Microplastics in drinking water: A review on methods, occurrence, sources, and potential risks assessment

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microplastics are detected globally in drinking water sources.
• Concerns exist regarding potential adverse human health effects.
• A comprehensive review is needed to assess current knowledge and identify research gaps.

Approach:

• Systematic review of existing studies on microplastics in drinking water.
• Analysis of reported evidence, key findings, and data variations.
• Identification of knowledge gaps and future research needs.

Key Points:

• Microplastics are widespread in drinking water, with highly variable concentrations.
• Fibrous and fragmented microplastics, predominantly <10 μm, composed of common polymers (polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene).
• Lack of standardized methodologies for sampling and analysis, especially for microplastics <10 μm and nanoplastics.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need for standardized methodologies in microplastic sampling and analysis.
• Further research required on microplastic occurrence, transfer in water supply chains, and treatment plant efficiency.
• Ecological assessment models for microplastics require enhancement to address complexity and specificity.