Survey of barium in Italian drinking water supplies

Tabulated and graphical data are presented on the concentrations of barium in drinking water supplies in Tuscany, Italy, representing 60 different brands of bottled water, 92 municipal supplies obtained from groundwater, and 39 municipal supplies obtained from surface waters. Only 60 per cent of bottled waters, 53.8 per cent of surface water supplies and 41.3 per cent of groundwater supplies contained less than the Italian standard for barium in drinking water (100 ug per litre). Treatment of surface waters did not affect the barium content of the raw water and there were no significant seasonal variations in barium content.