Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov​.

WHO calls for more research into microplastics pollution

September / October 2019 | Volume 18, Number 5

The WHO has released an assessment on microplastics in drinking water that suggests current levels aren’t a human health risk but more studies are needed. The report examines the evidence related to the occurrence of microplastics in both tap and bottled drinking water, the potential health impacts, and the removal of microplastics during wastewater and drinking-water treatment.

Researchers should undertake targeted, well-designed and quality-controlled investigations to better understand the occurrence of microplastics in the water supply chain and their health effects under relevant exposure scenarios, according to the WHO.

More Information

• Report: Microplastics in drinking-water
  World Health Organization (WHO), 2019
• Publication: Microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water: Critical review and assessment of data quality
  Water Research, May 15, 2019

To view Adobe PDF files, download current, free accessible plug-ins from Adobe's website.