Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Consumption of Tap Water and Sociodemographic-Associated Characteristics: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

This nationwide Italian survey examined who drinks tap water versus bottled water and what factors influence that choice. Researchers found that tap water consumption was higher among more educated, environmentally concerned individuals in northern regions, and the study suggests that promoting tap water could reduce plastic waste from bottled water while being associated with healthier dietary patterns.

2024 Nutrients 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Consumption of Bottled Water and Chronic Diseases: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Researchers analyzed data from over 45,000 Italian adults to examine whether regular consumption of bottled water is associated with chronic health conditions. The study evaluated connections between bottled water use and conditions including hypertension and digestive disorders, given that bottled water has been found to contain an average of 240,000 tiny plastic particles per liter. The findings contribute to growing questions about whether everyday microplastic exposure through common consumer products may have long-term health implications.

2024 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 7 citations
Article Tier 2

How Perceptions of Trust, Risk, Tap Water Quality, and Salience Characterize Drinking Water Choices

Researchers examined how trust in water utilities, risk perceptions, and awareness of tap water quality shape household drinking water choices, finding that distrust driven by historical contamination events leads consumers to increase bottled water use even when tap water meets safety standards.

2021 Hydrology 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Water Consumption Habits of a North-Western Turkish Community: A Cross-Sectional Study

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of 432 residents at a family health center in northwestern Turkey to characterize community drinking water preferences, finding significant associations between water source choice and age, sex, and marital status, with bottled and spring water preferred by younger adults.

2022 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

From Aquifer to Tap: Comprehensive Quali-Quantitative Evaluation of Plastic Particles Along a Drinking Water Supply Chain of Milan (Northern Italy)

Researchers conducted the first evaluation of plastic particle contamination along a complete drinking water supply chain in Milan, Italy, from groundwater extraction to household taps. The study found low concentrations of plastic particles, ranging from about 0.3 to 1.9 particles per liter, with cellulose dominating at 76% and no significant increase observed along the distribution chain.

2026 Journal of Xenobiotics
Article Tier 2

Determinants of single-use plastic bottled water consumption among university students: a cross-sectional study

A survey of university students found that convenience, habit, and accessibility were the primary drivers of single-use plastic bottled water consumption, with environmental knowledge having limited influence on behavior, suggesting that structural changes rather than awareness campaigns are needed to reduce plastic bottle use.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Filling Discrepancies between Consumer Perception and Actual Piped Water Quality to Promote the Potable Use of the Municipal Water Supply in Indonesia

This paper is not about environmental microplastics in an ecological or health context; it studies consumer trust and drinking water preferences in Indonesian cities to encourage tap water use over bottled water, with the plastic waste angle being secondary and policy-focused rather than scientific.

2024 Sustainability 3 citations
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

Self-Reported Consumption of Bottled Water v. Tap Water in Appalachian and Non-Appalachian Kentucky

Not relevant to microplastics — this study examines self-reported bottled water versus tap water consumption preferences among Appalachian Kentuckians, focusing on public trust in drinking water rather than microplastic contamination.

2024 PubMed 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Public Perception of Drinking Water Quality in an Arsenic-Affected Region: Implications for Sustainable Water Management

Researchers surveyed residents in an arsenic-affected region of Serbia about their perceptions of tap water quality and found that most had a negative view, which closely matched actual water contamination levels. Over 43% of respondents purchased at least five liters of bottled water per week, and because Serbia has low plastic recycling rates, most of those bottles end up in landfills where they slowly break down into microplastics. The study highlights a cycle where water contamination drives bottled water consumption, which in turn contributes to plastic pollution.

2025 Water 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical Review of Microplastics Occurrence in Bottled Water, Tap Water, and Wastewater Treatment Plants

This review analyzes microplastic contamination across bottled water, tap water, and wastewater treatment plants using data from studies worldwide. Researchers found that microplastic levels in drinking water are closely tied to the water source and that packaging type significantly influences contamination, with glass bottles recommended over plastic. The study emphasizes the need for improved water treatment technologies and greater public awareness about microplastic exposure through drinking water.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 3 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)
Article Tier 2

Global Bottled Water Industry: A Review of Impacts and Trends

This review assessed the global bottled water industry's environmental and social impacts, examining trends in consumption, plastic waste generation, and the implications for water resource management and sustainability.

2023 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics throughout a tap water supply network

Researchers evaluated microplastic presence throughout a large tap water distribution network, detecting microplastics at multiple points from treatment plant to consumer taps and finding that concentrations increased along the distribution system, suggesting the pipe network itself as a contamination source.

2021 Water and Environment Journal 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Making Europe go from bottles to the tap: Political and societal attempts to induce behavioral change

This review examines European political efforts to promote tap water consumption over bottled water, including the EU's revised Drinking Water Directive, and assesses how promising these strategies are based on behavioral research. The most evidence-backed interventions target taste and safety perceptions and improve physical access to tap water.

2020 Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Unequal trust: Bottled water consumption, distrust in tap water, and economic and racial inequality in the United States

This review examines why bottled water consumption in the United States follows racial and income lines, challenging the assumption that wealthier people drink more bottled water. Researchers found that lower-income communities and communities of color often rely on bottled water due to justified distrust of their tap water quality. The spending burden falls disproportionately on households that can least afford it, highlighting how water safety concerns intersect with economic and racial inequality.

2023 Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Bottled Water: An Evidence-Based Overview of Economic Viability, Environmental Impact, and Social Equity

This review analyzes the bottled water industry through the lens of sustainability, examining its economic growth, environmental footprint, and social equity implications. Researchers found that bottled water production involves significant energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water waste, and generates substantial plastic packaging pollution including microplastic contamination. The study suggests that while the industry has made some voluntary sustainability commitments, the cumulative environmental and health costs of bottled water remain considerable compared to tap water alternatives.

2023 Sustainability 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of packaged drinking water use in Indonesia in the last decades: trends, socio-economic determinants, and safety aspect

Analysis of Indonesian national survey data showed that packaged drinking water (PDW) consumption has grown at 1.24% per year since 2000, with socioeconomic status being the strongest predictor of consumption. Systematic literature review identified microplastic contamination and chemical leaching from plastic containers as key safety concerns for the 50% of Indonesians projected to use PDW by 2026.

2022 Water Policy 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Everyday storage and handling of PET bottled water increase human exposure to nano- and microplastics: Influence of socio-economic factors

Researchers tested eight major U.S. bottled water brands and found that everyday conditions like heat exposure and shaking dramatically increased nano- and microplastic release from PET bottles, with nanoparticle concentrations rising over ninefold under combined heat and agitation. A survey of over 1,600 people in Nebraska revealed that higher awareness of microplastics and education levels correlated with behaviors that reduce exposure, such as avoiding bottled water storage in hot conditions.

2026 Water Research
Article Tier 2

Level of Awareness and Attitudes towards Plastic Contamination by Students of an Italian University

A survey of 220 Italian university students found significant gaps in awareness about micro- and nanoplastic contamination, with many not connecting everyday behaviors to plastic pollution despite science-oriented backgrounds.

2024 Sustainability 1 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

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

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)
Article Tier 2

Single use plastic usage in the Maldives: Knowledge, practice and attitude

Researchers surveyed single-use plastic consumption patterns, knowledge levels, and consumer attitudes in the Maldives using questionnaires, finding significant knowledge gaps about single-use plastics and concerns about tap water confidence in a small island nation facing severe solid waste management pressures.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations