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Development of Sampling and Analytical Methods for Measuring Microplastics with Sizes Greater than 20 μm in Tap Water
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Researchers (in Japan) developed an improved sampling and analysis method for measuring microplastics larger than 20 micrometers in tap water, achieving 91% recovery efficiency. The method detected microplastics from 12 different polymer types in groundwater-sourced tap water, demonstrating that even treated drinking water contains microplastic contamination.
水道水中の20 μm以上のマイクロプラスチック (MPs) の汚染状況を高精度に把握する採取分析方法を開発した。比重分離法と顕微フーリエ変換赤外分光光度計を用いた機器分析により, 水道水中から91.0%のMPsを回収できた。水道水試料量の増加に伴い, MPs濃度の標準偏差は減少し, 1000 Lで変動係数は14.9%まで低下した。未使用のプランクトンネットろ過による屋外蛇口直下でのMPs採取では, 大気降下由来の汚染量は16.7 ± 6.4個だったが, 蓋の使用により低下した。最後に, 地下水を取水源とする水道水1000 Lを分析した結果, 12種のポリマーが検出され, 合計濃度は78 ± 10.4～2130 ± 358個 m-3であった。主要ポリマーはポリエチレン, アルキド樹脂およびポリメタクリル酸メチルで全体の56.5～94.0%を占めた。粒径分布のミディアン径は30.1～60.4 μmであり, 形状は破片状が多かった。
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