses of the same macroelements in 8 groundwater samples. The aim of the work was, except of determining the contents of the elements in the waters, also finding the existence of a mutual correlation between their contents and indirectly analysing of the geochemical composition of the rocks that are in contact with these waters. Bottled water samples obtained from retail chains originated from the Slovak Republic and also from abroad: from the Czech Republic, Austria, France and Hungary - all these monitored regions belong to the Alpine-Himalayan system from a geomorphological point of view. The highest contents of calcium and magnesium were assessed in bottled waters Gemerka (Banská Bystrica region), Salvator and Baldovská (Prešov region). High content values of sodium were determined in bottled waters Budiš and Fatra (Žilina region) and high contents of potassium in bottled waters Budiš (Žilina region) and Salvator (Prešov region). In contrary, the lowest contents of calcium and magnesium were determined in bottled waters Oravská (Žilina region) and in bottled water Aro from Czech republic. In bottled waters Zlatá studňa Jasenovo, Rajec (Žilina region), Lucka (Trnava region), Mitická and Tesco (Trenčín region) and Evian from France the low contents of sodium and potassium were determined.The analyses of 8 samples taken from subsurface water, where 4 samples were from Nitra town and its district, another 3 samples were taken from the vicinity of Vrbovce municipality and one sample from the border area with Czech republic showed following composition of all selected elements: the contents of calcium were in range 102.40 ‒ 193.7 mg/L, the contents of magnesium were in range 10.10 ‒ 46.30 mg/L, the contents of sodium were in range 4.10 ‒ 37.50 mg/L and the contents of potassium 0.50 ‒ 18.10 mg/L . In the samples of bottled waters found in stores the data for descriptive characterization were processed with the parametres of functions quantifying the mutual correlation. Strong correlation dependance between the calcium and magnesium contents that could be described by linear linear and square function was identified in analysed waters. The presence of mid strong existency correlation defined by square and non-linear  function was evaluated by contents of calcium and sodium in mentioned waters by mathematical program.