Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge

A narrative review was carried out to describe the current knowledge related to the occurrence of MPs in drinking water. The reviewed studies (n = 21) showed the presence of microplastics (MPs) in tap (TW) and bottled (BW) water, increasing concerns for public health due to the possible toxicity associated with their polymeric composition, additives, and other compounds or microorganism adsorbed on their surface. The MP concentration increase by decreasing particles size and was higher in BW than in TW. Among BW, reusable PET and glass bottles showed a higher MP contamination than other packages. The lower MP abundance in TW than in natural sources indicates a high removal rate of MPs in drinking water treatment plants. This evidence should encourage the consumers to drink TW instead of BW, in order to limit their exposure to MPS and produce less plastic waste. The high variability in the results makes it difficult to compare the findings of different studies and build up a general hypothesis on human health risk. A globally shared protocol is needed to harmonize results also in view of the monitoring plans for the emerging contaminants, including MPs, introduced by the new European regulation.

Automated summary

A narrative review was conducted to describe the current understanding of microplastic presence in drinking water. The 21 reviewed studies revealed the presence of microplastics in tap and bottled water, raising concerns about potential toxicity. The concentration of microplastics increased with decreasing particle size and was higher in bottled water. Drinking water treatment plants showed a high removal rate of microplastics. This evidence suggests that consumers should opt for tap water over bottled water to reduce exposure to microplastics and minimize plastic waste. The high variability among study results highlights the need for a globally shared protocol to harmonize findings.