Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Global prevalence of microplastics in tap water systems: Abundance, characteristics, drivers and knowledge gaps

A global analysis of tap water from 34 countries found that microplastics were present in 87% of over 1,100 samples tested, with particles smaller than 50 micrometers being the most common. When researchers looked for particles as small as 1 micrometer, concentrations were more than 20 times higher than studies that only counted larger particles. This means that most people worldwide are regularly drinking microplastics in their tap water, and the true extent of exposure has likely been underestimated.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence and implications of microplastics in potable water system: An update

This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic contamination in drinking water systems worldwide, covering sources, detection methods, and potential health implications. Researchers found that microplastics are present in both tap and bottled water, with fibers and fragments being the most common types detected. The study highlights the need for standardized testing methods and regulatory limits to protect public health from microplastic exposure through drinking water.

2023 Chemosphere 47 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics in drinking water: A review on methods, occurrence, sources, and potential risks assessment

This systematic review found that microplastics are widespread in drinking water worldwide, with most particles smaller than 10 micrometers and composed of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Standardized sampling and analysis methods are urgently needed, as large variations in reported concentrations make it difficult to accurately assess health risks from drinking water exposure.

2024 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and identification of microplastics in tap water from China

Researchers analyzed 38 tap water samples from cities across China and found microplastics in all of them, with concentrations averaging around 440 particles per liter. Most particles were smaller than 50 micrometers, and the dominant types were polyethylene and polypropylene fragments. The findings highlight that drinking water treatment plants face a significant challenge in addressing microplastic contamination in the water supply.

2020 Chemosphere 416 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in drinking water

This review examines what is known about microplastic contamination in both tap and bottled drinking water around the world. Researchers found that while microplastics have been detected in drinking water at many locations, the reported concentrations vary enormously, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about relative risk. The study highlights the urgent need for standardized sampling and analysis methods to produce reliable and comparable data on microplastics in the water we drink.

2021 Current Opinion in Toxicology 117 citations
Article Tier 2

A standard analytical approach and establishing criteria for microplastic concentrations in wastewater, drinking water and tap water

This study proposes standardized methods and concentration benchmarks for measuring microplastics in wastewater, drinking water, and tap water. The researchers found that current studies use widely varying techniques, making it difficult to compare results or set safety limits. Establishing consistent measurement standards is a critical first step toward determining what levels of microplastics in drinking water may pose risks to human health.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into human exposure to microplastics through drinking water: Current state of the science

This review analyzed 66 studies on microplastics in drinking water from 2018 to 2023 and found that tap water actually contained more microplastics on average (about 62 particles per liter) than bottled water (about 38 particles per liter). Most particles were small fragments and fibers made of common plastics like PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The researchers estimate that people ingest roughly 175 microplastic particles per day just from drinking water alone.

2024 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Factors Controlling Microplastic Concentrations and Polymer Profiles in Wastewater, Storm Water, and Surface Water

A critical review of 143 studies found that microplastic concentrations in wastewater span eight orders of magnitude, with the highest levels in the smallest particle size fractions, while polyethylene and polypropylene are the most commonly detected polymers across freshwater systems. The wide variation is largely an artifact of inconsistent sampling, extraction, and analytical methods, making direct comparisons between studies unreliable and complicating decisions about water treatment and regulation.

2023 Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation
Article Tier 2

Profile and Different Approaches for Size Characterization of Microplastics in Drinking Water from the Lisbon Water Supply System

Researchers characterized microplastic particles in drinking water from the Lisbon water supply system and compared two methods for measuring particle size. They found an average of 196 microplastic particles per liter, with polyethylene accounting for over 77% of the identified polymers. The study demonstrates that different size measurement approaches can yield significantly different results, highlighting the need for standardized methods in drinking water microplastic analysis.

2024 Molecules 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Water Research 28 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Drinking Water: A Review

This review summarized current research on microplastic contamination in drinking water, covering detection methods, occurrence data, and health implications. The authors found microplastics widely present in tap and bottled water worldwide and noted that conventional treatment processes remove them incompletely, raising ongoing concerns about chronic low-level human ingestion.

2025 Journal of Health Science and Pharmacy
Article Tier 2

Microplastic analysis—are we measuring the same? Results on the first global comparative study for microplastic analysis in a water sample

Researchers conducted the first international comparative study of analytical methods for microplastic analysis in a water sample and found that comparability between methods was highly limited, underscoring the urgent need for standardized protocols in microplastic research.

2019 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap Water: A Pre-Screening in Brasilia, Brazil

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.

2021 Sustainability 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in water and wastewater: occurrence, toxicity, analytical approach, and remediation

This comprehensive review analyzed microplastic occurrence and toxicity in water and wastewater across studies from all continents, finding polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common polymer types and reviewing detection, quantification, and remediation methods.

2025 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge

This review summarizes current research on microplastic contamination in both tap and bottled drinking water. Researchers found that microplastics are present in both water sources, with bottled water generally containing higher concentrations than tap water, and smaller particles being more abundant. The study raises public health concerns and emphasizes the need for improved detection methods and drinking water treatment standards.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in drinking water from different freshwater sources in Flanders (Belgium), an urbanized region in Europe

Researchers analyzed drinking water from nine treatment plants and nine household taps across Flanders, Belgium, and found low but measurable levels of microplastics (averaging 0.01–0.02 particles per liter), with polypropylene and PET as the most common types. When extrapolating to include smaller particles not detectable by standard methods, estimated exposure rises to roughly 5–6 particles per liter, highlighting gaps in current detection approaches.

2022 International Journal of Food Contamination 54 citations
Review Tier 2

A review on the detection of micro and nano plastics in drinking water

This review covered detection methodologies for micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water, including both tap and bottled water sources. The authors synthesized current analytical approaches and highlighted the need for standardized methods across studies.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and nanoplastic concentration in tap water in the US

This study quantified microplastic and nanoplastic concentrations in US tap water, finding widespread contamination across sampled locations and providing estimates of daily human ingestion through drinking water consumption.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Standardization of FTIR-Based Methodologies for Microplastics Detection in Drinking Water: A Meta-Analysis Indeed and Practical Approach

This meta-analysis works toward standardizing the methods scientists use to detect microplastics in drinking water using infrared spectroscopy. Consistent detection methods are essential because without them, we cannot accurately compare contamination levels across studies or reliably assess how much microplastic people are actually consuming in their tap and bottled water.

2024 Water 10 citations