Feasibility of increasing calcium content of drinking tap water following quality regulations to improve calcium intake at population level.

Eduard Maury-Sintjago, Gabriela Cormick, José M Belizán, Natalia Matamoros, María Bernardita Puchulu, Jorge E Colman Lerner, Jorge L López, Verónica Sosio, Andrés Porta

Journal: Gates open research 2024;8():5

PMID: 39319308

Free Full Text on PubMed Central View on PubMed

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Calcium intake is below recommendations in several parts of the world. Improving calcium intake has benefits not only for bone health but also helps to prevent pregnancy hypertension disorders. Calcium concentration of tap water is usually low The aim of the present study was to determine the maximum amount of calcium that can be added to tap water while complying with drinking water Argentine regulations.

METHODS

Tap water samples were collected from the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Physicochemical properties and saturation index were measured. Different incremental concentrations of calcium chloride were added to the experimental aliquots.

RESULTS

Baseline water had a mean calcium concentration of 22.00 ± 2.54 mg/L, water hardness of 89.9 ± 6.4 mg/L CaCO , and a saturation index of -1.50 ± 0.11. After the addition of 0.4554 ± 0.0071 g of salt, water hard-ness reached 355.0 ± 7.1 mg/L CaCO , a calcium concentration of 140.50 ± 2.12 mg/L, and a saturation index -0.53 ± 0.02.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that at laboratory level it is feasible to increase calcium concentration of drinking water by adding calcium chloride while complying with national standards. Calcium concentration of drinking tap water could be evaluated and minimum calcium concentration of tap water regulated so as to improve calcium intake in populations with low calcium intake.

Address: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" Hospital de Niños Sor María Ludovica (IDIP), Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" Hospital de Niños Sor María Ludovica (IDIP), Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de La Provincia de Buenos Aires, La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, 1900, Argentina.; Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ), Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1121, Argentina.; Universidad Nacional de La Matanza, San Justo, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ), Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicadas "Dr. Jorge J. Ronco" (CINDECA), CONICET, La Plata, 1900, Argentina.; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina.; Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillan, 3800708, Chile.; Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIESP), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ), Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina.; Departamento de Hidráulica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, 1900, Argentina.; Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIESP), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Instituto de Efectividad Clinica y Sanitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina.; Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente (CIM), CONICET, La Plata, 1900, Argentina.; Universidad Nacional de La Matanza, San Justo, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIESP), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Instituto de Efectividad Clinica y Sanitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15184.2

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MeSH Terms: Drinking Water, Humans, Argentina, Calcium, Feasibility Studies, Calcium, Dietary, Water Quality, Water Supply, Female