Test shows:

Mineral water partly contaminated with chemicals

A total of 23 well-known mineral and medicinal waters from Austria were examined in the course of the test by AK and Global 2000.(Bild: Global 2000)

The environmental protection organization Global 2000 and the AK Upper Austria put the thirst quenchers under the microscope. Not all samples scored well.

18 Austrian mineral waters and five medicinal waters were analyzed, four of them from Burgenland. The environmental protection organization and the AK Upper Austria had specifically searched for residues of the perennial chemical TFA. Nine products were free of contamination. In two cases there were residues below the EU limit value for toxicologically relevant pesticide degradation products, in twelve cases this was exceeded.

Two brands exemplary
Among the brands sampled were Römerquelle from Edelstal, Juvina from Deutschkreutz as well as Waldquelle and Clever Urquelle from Kobersdorf. Juvina and Römerquelle were exemplary, with no evidence of contamination. The Deutschkreutz water also scored well with its high total mineral content.

Poor marks for Kobersdorf
Urquelle did show contamination, but at 57 nanograms per liter (ng/l) this was slightly above the limit of quantification and therefore below the EU limit. In contrast, the Waldquelle, which is also bottled in Kobersdorf, received poor marks: The TFA contamination was 270 ng/l and therefore above the EU limit. It was also one of the low mineralized waters. The SteirerQuell brand scored worst in the test, with 950 ng/l.

Deep groundwater is protected
Nevertheless: "Compared to TFA contamination in tap water, the concentrations measured in the mineral and medicinal waters are lower on average," says the AK. "Mineral water from a deep spring, which is also well protected by a geological barrier, generally has little or no TFA contamination. Shallow springs are less well protected. Groundwater contaminated with TFA can mix more easily with mineral water. Intensive agriculture further increases the contamination," explains Global 2000 environmental chemist Helmut Burtscher-Schaden.

Eternal chemical under criticism
TFA is an extremely stable decomposition product of PFAS pesticides, which are mainly used in agriculture. It is suspected of endangering reproduction, including in humans. Global 2000 and the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor therefore advocate a ban on such pesticides.

Is the mineral water business shaky?
The eternal chemical could become a problem for water bottlers: According to the law, mineral water must be "originally pure". Contaminated water could lose this legal status, warn AK and Global 2000.

www.global2000.at