We all know that in many Western countries their tap water is directly drinkable, and it seems to be a guarantee of safety and quality in people's minds, but a recent survey shows that it may change dramatically This subconscious awareness of people.
It turned out that there are many micro-tap water in the world plastic Pollution, many scientists have called for researchers to conduct an emergency study of the health effects of the problem and whether micro plastics can have an impact on human health.
In the UK, the Guardian made an exclusive report. After investigating tap water samples from dozens of countries by Orb Media, a non-profit U.S. agency, found that 83% of the tap water was contaminated with plastic fibers as a whole.
The United States Capitol, EPA's tap water are contaminated by plastic fibers.
What you may not have come to expect is that the highest rate of tap water pollution is none other than the United States, with up to 94% of tap water pollution. Whether it is the U.S. Capitol, the headquarters of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the Trump Tower in New York City Of tap water samples were detected and found to contain plastic fibers, followed by the United States in Lebanon and India in the pollution rankings.
Although many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and France, have the lowest tap water pollution rates, they still reach 74% .The researchers tested the average plastic fiber content in every 500ml of water samples from 4.8 in the United States to Europe The country's 1.9 levels vary.
An independent small study was also conducted in Ireland and was published in June of this year, and the study also found plastic particulate contamination in many tap water and well water samples. Dr Anne Macrey Mahon of Galway Polytechnic Institute said There are two main concerns: one is minimal Plastic particles And the second is the chemical or pathogen that these plastic particles harbor. "Plastic fibers, if present, are also likely to exist in plastic nanoparticles that we have not measured until now," Annie said. "Once they're in nanoscale form, Then they can penetrate any cell in the body, which means that they can penetrate organs at will, which is the most worrying thing. "
Microplasm generally refers to the miniature plastic in nature that is under 5 microns in diameter, but it is still a mystery why plastic particulates are found in drinking water, but the atmosphere is one of the most obvious sources. Wearing clothes, including apparel, and rugs throw out some fibers, and plastic fibers can be washed into the water circulation system, a recent study found that around 700,000 plastic fibers are released to the environment each time a washing machine is used Heavy rain can flush out the plastic particles, which may explain why domestic wells in Indonesia were also found to be contaminated with plastic particles.
At present, it can not be confirmed that the plastic particles cause health damage to the human body. But now it is true that plastic is closely related to our life. How to solve this problem has become a worldwide issue.