Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

cbc.ca

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 383 posts

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#181

Post by smhost »

lukaa wrote: post #131
Isamu wrote: post #4

It's good to see the honest qualifications in the article: >Mason's team was able to identify specific plastics over 100 microns (0.10 mm) in size but not smaller particles. According to experts contacted by CBC News, there is a chance the Nile Red dye is adhering to another unknown substance other than plastic. >Mason leaves open that possibility but leans strongly to the smaller particles being plastic. >The develo…

For practical purpose does it matter? It detects non-water particles(pollution) in twice higher ratio than in tap water and plastic bottled water is sold as way purer than tap water with 1000 time higher price. Basically it's scam.

we should start calling bottled water "plastic water"

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#182

Post by [deleted] »

aledalgrande wrote: post #136
thisisnico wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Living in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, I can confirm that our water is extremely clean and good to drink. Additionally our city was rated one of the best tasting tap waters for all of Ontario, cities literally compete for quality water. Contrast that to Flint michigan across the river from me.

Dude not a fair comparison, here in Canada there's probably the best tap water in the world ;)

[deleted]

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#183

Post by myrandomcomment »

Ugh, I drink San Pellegrino like it is water. :) There is one sitting next to me as I type this. I like the "fuzzy water" as my daughter called it when she was 2.

Any studies on if it is in the tab water and the effects of something like a Britta filter on taking them out? Our house water is though that.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#184

Post by inimino »

codeddesign wrote: post #152
lukaa wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For practical purpose does it matter? It detects non-water particles(pollution) in twice higher ratio than in tap water and plastic bottled water is sold as way purer than tap water with 1000 time higher price. Basically it's scam.

The problem I see is labeling something with an assumption whether it’s becausenitnmakes good news or due to bias. If it’s unknown I am not ok with calling it plastic. I would think that the more appropriate term would be “non-water based substance”. Ultimately what we are talking about is contaminants? Or could this be heavy mineral deposits in the water? Do they know? Is this natural or being classified as a real c…

Short answer: yes, it's definitely mostly plastic.

https://orbmedia.org/sites/default/files/FinalBottledWaterRe...

> In total nearly 2000 microplastic particles > 100 um were extracted from all of the filters, with nearly 1000 (~50%) being further analyzed by FTIR. Obtained FTIR spectra were compared to libraries of known spectra in order to confirm and identify the polymeric content of the particles. All particles analyzed were either best matched to a polymer, plastic additive or known plastic binder providing additional supporting evidence that Nile Red selectively adsorbed to microplastic particles within the bottled water. With this spectroscopic confirmation, it can be concluded that on average each bottle of water contains at least 10.4 MPP/L (Table 2).

[...]

> Given the limitations of the lab, particles 100 um and every particle analyzed was confirmed to be polymeric. Even further, NR is well-established to selectively adsorb to hydrophobic (‘water-fearing’) materials and, as such, will not adsorb to the only contents reasonably expected to be within bottled water, water &/or its mineral components.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#185

Post by pbhjpbhj »

fireattack wrote: post #148
onion2k wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bottled water is produced close to where it's sold. The issue is in countries where the water bottling plant takes up lots of the available local water so the poorer citizens can't access it, and they can't afford the bottled water either. This means they don't have access to any clean water. One of Nestle's recent CEOs actually went on record to say say he didn't believe access to clean water should be a human r…

Can't access what, tap water? That sounds more like a problem of the local government than factories of bottled water. >he didn't believe access to clean water should be a human right Depends on the definition of "human right". You still pay for even the tap water in your home after all.

Basically in countries where water supplies are limited Nestle come in and buy the water, meaning wells go dry but Nestle still have enough to sell. Those in water poverty can't outbid Nestle, nor pay the right people bungs.

Snopes does cover the situation quite well (see link upthread).

This sort of thing: https://www.nationofchange.org/2019/08/30/nestle-waters-prop....

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#186

Post by Moru »

Isamu wrote: post #4

It's good to see the honest qualifications in the article: >Mason's team was able to identify specific plastics over 100 microns (0.10 mm) in size but not smaller particles. According to experts contacted by CBC News, there is a chance the Nile Red dye is adhering to another unknown substance other than plastic. >Mason leaves open that possibility but leans strongly to the smaller particles being plastic. >The develo…

Just another personal anekdote:

A friend bought a water destiller because of some health-theories. You are supposed to drink distilled water in the morning and so on... He is usually using it on tap water because he believes the water isn't pure enough (Germany, should be pure enough). One day he figured he could try the bottled water, maybe less build up of chalk in the sistern. This area has a lot of chalk in the ground so everything gets white very fast. He was not totally surpriced with having a black burned, smelly gunk in the bottom the next day. He does not buy bottled water any more :-)

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#187

Post by maneesh »

geggam wrote: post #162
sarnowski wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Living in Germany/Berlin and can confirm. Our tap water is excellent and is way cleaner than all bottled water you can buy. Keep in mind, bottled water is also kept around way longer and has the time to „breed“. In tests, the tap water is consistently less contaminated. I recommend everyone to just stick to it. As an anecdote: you can let your tap water be tested for free if you have a newborn to ensure and confirm t…

Having spent 5 months in Germany recently I can say without a doubt the entire food chain in that nation is something I miss. Tap water tasted great and the food was super high quality.

tasted gross in Berlin this summer, spent 2 months there.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#188

Post by maneesh »

cerebellum42 wrote: post #124
wibble10 wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of the buildings in Berlin have very old pipes and while the water to the building is alright, we (in Berlin) have to rely mainly on glass bottles of water (bismark) as if you don’t run the taps enough there’s a nice colour that comes out...

I've lived in a few places in Berlin over the years, I've never seen anything but nice clear water come out of the tap (whether at my place or friend's flats). Granted, it's hard water (lots of calcium) but other than that it's perfectly fine. Pipes as bad as you're describing definitely exist but I'd say they're the exception, not the rule.

I was in Berlin this summer for 2 months (Neukolln), in 3 different airbnbs and the water was not tasty, and was quite bitter. Very different compared to Swedish or Austrian or even Italian (florence) water.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#189

Post by Moru »

SamReidHughes wrote: post #164
fireattack wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't access what, tap water? That sounds more like a problem of the local government than factories of bottled water. >he didn't believe access to clean water should be a human right Depends on the definition of "human right". You still pay for even the tap water in your home after all.

One might argue that being allowed to dig a well on your land for drinking water is a human right. Clean water was once the natural order of things.

But if the neighbour is called Nestlé and has a deeper well, your well will go dry.

This model shows the problem nicely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF4iCgxsZX4

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#190

Post by Reason077 »

thatcat wrote: post #168
Reason077 wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Worse... it's worse than tap water." Considering the bottles are made of plastic, it would be surprising if they contained less plastic particles than tap water. What would be interesting is if glass bottled water contained a similar number of plastic particles, because that would suggest a different source of contamination.

No, bottled is ro filtered and should be clean of particles over .001 mm.

Yes, and then it gets put in a plastic bottle.

Not all bottled waters are RO filtered, either. Many are sourced from natural springs and retain various minerals.

Post reply on HN