Evaluation of Potential Health Risks from Microplastics in Drinking Water
Abstract
Microplastics have been detected, often abundantly, in freshwater environments over the past decade. While understanding of the ecological health implications of microplastics in aquatic environments has advanced considerably, the health risks of microplastics in drinking water are not well understood. Direct health impacts are attributed to the ingestion of microplastics materials themselves. In contrast, indirect health impacts are attributed to the chemical contaminants that sorb on and in microplastics in the aquatic environment and are concurrently ingested. While it is desirable to evaluate both types of health risks, there are currently no available and conclusive toxicological investigations of the health implications of microplastics ingestion by humans; current understanding is limited to microplastics impacts on small organisms or cell cultures. In contrast, considerable information regarding the health effects of some contaminants that sorb on or in microplastics is available. Although this information has not been integrated to inform health risks associated with microplastics ingestion via contaminated drinking water, this integration is pressingly needed to guide risk management. \nHere, the potential health risks attributable to chemical contaminants retained on or in microplastics in the aquatic environment and ingested via contaminated drinking water were assessed using a new concept developed in this research: the Threshold Microplastics Concentration…
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