Anions, Cations and Silica in Commercial Mineral Water Products, City Waters and Well Waters

Abstract

Eight major inorganic ions, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl^-, NO₃^-, SO_42- and HCO₃^-, in 44 commercial mineral water products, 7 city waters and 3 well waters were analyzed by ion chromatography. SiO₂ was also measured by the molybdenum blue method. The relationship between inorganic components and flavor was examined by sensory evaluation. (1) There were differences in the compositions and the contents of inorganic components among samples. The averages of total inorganic components of Japanese mineral water products, imported nongas type mineral water products, imported gas type mineral water products, city waters and well waters were 153, 322, 1856, 189 and 175ppm, respectively. The imported gas type ones were rich in the content of HCO₃^-. Not much difference in the composition of inorganic components was found among Japanese mineral water products, city waters and well waters. (2) Sensory evaluation elucidated that a factor governing the flavor of the drinking waters was the smell of musiness and residual chlorine rather than the inorganic components.