Assessing microplastic contamination in drinking water: implications for vulnerable populations in Tema, Ghana

ABSTRACT Microplastics (MPs) in drinking water may pose a threat to human health as they can accumulate within the body. However, their identification poses significant challenges to systems used to process drinking water. Therefore, this study identifies and assesses the levels of different MPs --fibers, beads, fragments, and sheets/films --in tap and sachet water at eight institutions in two communities in Tema, Ghana, where tap and sachet water are the main sources. Samples were analyzed using visual microscopy to assess size, shape, and color. The results indicated varying quantities of MPs, averaging 1.59 per sample, with fibers being the most common. In Community 2, the MPs ranged from 1 to 7 per sample, while in Community 5, they ranged from 1 to 12. This study found MPs in all samples collected from the institutions across the two communities in Tema, resulting in a 100% detection rate. The MPs in the samples were as follows: 55.17% were black, 28.74% were brown, 3.45% were red, 9.19% were blue, and 3.45% were transparent. This study highlights MP pollution and its impact on human health, signifying the need for further research and regulatory action to mitigate MP contamination in urban water systems.