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Assessment of Impact of Sunlight Exposure On Occurrence of Micro Plastic in Selected Packaged Water Sold in Ilorin Metropolis
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Microplastic concentrations in packaged drinking water in Ilorin, Nigeria ranged from 5 to 18 particles per liter, with sachet water showing higher contamination and Microplastic Pollution Index values reaching very high risk (100%) compared to mostly low-risk bottled water. Sunlight exposure accelerated plastic degradation in sachet packaging, indicating that single-use flexible packaging poses a greater contamination risk than rigid bottles.
Microplastics are increasingly present in the environment, including drinking water. However, data on microplastic contamination in packaged water and the effects of sunlight exposure remain limited, hindering assessment of potential health risks. Sunlight and heat can accelerate leaching of toxic chemicals, while deterioration of polythene packaging may allow microbial contamination. This study investigated the effect of sunlight on microplastic levels in bottled and sachet water sold in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria. Fifteen samples (nine bottled and six sachet) were collected from two major markets and analysed using vacuum filtration, Nile red staining, stereomicroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed that microplastic concentrations ranged from 5 to 18 particles L⁻¹, with sachet water exhibiting higher contamination levels than bottled water. The smallest particles measured 22.5 µm, while the largest reached 32.5 µm, indicating high bioavailability and ingestion risk. Sample L (sachet water) recorded the highest concentration (18 particles L⁻¹), whereas bottled samples A, C, and F had the lowest (5 particles L⁻¹). The Microplastics Pollution Index (MPI) ranged from 0 to 100 %, classifying bottled water mostly as low-risk (MPI 0–23 %), while sachet water ranged from moderate (23–46 %) to very high (100 %). One-sample t and Wilcoxon tests (p < 0.05) revealed that the average MPI exceeded acceptable safety thresholds, indicating potential health risks from microplastic ingestion. The findings reveal sunlight-induced degradation of packaging as a key driver of contamination. It concludes that sachet water poses a greater microplastic exposure risk and recommends improved storage, stricter regulation, and public awareness to ensure safer drinking water in Nigeria.
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This study investigated how UV radiation affects the release of microplastics from polyethylene-packaged sachet water in Nigeria, finding that UV exposure accelerates plastic degradation and increases particle release into the water. The findings raise public health concerns about microplastic ingestion from a widely used water packaging format in Africa.
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Leaving bottled or sachet water in hot conditions—like a car trunk or direct sunlight—causes tiny plastic particles to leach into the water, and the longer and hotter the storage, the more particles accumulate. Water sold in thin plastic sachets (common in Nigeria) was even more prone to this than bottled water. The takeaway: store your drinking water somewhere cool and shaded, and try not to let it sit around for months, since heat and time are what really drive plastic contamination.
Impact of exposure to sunlight before consumption of packaged potable water (Sachet Water) in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Southeastern Nigeria
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Researchers investigated the impact of sunlight exposure on sachet water in Calabar, Nigeria, finding that the common practice of exposing polyethylene-packaged potable water to sunlight before sale promotes leaching of heavy metals and chemical components from the plastic packaging into the drinking water.
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Bottled mineral water was found to contain a mean of 63.9 microplastic particles per liter, with pellet forms and particles under 100 micrometers predominating. Storage under direct sunlight for extended periods increased microplastic concentrations by 2.5%, and the estimated daily intake was higher for children than adults due to relative body weight differences.
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Researchers exposed seventy PET plastic water bottles to sunlight for ten weeks and measured the microparticles released into the water as the plastic degraded. They found that microparticle concentrations built up to 14-20 micrograms per liter within the first 30 days before plateauing, and that thinner-walled bottles with higher crystallinity released fewer particles. The study demonstrates that sunlight-driven degradation of plastic bottles is a meaningful source of microplastics in bottled drinking water.
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