Aldehyde contamination of mineral water stored in PET bottles

Aldehyde contaminations that might accompany production of mineral water stored in PET bottles were investigated. One of the production lines of carbonated mineral water in Poland was monitored and PET bottles commonly used for mineral water storage were evaluated. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were the most important carbonyls identified in series of bottled water samples, but also propanal, nonanal and glyoxal were found in water samples from the production line. Aldehydes are present everywhere in the environment and can be determined even in pure water at low mug l(-1) levels. It was observed that the concentration of acetaldehyde in water stored in PET bottles depended mainly on the concentration of acetaldehyde in PET material and could reach more than 200 mug l(-1). The temperature, time of storage and concentration of carbon dioxide gas contribute to the migration of aldehydes from bottle walls to mineral water. Higher pressure of the carbonated waters and not CO2 itself or lower pH of waters seems responsible for higher concentration of acetaldehyde.