Are There Microplastics in Your Tap Water?
Published October 6, 2024.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles as small as 2.5 microns in size and are often naked to the human eye. Microplastics in tap water are an emerging environmental and health issue. Once microplastics enter the water system, they remain there and we end up drinking them. Fortunately, water filters can successfully reduce or remove microplastics in tap water.
Does Your Tap Water Contain Microplastics?
The short answer is yes. A recent study analyzed 159 samples of water from 14 countries sourced from both bottled water and tap water. The study found that over 80 percent of all samples contained microplastics, with an average of 4.34 plastic particles per liter of water. Research shows that bottled water contains about 50 percent more microplastics than tap water.
Health-Related Implications of Ingesting Microplastics
A study from the University of Newcastle, Australia found that, on average, a person consumes about 5g of plastic weekly from drinking water. The harmful effects of microplastics on human health are still not fully known, but what is known is that plastic was designed to be durable. Microplastics enter the body through ingestion (when drinking water) and even through inhalation and dermal contact. Science Direct has stated that microplastics can be absorbed by biota tissue, organs, and even cells. Microplastics may pose acute and sub-chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, and developmental danger.
Conclusion
Microplastics in tap water are a growing concern, and more research is being done on its effects on human health. There are various water filters for microplastics, and health organizations are attempting to find viable solutions for detecting microplastics in water and treating drinking water on a large scale.
