Are There Health Risks from the Migration of Chemical Substances from Plastic Pipes into Drinking Water? A Review

Stern, Bonnie; Lagos, Gustavo

doi:10.1080/10807030802235219

Cited by 29 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Synthetic polymeric materials in contact with potable water not only adsorb some organic matter from the water, 9 but also release substantial amounts of organic carbon through migration, leakage, leaching, and/or permeation, including, e.g., plasticizers, stabilizers and antioxidants. 10 – 13 A fraction of this organic carbon is biodegradable and offers microorganisms a significant source of assimilable organic carbon (AOC). 14 – 16 This AOC in turn promotes microbial growth and biofilm formation 16 – 19 and influences the microbial community composition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ugly ducklings—the dark side of plastic materials in contact with potable water

Neu

Bänziger

Proctor

et al. 2018

npj Biofilms Microbiomes

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Bath toys pose an interesting link between flexible plastic materials, potable water, external microbial and nutrient contamination, and potentially vulnerable end-users. Here, we characterized biofilm communities inside 19 bath toys used under real conditions. In addition, some determinants for biofilm formation were assessed, using six identical bath toys under controlled conditions with either clean water prior to bathing or dirty water after bathing. All examined bath toys revealed notable biofilms on their inner surface, with average total bacterial numbers of 5.5 × 106 cells/cm2 (clean water controls), 9.5 × 106 cells/cm2 (real bath toys), and 7.3 × 107 cells/cm2 (dirty water controls). Bacterial community compositions were diverse, showing many rare taxa in real bath toys and rather distinct communities in control bath toys, with a noticeable difference between clean and dirty water control biofilms. Fungi were identified in 58% of all real bath toys and in all dirty water control toys. Based on the comparison of clean water and dirty water control bath toys, we argue that bath toy biofilms are influenced by (1) the organic carbon leaching from the flexible plastic material, (2) the chemical and biological tap water quality, (3) additional nutrients from care products and human body fluids in the bath water, as well as, (4) additional bacteria from dirt and/or the end-users’ microbiome. The present study gives a detailed characterization of bath toy biofilms and a better understanding of determinants for biofilm formation and development in systems comprising plastic materials in contact with potable water.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ugly ducklings—the dark side of plastic materials in contact with potable water

Neu

Bänziger

Proctor

et al. 2018

npj Biofilms Microbiomes

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“…In areas where source water is known to be aggressive, water system parts with corrosion-resistant materials such as high-quality PVC or stainless steel should be used [ 37 , 45 ]. It is important to ensure the use of high-quality PVC because in low-quality PVC, the use of TMs as heat stabilizers is unregulated [ 46 ]. To prevent galvanic corrosion, it is necessary to avoid the connection of electrochemically dissimilar metals [ 4 , 25 ] and of different grades of the same metal (for example mixing grades of stainless steel) [ 37 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources of and Solutions to Toxic Metal and Metalloid Contamination in Small Rural Drinking Water Systems: A Rapid Review

Tracy

Guo

Liang

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Exposure to toxic metals and metalloids (TMs) such as arsenic and lead at levels of concern is associated with lifelong adverse health consequences. As exposure to TMs from paint, leaded gasoline, canned foods, and other consumer products has decreased in recent decades, the relative contribution of drinking water to environmental TM exposure and associated disease burdens has increased. We conducted a rapid review from June to September 2019 to synthesize information on the sources of TM contamination in small rural drinking water systems and solutions to TM contamination from these sources, with an emphasis on actionable evidence applicable to small rural drinking water systems worldwide. We reviewed publications from five databases (ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Global Health Library) as well as grey literature from expert groups including WHO, IWA, and others; findings from 61 eligible review publications were synthesized. Identified sources of TMs in included studies were natural occurrence (geogenic), catchment pollution, and corrosion of water distribution system materials. The review found general support for preventive over corrective actions. This review informs a useful planning and management framework for preventing and mitigating TM exposure from drinking water based on water supply characteristics, identified contamination sources, and other context-specific variables.

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“…These additives are retained in the plastic bound to the polymer matrix through van der Waals forces [29]. The leaching of those chemicals due to the breakage of these weak bonds during the degradation of plastics might therefore occur [7,30] and affect our environment [28,31]. The toxicity observed here could be due to leaching additives from the shredded bottle caps [4,5].…”

Section: Toxicity and Avoidance Testsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Enchytraeus crypticus Avoid Soil Spiked with Microplastic

Pflugmacher

Huttunen

Wolff

et al. 2020

Toxics

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Microplastics (MPs) of varying sizes are widespread pollutants in our environment. The general opinion is that the smaller the size, the more dangerous the MPs are due to enhanced uptake possibilities. It would be of considerably ecological significance to understand the response of biota to microplastic contamination both physically and physiologically. Here, we report on an area choice experiment (avoidance test) using Enchytraeus crypticus, in which we mixed different amounts of high-density polyethylene microplastic particles into the soil. In all experimental scenarios, more Enchytraeids moved to the unspiked sections or chose a lower MP-concentration. Worms in contact with MP exhibited an enhanced oxidative stress status, measured as the induced activity of the antioxidative enzymes catalase and glutathione S-transferase. As plastic polymers per se are nontoxic, the exposure time employed was too short for chemicals to leach from the microplastic, and as the microplastic particles used in these experiments were too large (4 mm) to be consumed by the Enchytraeids, the likely cause for the avoidance and oxidative stress could be linked to altered soil properties.

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Are There Health Risks from the Migration of Chemical Substances from Plastic Pipes into Drinking Water? A Review

Cited by 29 publications

References 26 publications

Ugly ducklings—the dark side of plastic materials in contact with potable water

Ugly ducklings—the dark side of plastic materials in contact with potable water

Sources of and Solutions to Toxic Metal and Metalloid Contamination in Small Rural Drinking Water Systems: A Rapid Review

Enchytraeus crypticus Avoid Soil Spiked with Microplastic

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