Low numbers of microplastics detected in drinking water from ground water sources.

Microplastic particles have been detected in various natural habitats and the digestive tracts of several species. These particles have also been reported in commercially available seafood, salt or bottled water starting discussions on potential implications for human health. To be able to assess the related risks, exposure concentrations and pathways need to be known. Here, we analysed ground water and drinking water for the presence of microplastics (>20 μm) using FTIR imaging. Samples were taken at different positions within the drinking water supply chain. Determined concentrations ranged from 0 to 7 microplastics m-3 raw water or drinking water with an overall mean of 0.7 microplastics m-3. These particles were identified as polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinylchloride or epoxy resin and between 50 and 150 μm in size. Plastic is a resistant and durable material, still, the abrasion of plastic equipment used during water purification or transport is a likely explanation for the plastic particles detected in water samples.

• Publication year

  2019

• Venue

  Science of the Total Environment

• Publication date

  2019-01-01

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Chemistry, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.178PMID 30121540
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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