• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 23
  • 4
  • 4
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • Tagged with
  • 42
  • 42
  • 9
  • 6
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
31

Água de beber, água de beber camará: uma análise do sistema de marketing da água a partir da perspectiva de macromarketing

Silva, Arielle Pinto 17 February 2017 (has links)
Submitted by Maike Costa (maiksebas@gmail.com) on 2017-08-31T13:38:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 8739373 bytes, checksum: d6818f3641a41a432901226e81fb5946 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2017-08-31T15:53:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 8739373 bytes, checksum: d6818f3641a41a432901226e81fb5946 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2017-08-31T15:53:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 8739373 bytes, checksum: d6818f3641a41a432901226e81fb5946 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-31T15:53:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 8739373 bytes, checksum: d6818f3641a41a432901226e81fb5946 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-17 / This thesis is aimed at studying the marketing system of water which is meant to be drunk, represented mainly by the modalities of tap water and bottled water. The main point of our thesis is that the aforementioned system is unbalanced and that bottled water consumption provokes social issues, both economic and environmental. In order to develop such proposition, we structured four objectives and carried out two empirical researches (qualitative and quantitative research). The first objective was to present how the Water Marketing System (SMA) works with water that is meant to be drunk. To achieve that, we described all the elements that form the SMA: entrances, agents, flows, activities, exits, context and other systems. We propose that the State is an agent with a special role and that Marketing is an academic field which can contribute to enhance the results in the system. Furthermore, we presented special elements that are central to harmonize the situations caused by unbalance: efficiency, stakeholder theory, distributive justice and sustainability. Moreover, we intended to understand the variables that influence in the consumer predisposition to replace bottled water for tap water (straight out of the tap or filtered). We developed a questionnaire for consumers all over Brazil, which was applied both face to face and online, out of which we have used a sample of 798 valid questionnaires. To manage statistical data, we applied multivariate regression techniques, Theil-Sen and quantile. That way, we found the following variables: “organoleptic characteristics”, “health risk” and “attitude towards tap water” influence in the likeability of replacement of tap water straight from the tap and “organoleptic characteristics”, “health risk”, “context indicators”, “attitude” and even “trust in government” influence when the intention is to replace and use treated water. In addition, we applied the analysis of variance and figured that, depending on the income of the consumer, there is variation in the predisposition to replace bottled water for tap water. Besides, we intend to present practices of incentive for the consumption of tap water developed by agents of SMA. We carried out the data collection through a documented research and interviews. We found that at least three different SMA agents (companies, NGO and State) encourage the consumption of tap water, developing actions that fit three theoretical frames: social marketing, consumer’s education and market regulation. Still, we note that the interviewed agents consider: that SMA is unbalanced, that information is key in the education process, that the bottled water companies intensify communication actions in order to promote bottled water as the best option for ingestion, amongst other findings. As a result of such steps, we conclude that there is a situation of unbalance in the SMA and that bottled water consumption generates a few problems. To sum up, we point to targets in support of the balance to be conducted by State and Marketing through the results we found, which led to a proposition of actions and target ideas for these two agents. / A presente tese estuda o sistema de marketing de água com a finalidade de beber, representado em sua maioria pela modalidade de água da torneira e água engarrafada. Assumimos como argumentos de tese que este sistema está desequilibrado e que o consumo de água engarrafada acarreta problemas sociais, econômicos e ambientais. Para o desenvolvimento desta proposta, elaboramos quatro objetivos e conduzimos duas pesquisas empíricas (quantitativa e qualitativa). O primeiro objetivo foi o de apresentar a configuração do Sistema de Marketing da Água (SMA) para finalidade de beber. Por tanto, fizemos a descrição de todos os elementos que formam o SMA: entradas, agentes, fluxos, atividades, saídas, contexto e outros sistemas. Propusemos que o Estado é um agente com papel especial e que o Marketing é uma área acadêmica que pode contribuir para aprimorar os resultados do sistema. Prosseguimos apresentando os elementos centrais para harmonizar as situações decorrentes de desequilíbrios: eficiência, teoria do stakeholder, justiça distributiva e sustentabilidade. Em seguida, designamos compreender as variáveis que influenciam a predisposição do consumidor a substituir água engarrafada por água da torneira (direto ou filtrada). Desenvolvemos um questionário que foi aplicado de forma presencial e on-line com consumidores de todo o Brasil. No total, conseguimos uma amostra de 798 questionários válidos. Para as análises estatísticas, realizamos Regressão Multivariada, Theil-Sen e Quantílica. Desta forma, encontramos que as variáveis ‘características organolépticas’, ‘risco para saúde’ e ‘atitude em relação à água da torneira’ influenciam a propensão de substituição para água direto da torneira; e ‘características organolépticas’, ‘risco para saúde’, ‘indicadores contextuais’, ‘atitude’ e, ainda, ‘confiança no governo’ influenciam quando a intenção é pela substituição por água tratada. Em adição, aplicamos a análise de variância e constatamos que, a depender da renda do consumidor, existe variação na predisposição a substituir água engarrafada por água direto da torneira. Depois, tencionamos apresentar práticas de incentivo para o consumo de água da torneira desenvolvidas por agentes do SMA. Realizamos coleta de dados através de uma pesquisa documental e da realização de entrevistas. Encontramos que pelo menos três agentes diferentes do SMA (companhias, ONG e Estado) encorajam o consumo de água da torneira, desenvolvendo ações que se encaixam em três recortes teóricos: marketing social, educação do consumidor e regulação de mercado. Ainda, constatamos que os agentes entrevistados consideram que: o SMA está desequilibrado, que a informação é chave do processo de educação, e que as empresas de água engarrafada intensificaram ações de comunicação para promovê-la como melhor opção para ingestão, entre outras verificações. Em decorrência destas etapas realizadas, concluímos que existe uma situação de desequilíbrio no SMA e que o consumo de água engarrafada gera alguns problemas. Por fim, visamos apontar direcionamentos em prol do equilíbrio a serem conduzidos pelo Estado e pelo Marketing a partir dos resultados encontrados, o que resultou na proposição de um conjunto de ações e direcionamentos para esses dois agentes.
32

Comparison of Fluoride Levels in Tap and Bottled Water and Reported Use of Fluoride Supplementation in a United States–Mexico Border Community

Victory, Kerton R., Cabrera, Nolan L., Larson, Daniela, Reynolds, Kelly A., Latura, Joyce, Thomson, Cynthia A., Beamer, Paloma I. 27 April 2017 (has links)
Background: Compared to the general United States (U.S.) population, Arizona counties along the U.S.-Mexico border have a higher prevalence of dental caries, which can be reduced with adequate fluoride exposure. Because of concern regarding local tap water quality, fluoride-free bottled water consumption is common in this region, raising concern that families are not receiving adequate fluoride to promote dental health. Objective: To evaluate the levels of fluoride in tap and bottled water as well as the use of fluoride supplements in an Arizona border community. Methods: Low-income Latino households (n = 90) who report use of bottled water as their primary source of water intake were recruited. Participants completed a questionnaire about their and their children's dental histories and use of fluoride supplements. Water samples (bottled and tap) were collected from a subset of households (n = 30) for analysis of fluoride. Results: Fluoride detection levels were significantly greater (p = 0.02, Fisher's exact test) in tap water (average = 0.49 mg/dL) than in bottled water, yet, the majority (22/30) were below the range for optimal dental health (0.7-1.2 mg/L). Concentration of fluoride in the majority (29/30) of bottled water samples was below the quantitative detection limit of 0.4 mg/L. Children were significantly less likely to have dental caries if they received fluoride varnishing treatments (p = 0.01, Fisher's exact test), lived in households that reported using fluoridated mouthwash (p < 0.001, Fisher's exact test), their parents received fluoride education (p = 0.01, Fisher's exact test), and their parents reported visiting a dentist yearly (p < 0.001, Fisher's exact test). Furthermore, none of the participants reported receiving recommendations from health-care providers about fluoride supplementation or variance in content by the type of water consumed. Conclusion: Although fluoride was significantly more likely to be detected in tap than bottled water, neither water source in this border community is likely to provide enough fluoride for optimal dental health. Low-income children in this region may benefit from regular access to fluoride varnishing treatments and/or use of fluoridated mouthwash, interventions that could be tested in future well-designed trials.
33

Sustainable Provision of Water Services in the United States

Hayek, Carolyn January 2024 (has links)
Most of the US population is served by large-scale, centralized drinking water, wastewater, and storm water systems built in the late 19th and early 20th century. Multi-trillion dollar investments are needed over the next 20 years to restore failing infrastructure, expand service areas to accommodate growing populations, and meet rising service provision costs driven by environmental and regulatory factors. A formal plan that recognizes the socioeconomic complexity of water services provision in the US is needed to guide these investments. Rising residential water charges over the last 20 years have raised concerns about household affordability of basic water services. Meanwhile, anywhere from 9 to 45 million people (4-28% of the US population) are affected by health-based drinking water quality violations each year. New technologies and evolving social goals have the potential to reshape the sector as we know it. This dissertation is a first attempt at synthesizing the sub questions around which spending is most critical and how rates can be structured for more equitable outcomes. Research on the determinants of historic charge growth has been hindered by a lack of long-term longitudinal data. Unlike energy and telecom utilities, less than 20% of all drinking water utilities (primarily the investor-owned utilities) are economically regulated by public utility commissions. Absent local requirements, municipal water systems whose operating revenues are insufficient to cover operating expenses can make up for budget shortfalls with net transfers from the city general fund. We combine 10 American Water Works Association (AWWA) rate surveys to construct an 18-year unbalanced panel of charges at 446 large utilities (i.e., population served ≥10,000), revealing elevated 2-year compound annual charge growth (CAGR) between 2008 and 2012. We estimate heterogenous impacts of the Great Recession on CAGR with an event study design of 204 utilities, comparing those with 2007 operating ratios below 1.2 (PCR) to those with ratios of ≥ 1.2 (FCR). Despite having the same cumulative 18-year CAGR, 2009-2013 CAGR was 3.9, 5.2, 5.2, and 5.7 percentage points per year higher at PCR utilities for 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 3,000 cf/month, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that large utilities who were likely relying on the general fund at the start of the Great Recession had to sharply increase their charges in the short-term to make up for decreased availability of that funding source. This indicates more immediate affordability challenges at utilities with operating ratios below 1.2 in the event of a similar economic shock. Additional data is needed to evaluate generalizability of these results to smaller systems. Willingness to pay (WTP) for improved drinking water quality is estimated based on the cost of household averting behaviors taken during violations. While buying bottled water is a well-documented reaction to these violations, demographic and socioeconomic differences in water intake, preferred water supply alternatives, and shopping behavior suggest heterogeneity in the timing and form (e.g. soda vs bottled water) of household responses. We quantify this heterogeneity with an event study design using monthly household purchases of soda, water, and juice from the Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel Dataset from 2004 through 2017. We find that, while households spend an average 14.8% more on bottled water during a month with a nitrate violation, these responses are concentrated in non-hispanic (NHP) Black and NHP Other households below the poverty threshold. Bottled water spending is 91.8% higher than usual in violation months for the former group and 90.0% higher than normal in the month after a violation for the latter. A simultaneous 103% increase in juice spending results in a 30.6% increase in combined beverage spending for NHP Black households below the poverty line in a violation month. Meanwhile, an 85.3% increase in soda spending at NHP Other households drives a 58.9% increase in combined beverage spending in months with a violation and a 134% increase in soda spending, along with increased bottled water purchases, results in a 106% increase in combined beverage spending the month after a violation. NHP Black households with an IPR between 1 and 2 spend 129% more on soda during a violation. Our results indicate that studies focused only on bottled water purchases have systematically undercounted the effects on Hispanic, NHP Black, and Other NHP American households below the poverty threshold in their measure of WTP for improved drinking water quality or for the true cost of violations. Additional analysis is needed to determine if the tap water substitutions made by Hispanic households and households below the poverty threshold are increasing their overall sugary beverage consumption, which can have negative long-term health effects that are also not being considered. Finally, we explore the ongoing implementation of onsite and distributed water reuse systems (ODWRS) to better understand how sociotechnical transitions can be supported when they are deemed to be a socially optimal solution. ODWRS collect previously discarded water flows as alternative water sources (e.g. rainwater, stormwater, greywater, wastewater) from one or more buildings and treat that water close to the point of generation or point of use to a quality deemed safe for its intended end use. Widespread adoption of ODWRS requires both acceptance of new technologies (e.g., water treatment, engineering) and alterations to established social systems(e.g., norms, stakeholder engagement, regulations). This has often been discussed as a single transition for all types of systems at the same time. However, the types of ODWRS being implemented in different areas are not the same. We compile and analyze the first national dataset of system-level information on ODWRS to identify clusters of system types associated with specific drivers. We find evidence of multiple transitions based on the combination of original source contamination level and end use application contact level. Low-contamination, low-contact are almost in the final stage of sociotechnical transition for many locations. Many areas with water supply constraints have already begun the transition for high-contamination to low- or medium-contact systems. Wastewater ODWRS are being implemented in places with effluent disposal constraints and stormwater ODWRS are being implemented in areas with combined sewers or high flood risk, though usually only for low-contact end uses.
34

Bottle water storage location and its impact on microbiogical quality

Palmer, Hilary R. 01 January 2009 (has links)
In recent decades the quality and safety of bottled water has come into question, while bottled water sales and demand have steadily grown. It is important that consumers as well as manufacturers are made aware of the microbial environment of bottled water. Many studies have been implemented to evaluate the microbiological content of bottled water. Although some laboratory studies have shown that microbial counts of bottled water can reach as high as 16^3 CFU/mL, few studies, if any, have studied the impact of storage location on bottled water microbial activity. This document reports on an investigation that evaluated the microbiological quality of bottled water relative to storage conditions and storage duration. Unlike previous studies that evaluated bottled water having been stored under the laboratory conditions, the work conducted in this study evaluated storage scenarios that included a car trunk, covered porch, indoor cabinet and refrigerator. These storage conditions allow for comparison of prior studies conducted in the laboratory to more realistic storage coniditions used by consumers. Analyses of bottled water under these alternative storage conditions indicated that microbial growth did occur in stored water and varied between lcoation and holding time. It was determined that heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) were greater in warmer storage environments as was exhibited by the refrigerated and indoor locations. Additionally, mathematical models were developed in this work that predicted the microbial growth rate in bottled water as a function of holding time, using commonly available statistical software that evaluated data predicted using an exponential model (R2 correlation of up to 0.84) for two different storage conditions. Although increased levels of HPC bacteria are generally safe for those in good health, they are used as an indicator test for microbial quality. Furthermore, higher levels of HPC have also been shown to pose some additional health risks to immunocomprimised individuals. Therefore, results from the study would indicate that it may be beneficial for consumers to store their bottled water indoors or in a refrigerator.
35

Antimony and acetaldehyde migration from Nigerian and British PET bottles into water and soft drinks under typical use conditions : concentration of migrants and some trace elements in polyethylene terephthalate and in bottled contents

Tukur, Aminu January 2011 (has links)
Also aged bottles are safer to use than new bottles because their chemical leaching was found to be lower than that of new bottles. This study recommends the reassessment of the absence of international guidelines for acetaldehyde in water and foods. The study also recommends that the amount of acetaldehyde that can be added to soft drinks as flavouring agent should be below the specific migration limit (SML) for migration of acetaldehyde from PET bottle into bottle contents. This is essential since the SML was designed to ensure that exposure to acetaldehyde, as a result of intake of bottled water and soft drinks in PET bottles, is below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for acetaldehyde. As antimony was reported to go beyond the safe limits in some Nigerian bottled water and soft drinks after 11 months of storage this study discourages the use of bottle contents stored for a very long time.
36

Evaluation de la migration des constituants de l’emballage en poly(éthylène téréphtalate) (PET) vers l’eau, des facteurs d’influence et du potentiel toxique des migrats / Assessments of chemical mixtures leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into drinking water and their potential toxicity

Bach Campa, Cristina 14 November 2011 (has links)
Le poly(éthylène téréphtalate) (PET) est largement utilisé pour le conditionnement des eaux. L’évaluation de l’inertie des matières plastiques au contact de denrées alimentaires est régie par le règlement européen N°10/2011 qui permet d’assurer la sécurité sanitaire des matériaux. Cependant, plusieurs études ont rapporté des effets cyto/génotoxiques et/ou œstrogéniques des eaux embouteillées en PET. Ces réponses ont été attribuées à des mélanges de composés provenant du matériau polymère. L’objectif de ce travail de recherche a été d’apprécier les phénomènes de migration de monomères, catalyseurs, d’additifs et de néoformés du PET vers l’eau. Conformément aux formulations déclarées pour la fabrication des bouteilles en PET, aucune présence de phtalates, d’antioxydants et de stabilisants UV a été détectée dans l’eau. Cependant, la présence de formaldéhyde, d’acétaldéhyde, du 2,4-di-tert-butylphénol et d’antimoine dans l’eau embouteillée en PET a été confirmée. Il a été mis en évidence que la température influence la migration de ces molécules due à une perte d’orientation de la phase amorphe sur la partie semi-cristalline de la bouteille PET. Cela entraine une augmentation de la mobilité des chaînes polymériques. Ainsi, il a été montré que l’exposition solaire n’influence que la migration du formaldéhyde. En effet, aucune oxydation des chaînes polymériques n’a été détectée en surface de bouteilles après irradiation naturelle. L’étude toxicologique in vitro sur des modèles cellulaires humains (cellules HepG2 et MDA-MB453-kb2) n’a pas mis en évidence de cytotoxicité, de génotoxicité et d’activité de type œstrogénique et (anti)-androgénique dans l’eau embouteillée en PET / Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used for the manufacture of packaging for drinking water. The chemical safety of plastic materials intended to come into contact with food is strictly regulated by the European regulation No. 10/201, which establishes a positive list of authorized compounds for the production of plastic packaging. Despite this, cyto-/genotoxic and estrogenic activity of PET-bottled water has been reported. Chemical mixtures migrating from PET into bottled water may explain the reported positive results. The aim of this study was to assess the migration of monomers, catalysts, additives, and degradation byproducts from PET into bottled water. In accordance with the chemical formulations reported for PET, no phtalates, antioxidants, and UV stabilizers were detected into bottled water. However, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol and antimony were found in PET bottled water. It was shown that temperature influences the migration of these compounds, due to orientation loss of the amorphous phase of the semi-crystalline part of PET bottles. This phenomenon increases the mobility of polymer chains and consequently, the compounds’ diffusion. Thus, it was found that sunlight exposure influences only the migration of formaldehyde. Indeed, no oxidation of the polymer chains was detected on the surface of PET bottles after exposure. The in vitro toxicological bioassays with human cell models (HepG2 and MDA-MB453-KB2 cells) did not show any cytotoxicity, genotoxicity or estrogenic- and (anti)-androgenic-like activity for PET bottled water
37

Água envasada: qualidade microbiológica e percepção dos consumidores no município de Viçosa-MG / Bottled water: microbiological quality and consumer perception in Viçosa-MG

Reis, Ludimila Rodrigues 19 December 2013 (has links)
Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:47:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 761454 bytes, checksum: 12b991fd727e757f5f80c026d87d867c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-12-19 / The objective of this work is to characterize the microbiological quality of bottled natural mineral water sold in Viçosa - MG and understand users' perceptions related to this source of water supply for human consumption. To diagnose the quality of bottled water samples were collected from four brands of natural mineral water bottled in gallon 20 liters for microbiological evaluation. The quality of these waters was verified by bacteriological tests for Escherichia coli, total coliforms, Enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and values of color and turbidity. The profile of consumers of bottled water, the perception of water quality and factors that motivate the choice of this type of water were studied by means of interviews with application of qualitative method employing the strategy of content analysis. For the presence of total coliforms only brand D showed this bacterium, equivalent to a contamination of 25 % of the samples from this brand. There was no presence of E.coli in any brand analyzed. For enterococci, all the brands had at least once this bacteria, and the brand B showed contamination of 37.5 % of the studied samples. Presence of P.aeruginosa was observed in two marks (A and C) contaminated with 25% of the investigated samples for each brand. Regarding the qualitative study on consumer perception of bottled natural mineral water was observed that the question of why choice for consumption of bottled water is less related to the sense of health protection and more to the spread of a social practice, consolidated and legitimated in everyday life. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a qualidade microbiológica de águas minerais naturais envasadas comercializadas no município de Viçosa-MG e compreender as percepções dos usuários relacionadas a essa fonte de abastecimento de água para consumo humano. Para o diagnóstico da qualidade da água envasada foram coletadas amostras de quatro marcas de água mineral natural envasada em galão de 20 litros para avaliação microbiológica. A qualidade dessas águas foi verificada por meio de análises bacteriológicas para Escherichia coli, coliformes totais, Enterococos, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e valores de cor e turbidez. O perfil dos consumidores de água envasada, a percepção sobre qualidade da água e fatores que motivam a escolha desse tipo de água foram pesquisados por meio da realização de entrevistas, com aplicação do método qualitativo empregando a estratégia da análise de conteúdo. A presença de coliformes totais foi identificada somente na marca D, sendo que 25% das amostras tiveram resultado positivo. Não houve detecção de E. coli em qualquer das marcas analisadas. Para Enterococos, todas as marcas apresentaram pelo menos uma amostra positiva, sendo que a marca B apresentou contaminação em 37,5% das amostras pesquisadas. A presença de P. aeruginosa foi observada em duas marcas (A e C) com contaminação de 25% das amostras pesquisadas referente a cada marca. Em relação ao estudo qualitativo sobre a percepção dos consumidores de água mineral natural envasada foi possível perceber que a questão do motivo de escolha para o consumo da água envasada está relacionada menos ao sentido de proteção da saúde e mais à disseminação de uma prática social, consolidada e legitimada no cotidiano.
38

Vliv normativních faktorů na environmentálně šetrné spotřební chování / The Influence of Normative Factors on Environmentally Friendly Consumer Beehavior

Dubcová, Barbora January 2015 (has links)
The Influence of Normative Factors on Environmentally Friendly Consumer Behavior As consumer behavior is a type of environmentally significant behavior, it plays a fundamental role in environmental concerns of our time. In the long-term, current consumption and production patterns are not sustainable. The goal of this thesis was to investigate the influence of descriptive social norms on environmentally friendly consumer behavior using a randomized experiment quantitative approach. Data was collected using online surveys. Experiment results show that providing information about the behavior of others has an impact on how we perceive descriptive norms and that a change in descriptive norms influences our environmentally significant behavior intentions. This was, however, only confirmed under the circumstances when respondents identified themselves with a reference group, which was a carrier of descriptive norms. Thus, this thesis broadens our knowledge of the impact of descriptive norms on environmentally friendly behavior, because it was previously assumed that descriptive norms are a significant factor only in situations with strictly defined reference groups. On the contrary, this research shows the impact of descriptive norms even in cases of relatively abstract groups with defined criteria for...
39

Antimony and acetaldehyde migration from Nigerian and British PET bottles into water and soft drinks under typical use conditions. Concentration of migrants and some trace elements in polyethylene terephthalate and in bottled contents.

Tukur, Aminu January 2011 (has links)
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is an excellent material for bottling water, beverages, edible oils and other liquids because it is light, tough and transparent. PET bottles are also extensively reused for storage of drinking water, beverages and other liquids and for solar disinfection of microbiologically unsafe drinking water in the tropics. In spite of the usefulness of PET bottles earlier works have reported leaching of antimony and acetaldehyde from the bottle matrix into the liquid contents. Both antimony trioxide and acetaldehyde belongs to Group 2B (possible carcinogens) in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carcinogen classification. Additionally acetaldehyde associated with alcoholic beverages (derived from alcoholic beverage and formed endogenously) has recently been upgraded to IARC Group 1 carcinogen (carcinogenic to humans). The research aims to assess the pattern and extent of antimony and acetaldehyde migration from British and Nigerian polyethylene terephthalate bottles into bottle contents under typical use and reuse conditions. The research compares the assessed extents of migration with the current regulations to determine whether the maximum acceptable levels of antimony and acetaldehyde are being exceeded and whether current regulations might need to be reassessed. To achieve these goals the pattern and extent of PET bottle use and reuse in Britain and Nigeria were appraised through survey. The survey revealed that new bottles with contents are typically stored prior to use for periods ranging between one and 7 days, with Nigerians storing for longer periods than British respondents. However storage of up to one year was reported. The extent of bottle reuse was high and similar for the two countries. Nevertheless Nigerian respondents reuse bottles for longer periods than British respondents. The survey findings together with relevant literature were used to design laboratory experiments that assessed the extent of antimony and acetaldehyde migration from PET bottles into water/beverages. A total of 82 brands of bottled water and soft drinks in plastic and glass bottles and in cartons were collected. A few samples from Nigeria in plastic pouches were collected. Materials used in bottling including glass and plastic bottle materials, metal and plastic bottle cap materials and plastic cap lining materials were collected. All samples were collected in supermarkets and shops in Britain and Nigeria except drinking water from taps which was collected in Britain only. Some bottles were aged for the purpose of studying the impact of bottle aging on chemical migration. Other bottles were stored with their contents to study the impact of long term storage of bottle contents on chemical migration. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterise PET bottle material and other materials associated with water and soft drink bottling. Antimony and other trace metals in water and soft drinks were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Antimony content of PET and other plastics was determined by microwave digestion and ICP-MS. Acetaldehyde content of water and soft drinks and PET were determined using headspace gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID). Accuracy and precision for determination of antimony and other trace elements in bottle materials and bottle contents were good as recoveries were around 100% and coefficients of variation were less than 15% for all analysis types. Accuracy and precision for determination of acetaldehyde in bottle materials and bottle contents were also good as recoveries were around 100% and coefficients of variation were less than 15% for all analysis types. Impact of long term storage, elevated temperatures, bottle thickness, carbonation, bottle aging and bottle size on migration of antimony and acetaldehyde were also assessed. All plastic bottle materials analysed were found to be PET. Bottle cap materials were either polyethylene or polypropylene. All plastic cap lining materials from Britain and some from Nigeria were found to be ethylene vinyl acetate/polypropylene copolymer. Plastic cap lining materials from some Nigerian soft drinks were identified as polyvinyl chloride. Glass bottle materials analysed were found to be soda-lime glass. Metal bottle caps were identified as tinplate, tin-free-steel coated with chromium or aluminium coated with chromium. The antimony concentration in 32 PET bottle materials from Britain and Nigeria were similar and ranged between 177 and 310 mg/kg with an average of 250±30 mg/kg. The concentration agrees well with the industry reported concentration of between 150 and 350 mg/kg. The concentration of residual acetaldehyde in 25 fresh PET bottle materials from Britain and Nigeria ranged between 0.95 and 12.52 µg/g. The average concentration in British and Nigerian soft drinks PET materials are 4.76 and 2.17µg/g respectively. Concentration of residual acetaldehyde was higher in soft drinks and still water PET materials than in sparkling water materials. The concentration of residual acetaldehyde decreases as the bottle wall material becomes older. Also the thinner the bottle walls the lower the concentration of residual acetaldehyde. Antimony concentration in 47 freshly purchased British bottled water and soft drinks ranged between 0.03 and 6.61µg/L with only one sample going above the EU acceptable limit. Concentrations of other trace elements measured were low except titanium which was detected at part per million levels in soft drinks. Lead content of a Nigerian soft drink in glass bottle stored for 2 months was above the EU acceptable limit for lead. At realistic temperatures of 40 and 60°C antimony concentration in the water remained below the EU acceptable limit even after 48 hours of exposure but the concentration exceeded the limit for most exposures at 80°C. Concentration of antimony in some Nigerian bottled water and soft drinks was above the EU limit after 11 months of storage at room temperature. Aged bottles leach lower amount of antimony than new bottles. Similarly larger bottles leach lower amount of antimony than smaller bottles. The average acetaldehyde concentrations found in British fruit juices, carbonated soft drinks, sparkling water and still water were 5113, 1458, 22 and 8 µg/L respectively. Acetaldehyde was not detected in water bottled in glass. The concentration of acetaldehyde in five fruit juice samples in PET bottles and carton was beyond the EU specific migration limit (SML) of 6mg/kg. Also the tolerable daily intake of acetaldehyde could be exceeded as a result of intake of some soft drinks and fruit juices. Acetaldehyde content in soft drinks increase with storage but the increase cannot be accounted for by the residual acetaldehyde in PET. Acetaldehyde was found to be outgassing from some bottles. It was also found to be capable of migrating from soft drinks into bottle wall. Without replenishment the concentration of acetaldehyde in solution decreases with time. The use of PVC cap lining in Nigeria as found in this study is a cause for concern as PVC is associated with health risk issues. The study recommends actions to ensure that antimony in fruit juices and other bottled products remain within the regulatory standard from bottling to consumption for the purpose of safeguarding the health of consumers. Glass used in bottling should be well scrutinized to ensure that it does not contain high levels of lead or other chemical substances that can cause harm to consumers through migration into contents. PET bottles can safely be used for solar water disinfection without the risk of antimony intake at concentrations above safe limits as water temperature achievable as the result of the technique doesn¿t go beyond 60°C. Also aged bottles are safer to use than new bottles because their chemical leaching was found to be lower than that of new bottles. This study recommends the reassessment of the absence of international guidelines for acetaldehyde in water and foods. The study also recommends that the amount of acetaldehyde that can be added to soft drinks as flavouring agent should be below the specific migration limit (SML) for migration of acetaldehyde from PET bottle into bottle contents. This is essential since the SML was designed to ensure that exposure to acetaldehyde, as a result of intake of bottled water and soft drinks in PET bottles, is below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for acetaldehyde. As antimony was reported to go beyond the safe limits in some Nigerian bottled water and soft drinks after 11 months of storage this study discourages the use of bottle contents stored for a very long time. / Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom
40

Kranvatten eller flaskvatten? : En studie kring vanor och åsikter gällande konsumtionen av dricksvatten på Teneriffa

Roslund, Ebba, Schumacher, Frida January 2024 (has links)
Tenerife is experiencing challenges with its drinking water resources because of climate change and overtourism. The prior lone use of groundwater as drinking water source must now be complemented by desalinated saltwater. This has resulted in an increased use of drinking water on plastic bottles, which has led to large amounts of plastic waste on the island. Even with an implemented deposit system for plastic bottles in the capital, a high consumption of plastic bottles for drinking water remains. This study thereby aims to research tourists and locals’ habits and opinions of tap water consumption on Tenerife. The study aims to answer why tourists and locals do not drink the tap water on the island today and what their opinions are towards a reduced use of plastic bottles for drinking water consumption on Tenerife. The study also answers which actions could be taken to change tourists’ and locals’ consumption of drinking water in plastic bottles towards a primary consumption of tap water. A literature study was conducted to explore water consumption and plastic waste on Tenerife. A survey study was performed on 155 respondents of tourists and locals’ habits and opinions considering drinking water and plastic bottle waste. The results showed that most of the respondents avoid tap water with fear of food poisoning or insecurity of how it will affect their long-term health. Most of the respondents are positive towards a reduced use of plastic bottles for drinking water on Tenerife. Both tourists and locals answered that they would drink the tap water if they knew that it was safe and had a good taste. Actions that can be taken for changing the habits of using plastic bottles for drinking water are; informing the locals and tourists on the safety of the tap water and developing the water systems to improve the taste of the tap water. The study indicates the need for actions to increase the assurance in the quality and safety of tap water on Tenerife. This could improve the transition towards a more sustainable consumption of drinking water, help reduce the use of plastic bottles on the island and, is a step in the right direction towards the Sustainable development goals.

Page generated in 0.0879 seconds