Presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Bottled Drinking Water in Mexico City

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 2010-10, Vol.85 (4), p.372-376
• Main Authors: Salinas, Rutilio Ortiz, Bermudez, Beatriz Schettino, Tolentino, Rey Gutiérrez, Gonzalez, Gilberto Díaz, León, Salvador Vega y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Bottled drinking water; Bottled water; Chlorinated compounds; Contaminants; Contamination; Control; Drinking; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electron capture detectors; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Food Analysis; Food Contamination - statistics & numerical data; Gas chromatography; Health hazards; Human; Mexico; Monitoring; Organic contaminants; PCB; Pollution; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Soil Science & Conservation; Waste Water Technology; Water - analysis; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Water sampling
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-010-0105-y

This paper describes the concentrations of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottled drinking water samples that were collected over 1 year from Mexico City in two sizes (1.5 and 19 L), using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. PCBs 28 (0.018-0.042 μg/L), 52 (0.006-0.015 μg/L) and 101 (0.001-0.039 μg/L) were the most commonly found and were present in the majority of the samples. However, total concentrations of PCBs in bottled drinking water (0.035-0.039 μg/L) were below the maximum permissible level of 0.50 μg/L stated in Mexican regulations and probably do not represent a hazard to human health. PCBs were detectable in all samples and we recommend a monitoring program be established to better understand the quality of drinking bottled water over time; this may help in producing solutions for reducing the presence of organic contaminants.