306 

 

Journal homepage: www.fia.usv.ro/fiajournal 

Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering,  
Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania  

Volume XIV, Issue 3 - 2015, pag. 306  - 309 

 

 

 

THE NITROGEN COMPOUND CONTENT OF SOME NATURAL MINERAL 

WATERS FROM BUKOVINA, ROMANIA,VERSUS THEIR BOTTLED FORM 

 
*Anca-Mihaela SIDOR1 

 
1 Food Engineering Faculty, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania,  

ancagatlan@gmail.com  

*Corresponding Author 

Received September 4th 2015, accepted September 28th 2015 

 
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to study the problem of water contamination by nitrogen 

compounds such as nitrates, nitrites and ammonium in three zones of interest: one drill river in 

Păltiniș reservoir and „Rău” and „Chiril” rivers flowing through Crucea village in Bukovina Area, 

Romania. The work direction was to investigate the contamination level in the rivers and to compare 

the obtained results with the levels found in the bottled form of the water originating from these rivers, 

given the obligatory drinking water standards. This issue occured during debates with the local 

society. After developing the study we can remark that the water contamination levels by nitrogen 

compounds in the water sources rivers in the three chosen zones of interest and in the bottled still 

spring water as well, are lower than the maximum allowable value, but not 0. Mention should be made 

that there are no efforts made during the industrial water conditioning process to reduce the levels of 

nitrate, nitrite and ammonium in the water to be consumed by the population. 

 

Keyword: water, contamination level, nitrogen compounds, zones of interest, bottled still water 

 

 

 

1. Introduction 
 

Under the conditions of life existence, in 

general, and the conditions of ongoing 

human activities, especially, the water in 

different hydrological formations presents 

a double importance. First of all, it is an 

environmental factor, respectively,a habitat 

of a variety of living organisms. On the 

other hand, for people water composes a 

medium widely used in different types of 

their economical activity, but the chief use 

of water is for consumption [1].  

The quality is the main dimension of water 

and the subject of mineral water quality is 

particularly interesting due to concerns 

about the concept of natural mineral water, 

consumption benefits and the original 

purity of bottled mineral water, a subject 

about which there have been many 

speculations lately [2].For this purpose, 

water is drawn from various sources. In 

many areas,the surface water is only used 

after the removal of the pollutants through 

treatment processes.From among water 

contaminants particularly burdensome are 

inorganic nitrogen compounds.In aerobic 

waters nitrogen is mainly present as N2and 

NO3
-, and depending on environmental 

conditions it may also occur as N2O, NH3, 

NH4
+, HNO2, NO2

-or 

HNO3.Ammonium,nitrate and nitriteplay 

the most important role in biochemical 

processes [3]. 

Nitrogen is essential for all living things as 

it is a component of protein. However, 

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http://www.lenntech.com/hazardous-substances/nitrite.htm


Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefancel Mare University - Suceava 

Volume XIV, Issue 3  – 2015 

 
Anca-MihaelaSIDOR, The nitrogen compounds content of some natural mineral waters from Bucovina, Romania versus 

their bottled form,Food and Environment Safety, Volume XIV, Issue 3 – 2015, pag. 306 – 309 

 

 
307 

excessive concentrations of nitrate-

nitrogen or nitrite-nitrogen in drinking 

water can be hazardous to health, 

especially for infants and pregnant women 

[4].The primary health hazard from 

drinking water with nitrate-nitrogen occurs 

when nitrate is transformed to nitrite in the 

digestive system [5]. The nitrite oxidizes 

the iron in the hemoglobin of the red blood 

cells to form methemoglobin, which lacks 

the oxygen-carrying ability of hemoglobin. 

This creates the condition known as 

methemoglobinemia (sometimes referred 

to as „blue baby syndrome”), when blood 

iron in hemoglobin (Fe2+) is reduced to its 

oxidized form,Fe3+, the blood lacks the 

ability to carry sufficient oxygen to the 

individual body cells causing the veins and 

skin to appear blue [6]. 

A possibility exists that nitrate can react 

with amines or amides in the body to form 

nitrosamine which is known to cause 

cancer. Nitrate must be converted to nitrite 

before nitrosamine can be formed. The 

magnitude of the cancer risk from nitrate 

in drinking water is not known [7]. 

The ammonium does not directly harm the 

human body in typical pH values (6,5 to 

9,5) applied in drinking water treatment. 

However, it may form nitrite ions under 

oxidative conditions.Beside the possible 

nitrite formation, the other issue related to 

the presence of ammonium in drinking 

water is the decrease of the chlorination 

disinfection efficiency. The ammonium 

reacts with chlorine forming chloramines, 

and thus reducing the amount of the 

disinfectant available for microorganism 

inactivation. The less efficient disinfection 

may cause secondary water pollution in the 

distribution system. Moreover, the 

resulting chloramines cause the unpleasant 

smell, which may lead to customer 

complaints [8]. 

In the presented research, it is discussed 

the problem of water contamination with 

nitrogen compounds such as nitrates, 

nitrites and ammonium in three zones of 

interest: one drill river in Păltiniș reservoir 

and „Rău” and „Chiril” rivers flowing 

through Crucea village inBucovina Area, 

Romania.The aim of the work was to 

investigate the contamination level in the 

rivers and to compare the obtained results 

with the levels found in the bottled form of 

the water originating from these rivers, 

given the obligatory drinking water 

standards. This issue occured during talks 

with local society. 

 

2. Materials and methods 

2.1. Location of the research 

For this study, there were selected a 

number of three rivers from two localities 

in Bucovina region, Romania. The 

selection criteria of these localities, Crucea 

and Paltinis, were linked to their location, 

geographically speaking, and to the 

specific anthropogenic activities conducted 

in the area. Subsequently, the three rivers 

wherefrom the water samples were drawn 

were chosen because they are the source of 

water for a big Romanian company with 

the domain of activity linked to water 

treatment and bottling, and whose main 

marketing strategy is the spread of 

information that nitrogen compounds are 

absent in the spring still water they 

commercialize. 

Crucea is a village located in the Bistrita 

Valley, in Suceavacounty. The specific 

activities of the population inCrucea 

village is the ore exploitation, farming and 

logging. 

The Paltinis natural mineral water deposit 

is situated on the eastern rim of the 

Calimani Mountains, at the southern limit 

of the Dorna Depression. The deposit is 

hosted in the magnesium limestones in the 

cristalline-mesozoic area of the Eastern 

Carpathians which sank westward under 

the thick stack of the Calimani mountain 

volcanic rocks. 

2.2. Materials 



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefancel Mare University - Suceava 

Volume XIV, Issue 3  – 2015 

 
Anca-MihaelaSIDOR, The nitrogen compounds content of some natural mineral waters from Bucovina, Romania versus 

their bottled form,Food and Environment Safety, Volume XIV, Issue 3 – 2015, pag. 306 – 309 

 

 
308 

The analysis of the nitrogen compounds 

content in the samples drawn from the 

three rivers and in the still spring water 

sample marketed by the company in 

question was performed using the HACH 

LANGE DR 3800 spectrophotometer and 

the LCK 353 kits. 

2.3. Methods 

To determine the nitrite content of the 

samples it was analysed a water volume of 

2 ml. This volume was inserted into the kit 

vial, after the aluminum foil of the kit was 

unbent, followed by the stirring of the vial 

and an idle time of 10 minutes. After the 

specified time, the vial was placed in the 

spectrophotometer, wherein it was 

determined the amount of NO2 contained 

in the test samples, at a λ =515 nm 

wavelength. 

To determine the nitrate content of the 

samples it was analysed a water volume of 

1 ml and 0,2 ml of A reagent. This volume 

was inserted into the kit vial, after the 

aluminum foil of the kit was unbent, 

followed by the strong stirring of the vial 

and an idle time of 15 minutes. After the 

specified time, the vial was placed in the 

spectrophotometer, wherein it was 

determined the amount of NO3 contained 

in the test samples, at a λ = 345 nm 

wavelength. 

To determine the ammonium content of the 

samples it was analysed a water volume of 

0,2 ml. This volume was inserted into the 

kit vial, after the aluminum foil of the kit 

was unbent, followed by the stirring of the 

vial and an idle time of 15 minutes. After 

the specified time, the vial was placed in 

the spectrophotometer, wherein it was 

determined the amount of NH4 contained 

in the test samples, at a λ = 690 nm 

wavelength. 

3. Results and discussion 

From the correlation of the results it can be 

easily observed that in all the four studied 

samples the nitrate amount was lower than 

the maximum allowable value. However, a 

fraction of the nitrate contained in the 

samples was transformed to nitrite, their 

amount in the analysed samples being half 

of the maximum allowable value. 

In this context, it should be noted, 

however, that it were found certain 

quantities of nitrates and nitrites in the 

bottled still spring water sample marketed 

by the company in question, contrary to the 

commercials and the statements they 

broadcast in the media environment. 
 

 
Fig. 1. The nitrate content (mg/l) in the water samples 

0
10

20
30

40
50

Maximum allowable value

Rău Spring

Chiril Spring

Păltiniș Spring

Bottled still spring water

50

3,27

3,7

2,39

2,44



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefancel Mare University - Suceava 

Volume XIV, Issue 3  – 2015 

 
Anca-MihaelaSIDOR, The nitrogen compounds content of some natural mineral waters from Bucovina, Romania versus 

their bottled form,Food and Environment Safety, Volume XIV, Issue 3 – 2015, pag. 306 – 309 

 

 
309 

 
Fig. 2. The nitrite content (mg/l) in the water samples 

 

The amount of nitrates and nitrites found 

in the bottled still spring water sample is 

almost equal to the amount of nitrate and 

nitrite contained in the samples taken from 

the source river of the company which 

commercialises it. 
Table 1 

The ammonium content (mg/l) in the water 

samples 

 NH4 (mg/l) 

Rău Spring 0 

Chiril Spring 0,014 

Păltiniș Spring 0,011 

Bottled still spring 

water 
0,009 

Maximum 

allowable value 
0,5 

 

Given that the maximum allowable value 

for ammonium ions in drinking water is 

0,5 mg/l, the values obtained for the 

studied samples small, nonexistent in some 

cases (Rău Spring). This proves the purity 

of those sources in terms of domestic and 

industrial waste, which is not uncommon 

for mountain waters. 

4. Conclusion 

In conclusion we can remark that the water 

contamination levels with nitrogen 

compounds such as nitrates, nitrites and 

ammonium in the water sources rivers in 

the three chosen zones of interest and in 

the bottled still spring water as well,are 

lower than the maximum allowable value, 

but not 0. It can be noted that there are no 

efforts made during the industrial water 

conditioning process to reduce the levels of 

nitrate, nitrite and ammonium in the water 

to be consumed by the population. 

5. References 

[1] PAWEŁCZYK A., Assessment of health hazard 

associated with nitrogen compounds in water, 

Water Sci Technol., 66(3): 666-672, 2012. 

[2] DIŢOIU V., Modificari antropice ale mediului, 

Editura Orizonturi Universitare, Timisoara, 2005. 

[3] MASON C., Biology of Freshwater Pollution. 

Fourth edition, Essex, Pearson Education Limited, 

2002. 

[4] SKIPTON S., DVORAK B., WOLDT W., 

CASSADA C., Drinking Water: Nitrate-Nitrogen, 

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Institute 

of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2013. 

[5] ROBILLARD P.D., SHARPE W.E., 

SWISTOCK, B.R.., Nitrates in Drinking Water, 

College of Agricultural Sciences, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, and Pennsylvania Counties 

Cooperating, 2006. 

[6] BEATSON, C.G., Methaemoglobinaemia - 

Nitrates in drinking water, Environ. Health, 86: 31-

33, 1978. 

[7] ROUSTA M.J., LOTFI E., SHAMSALAM N., 

MOUSAVI F., HESHMATI L.S., 

GHASEMYFARD S., Nitrate Situation in Some 

Vegetables and the Necessity of Crop Production 

via Organic Farming, 19th World Congress of Soil 

Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World 1–6 

August, Brisbane, Australia, 2010. 

[8] TAKÓ S., Ammonium removal from drinking 

water - comparison of the breakpoint chlorination 

and the biological technology, Conference of Junior 

Researchers in Civil Engineering, p. 248-254, 

2012. 

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

Rău Spring
Chiril Spring

Păltiniș 
Spring

Bottled still 
spring water

Maximum 
allowable 

value

0,232

0,205
0,254

0,251

0,5