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PHYSICOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF VARNA BASIN MINERAL WATER

Todorka Sokrateva

Abstract

Physicochemical characterization of Varna mineral water was made, allowing classifying the type of water based on its macro and microelement composition. A comparative analysis of 23 physicochemical parameters of three water sources placed on the territory of Varna has been carried out. These included color, smell, temperature, turbidity, active reaction, content of ammonium ions, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, electrical conductivity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sulfates, phosphates, chloride, total iron and ferric iron (Fe3+), fluorides, sodium, general and composite alkalinity, total dry residue, total organic carbon. The selected sources were three actively used public mineral water boreholes: Dom Mladost, Aquarium, and Estreya. New data assessing the content of biologically active substances, such as potassium, dissolved sulfides and free hydrogen sulfide (S2, SH-, H2S), selenium and chromium, related to human health were obtained. For the first time ten target organoleptic and physicochemical parameters of the mineral water from a selected most actively used by the Varna region population water source (Aquarium) were monitored. All values resulting from the analyses were within the permissible limits of Bulgarian an EU quality guidelines. The pH of the water samples was found to be slightly alkaline (pH 7,19, 7,6 and 7,5, respectively for the three sources listed above). The corresponding temperatures measured were 45?C; 37,5??; 37??. According to the total hardness, the Varna mineral wates are classified as medium hard waters (4,4 mg eq/L, 3,9 mg eq/L, and 4,1 mg eq/L, respectively). Among the cations, Na2+, Ca2+, Mg2+ were prevailing. Among the anions, Cl-, SO42+ and F- anions dominated. Electrical conductivity and total dry residue measured were indicative of slight mineralized water. This study is carried out using innovative, informative, validated and standardized methods, such as ICP-MS elemental analysis, chromatographic methods for anion and cation analysis, spectrophotometric methods for iron and selenium. For the first time a full characterization of the physicochemical properties of Varna Basin mineral waters has been made with respect to their healing potential as a drinking remedy and traditional usage in balneology since ancient times.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/3.1/s12.072

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