Advancing Evaluation of Microplastics Thresholds to Inform Water Treatment Needs and Risks.

ABSTRACT: Although human health impacts of microplastics are not well understood, concern regarding chemical contaminants retained on or within them is growing. Drinking water providers are increasingly asked about these risks, but strategies for evaluating them and the extent of treatment needed to manage them are currently lacking. Microplastics can potentially induce health effects if the concentration of contaminants adsorbed to them exceeds predetermined drinking water guidelines (e.g., Maximum Contaminant Levels). The risk posed by microplastics due to adsorbed contaminants is difficult to determine, but a worst-case scenario can be evaluated by using adsorption capacity. Here, a "Threshold Microplastics Concentration" (TMC) framework is developed to evaluate whether waterborne microplastic co

SUBMITTER: Chowdhury OS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11264269 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature