Department of Environmental Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
Department of Environmental Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jan 10;803:150004. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150004. Epub 2021 Aug 30.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has received widespread attention; however, its occurrence and distribution in water supply systems, particularly in pipe scales, remains unclear. In this study, MPs were observed in water and pipe scale samples from the drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) and distribution system (DWDS), respectively. The MP concentrations ranged from 13.23 to 134.79 n/L and 569.99 to 751.73 n/kg in the water and pipe scale samples, respectively. The predominant particles in the pipe scales (50-100 μm) were smaller than those in the water samples (> 200 μm). Overall, MP fragments were the most abundant. Of all the identified MPs, nylon and polyvinyl chloride were predominant in the water and pipe scale samples, respectively. Furthermore, the DWTP and DWDS both prevented MPs from entering the tap water, thereby reducing their risk. The results of this study provide direct evidence for the strong adsorption of MPs onto pipe scales, indicating that pipe scale stability may play a role in improving water quality and security. However, the abundance of MPs in pipe scales cannot be ignored. Additionally, the results provide valuable background information on MP pollution in water supply systems.
微塑料 (MP) 污染受到广泛关注，但它在供水系统中的存在和分布，特别是在管道水垢中，仍然不清楚。在这项研究中，分别在饮用水处理厂 (DWTP) 和配水系统 (DWDS) 的水样和管垢样品中观察到 MPs。MP 浓度范围分别为水样中的 13.23 至 134.79 n/L 和管垢中的 569.99 至 751.73 n/kg。管垢中（50-100 μm）的主要颗粒小于水样中的颗粒（>200 μm）。总体而言，MP 碎片是最丰富的。在所鉴定的 MPs 中，尼龙和聚氯乙烯分别在水样和管垢样品中占优势。此外，DWTP 和 DWDS 都阻止 MPs 进入自来水，从而降低了其风险。这项研究的结果为 MPs 强烈吸附到管垢上提供了直接证据，表明管垢稳定性可能在改善水质和安全性方面发挥作用。然而，管垢中 MPs 的丰度不容忽视。此外，这些结果为供水系统中的 MP 污染提供了有价值的背景信息。
