Occurrence and Source of Microplastics Contamination in Drinking Water and Performance of Water Treatment Plants in Removing Microplastics
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been encountered in all the compartments of the environment. They are also found and reported in our foods and drinks. This chapter presents an overview of the occurrence and source of MPs in drinking water (tap and bottled water). In addition, it portrays the efficacy of drinking water treatment plants in removing the MPs. MPs’ contamination has been reported in bottled water. Tap water and treated water are also found to be contaminated with MPs. The abundance of the small-sized MPs has been observed to be considerably higher in bottled and treated water compared to larger plastic fractions. MPs in bottled water originate from the packaging material, machinery, bottle washing liquor, and raw water, whilst the sources of MPs in tap water are from the distribution pipelines and the water source. The other factors that influence the release of the MPs from the packaging materials include external stress on the bottles during the filling and transportation processes, abrasion of the cap during opening and closing, and density of the packaging material and carbon dioxide content of the water. The major source of MPs’ contamination in Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) is the raw water. The source of raw water (surface and groundwater), the quality of the raw water, the nature of the source (protected areas/open areas), the weather and ambient environmental conditions, and the human activities in the premises of water sources are the major factors…
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