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Microplastic Abundance in Refilled Drinking Water: The Role of Depot Sanitation and Maintenance Practices
Summary
A study of 36 water refill stations in Indonesia found that every single sample of refilled drinking water contained microplastics — tiny plastic particles that can end up in our bodies. The good news: stations with regular cleaning schedules and better hygiene practices had significantly less contamination, meaning simple maintenance habits could help reduce how many plastic particles end up in your drinking water.
Introduction: Refilled drinking water (RDW) is contaminated with microplastics (MPs) which have an impact on human health. Despite increasing evidence, regulatory standards, and monitoring remain limited. The objective of this study was to analyze MPs abundance based on characteristics of RDW depots. Methods: This observational study was carried out using across-sectional design, with the population comprising all RDW depots operating in 2 sub-districts, Banyumas, Indonesia (n = 36). A total of 1000 mL of RDW was collected from each depot using glass bottles to minimize contamination. Equipment was acid-washed (10% nitric acid), rinsed with distilled water, and plastic materials were avoided. MPs were identified morphologically under a microscope based on shape, color, and abundance. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Results and Discussion: The results showed that MPs were detected in all samples, with fragment-shaped particles predominating (82.1%), black-colored being most common (87.3%), and a mean abundance of 42.6 particles/L (min–max: 18–69; SD: 12.5). Higher mean MPs abundance was observed in urban areas, the use of piped water as the raw water source, depots operating for more than five years, less frequent maintenance, and high sanitation risk. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found based on maintenance routines (p-value = 0.028) and sanitation risk levels (p-value = 0.003). Conclusion: This study showed that regular and well-planned maintenance practices, together with proper hygiene and sanitation implementation, were key factors in controlling MPs contamination in RDW depots.