First evidence of microplastics and their characterization in bottled drinking water from a developing country

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) have become pervasive in the environment, posing a threat to the environment, living organisms, and human health. Therefore, MPs have been extensively investigated in bodies of water, soils, and the atmosphere. However, there is limited information about MPs contamination in drinking water sold in plastic packaging from underdeveloped countries. In this study, we analyzed water samples from 10 different common brands of bottled water to detect and characterize MPs using stereomicroscopic and FTIR techniques. Oral consumption of MPs per capita was also estimated. Interestingly, our findings demonstrated that MPs were present in every brand. The average abundance of MPs varied from 14 ± 6.8 particles/L to 56 ± 23 particles/L, with a mean of 35 ± 19 particles/L in all brands. This number of MPs in the studied country was comparatively higher than those found in other countries. MPs were found in four different shapes (fibers, fragments, films, and beads), with fibers dominating the samples (90%). MPs were sorted into eight different colors, with the transparent one accounting for about 66% of the overall count, and 94% of the MPs were <0.5 mm in size. Infrared spectral analysis (FTIR) confirmed four types of polymers, e.g., low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) where LDPE and HDPE were dominant. The estimated daily intake of MPs per person was determined to be 2.63 particles, translating to a yearly intake of 960 particles/person. MPs in bottled drinking water might come from the sources of the raw water and the materials used in the packaging, which warrants additional research. As MPs in drinking water have direct exposure to human health, we should be aware of using plastic packaging for drinking water.

Sorption-Based Removal Techniques for Microplastic Contamination of Tap Water

“…Additionally, one particle (3.7%) in the form of a film (polyimide) was identified. These findings are consistent with published data, indicating that fibers dominate over fragments and other forms of microplastic in drinking water, often comprising up to 90% of the total microplastic content [85]. The Supplementary Materials presents FTIR spectra of the types of microplastics found in tap water and their identification in Figures S1-S14.…”

Microplastic accumulation, morpho-polymer characterization, and dietary exposure in urban tap water of a developing nation

“…A combined 72 samples, each comprising 500 mL of water from the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), were gathered between April and June 2022. Three samples were collected for each data point to ensure representativeness (Pivokonský et al, 2020;Hossain et al, 2023Hossain et al, , 2024. Following collection, the water samples were preserved in an icebox at −20°C for storage.…”

“…As a result, unprocessed water slowly seeps through the sedimentary material of gravel and sand into underground reservoirs (Kirstein et al, 2021). In the laboratory, sampling bottles were thawed at room temperature and then directly filtered through a 5-micron cellulose nitrate membrane filter (Minipore, India) (Banik et al, 2022;Hossain et al, 2023) without digestion. Filters were transferred to dimmed glass Petri dishes, coated with 70% ethanol, and frozen at −20°C for subsequent processing (Kirstein et al, 2021;De Frond et al, 2022).…”

“…Microplastics (MPs) have recently sparked much interest as emerging contaminants in aquatic habitats (Tong et al, 2020;Hossain et al, 2023;Han et al, 2024). Throughout the world, MPs with various chemical compositions, including polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic resin, polyamide, polyester, and styrofoam, have been identified (Hossain et al, 2024).…”

“…Despite the global concern, there is a notable lack of data on microplastic concentrations in tap water from major cities of Bangladesh, posing risks to millions of residents. Only two investigations conducted by Hossain et al (2023) and Muhib et al (2023) delved into the detection of diverse microplastics within plastic containers utilized for drinking water, tap water, and food packaging in Bangladesh. These previous investigations did not specifically address the dietary intake of microplastics via drinking water in the cities.…”