Our drinking water may be contaminated with unseen microplastics

Published in the journal Water Research, it has been found that nano and microplastics in water and wastewater treatment processes are poisoning the drinking water. The team of researchers have found that tiny pieces of plastic break down further during treatment processes, reducing the performance of treatment plants and impacting water quality. It has also been proven through the study that due to their small size, nano and microplastics can easily be ingested by living organisms and travel along with water and wastewater treatment processes. In large quantities, they impact the performance of water treatment processes by clogging up filtration units and increasing wear and tear on materials used in the design of water treatment units. They are so miniscule that are invisible to the naked eye and we can in no way find out if we are drinking them with our water.

If reports are to be believed, approximately 300 million tons of plastic is produced globally each year and up to 13 million tons is released into rivers and oceans, contributing to approximately 250 million tons of plastic by 2025.

According to the researchers, since plastic materials are not generally degradable, this accumulation of plastic pollution in the aquatic environment creates a major concern. The research also highlights the current difficulty in detecting the presence of nano and microplastics in treatment systems.

In the opinion of environmentalists, it is important for each individual to act sensibly and ‘Say NO to Plastic’. In the same league in India, a nation-wide ban is set to be imposed on plastic bags, cups and straws on October 2. This will be a part of the campaign that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading with a motive to make India plastic-free by 2022.

Inputs from IANS