Bottled Water found to contain Plastic Particles

Recent findings by researchers from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia and journalism organization Orb Media that found that 93% of bottled water showed signs of microplastic contamination, with an average of 10.4 and 314 particles per liter larger and smaller than 100 microns in size, respectively. The study is one of the largest conducted, examining 259 bottles of water from 27 different lots across and included 11 major brands of water from 19 locations in 9 different countries The companies have stated that they meet the highest standards of safety and quality; however, they also emphasize the lack of any regulations on microplastics and of the standardized methods of testing for them.

The SUNY Freedonia researchers used a screening technique to detect plastic contamination with the dye Nile Red, which binds plastic and fluoresces. Larger particles were then analyzed to determine the identity of the plastic using infrared spectroscopy. The most commonly detected microplastic contaminant was polypropylene (see chart below). In addition to water, microplastic contamination has been found in seafood, beer, sea salt, and more.

Source: Orb Media/State University of New York Fredonia

Read the full report here.