We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap Water: A Pre-Screening in Brasilia, Brazil
Summary
Researchers sampled tap water from Brasilia, Brazil and detected microplastics in all samples, with fibers as the dominant type and concentrations higher than many previous studies from other cities, highlighting the need for treatment infrastructure improvements and standardized monitoring.
Plastic pollution is a rapidly growing environmental and human health crisis, with no sign of improvement. From 2012 to 2020, the number of studies on plastic pollution increased, and macro to nano-sized plastics have been documented in the most remote biomes of the planet. Studies have shown contamination by microplastics (MPs) in various types of food consumed by humans, including seafood, honey, sugar, salt, tap and bottled water and beer. This study’s objective was to detect the possible contamination by MPs in drinking water samples collected from two main residential and commercial areas of Brasilia. A total of 32 samples (500 mL) of tap water were collected from residential and commercial areas. Samples were processed and transferred to a Sedgewick-Rafter counting cell chamber. The presence of MP particles was analyzed using a Nikon Eclipse fluorescence microscope. MPs were found in 100% of the samples. The mean microplastic particles per 500 mL found in the South Wing area was 97 ± 55, while the mean number of particles in the North Wing area was 219 ± 158, and the MPs found ranged in size from 6–50 microns. The study results reveal a disturbing amount of MP particles in Brasilia’s tap water. This surprising number of particles in residential and commercial tap water is especially considering that tap water is not the only source of MPs to which people are exposed.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap-Water
Tap water samples from Brasília, Brazil were found to contain microplastic contamination, with fibers being the most common type detected across both residential zones tested. The study adds to growing evidence that people may be regularly ingesting microplastics through municipal drinking water.
Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap-Water
Researchers collected 32 tap water samples from two areas of Brasília, Brazil and found microplastic contamination in the city's drinking water. The study adds to growing global evidence that microplastics are present in municipal water supplies, raising concerns about chronic human exposure.
Occurrence and size distribution study of microplastics in household water from different cities in continental Spain and the Canary Islands
Researchers sampled tap water from 24 locations across mainland Spain and the Canary Islands to measure microplastic contamination in household drinking water. They found an average of about 12.5 microplastic particles per cubic meter of tap water, with synthetic fibers being the most common type detected. The study provides one of the first standardized comparisons of drinking water microplastic levels across multiple cities within a single country.
Microplastic pollution of water and sediment from the Guarapiranga Reservoir, Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in water and sediment from the Guarapiranga Reservoir in the Sao Paulo metropolitan region of Brazil, a major drinking water source. The study found diverse microplastic types and raises concerns about plastic pollution in urban water supply systems.
Microplastic and nanoplastic concentration in tap water in the US
Researchers analyzed microplastic and nanoplastic concentrations in tap water samples across the United States, detecting particles in the majority of samples and characterizing their size distribution, polymer type, and geographic variation.