Microplastic Contamination of Surface Water-Sourced Tap Water in Hong Kong—A Preliminary Study
Source abstract
Abstract
Microplastics have been documented in a wide range of commercially available food products, and the presence of microplastics in tap water has received considerable attention in recent years. Although microplastics in drinking water pose a low concern for human health at current levels of exposure, there is a need to understand the potential pathways for human microplastic exposure. With the application of Rose Bengal staining, microplastics in 110 surface water-sourced tap water samples from urban sources in Hong Kong were qualified and morphologically characterized. A total of 224 items were identified in 86 (78.2%) samples with a mean concentration of 2.181 ± 0.165 n L−1. Fibrous and smaller (<1 mm) microplastics predominated in samples, accounting for 97.8% and 65.1% of the total microplastic count, respectively. Our results indicated a comparatively low level of microplastic contamination of tap water in Hong Kong. The potential sources of microplastics could be microplastic-polluted water bodies, atmospheric input and mechanical abrasion of plastic equipment during water treatment and distribution.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Microplastics and Plastic Pollution · Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China
Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China
Funding
Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee
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