Microplastics: A global concern in bottled drinking water.....!

Beware, microplastics in bottled mineral water.....!

Water is the indispensable part of the biosphere and nearly all the living organism living on earth depends purely on water for its metabolism. In 2017, it was found that nearly 71% of the global population (5.3 billion people) used a safely managed drinking, free from contamination. Sharp geographic, sociocultural and economic inequalities persist, not only between rural and urban areas but also in towns and cities where people living in low-income, informal, or illegal settlements usually have less access to improved sources of drinking-water than other residents (WHO, 2018). 

Globally 785 million people lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 144 million people who are dependent on surface water. Globally, at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces. Contaminated water can transmit diseases such diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 4,85, 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year. By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. In least developed countries, 22% of health care facilities have no water service, 21% no sanitation service, and 22% no waste management service (WHO, 2018).

The study, led by US-based non-profit organization 'Orb Media' reported that the famous bottled drinking water brands in India were contaminated with 5,000 microplastic particles in 1 liter of water and mostly 93% of samples were contaminated with microplastics and particles like polypropylene, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate that to in major cities like Chennai and New Delhi and Mumbai.  The size range of particles varied from 6.5 microns to 100 micron (0.10mm) and smaller particles were found to be more common, about 325 per litre (Bussiness Today, 2018).

Though the researchers were startled by the findings, they could not quantify the extent and consequences of it on human health. Statistics portal Statista said global consumption of bottled water touched 391 billion litres in 2017 from 288 billion litres in2012. The bottled water market, valued at $147 billion per year globally, is the fastest-growing beverage market in the world.

The Indian Institute of Packaging is instrumental in checking water bottle samples for quality of plastic and related contamination inside the bottle on behalf of BIS. The officials with the IIP lab in Mumbai said preventive action is taken by BIS if residual monomers, heavy metals or residual catalysts are found beyond acceptable limits (Times of India, 2018).

Presence of carcinogenic substance

The research said the polymer Polypropylene, used to make bottle caps, was found in most samples. Nylon was the second most abundant polymer in the water samples. The research further shows that a whopping 93 per cent of bottled water contained tiny pieces of plastic. There were 10.4 micro plastic particles per litre of bottle. Apart from this, the contamination showed traces of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as well. Only 17 bottles out of the sample of 259 bottles didn't contain microplastic. The study also found bromate levels four times the WHO limit. Bromates are considered carcinogens which can cause cancer in humans (India Today, 2018).

The bottled water industry faced tough questions earlier when studies indicated high pesticide residue in the water. This resulted in a crackdown and more scrutiny on the bottling process. The distinction between “natural mineral water” and “bottled water” also came in through awareness campaigns and consumer activism which questioned the widespread use of the term “mineral water” for packaged water which had not been fortified with minerals. Most companies then switched to describing their product as “bottled water”.