Occurrence of Microplastics in Bottle Water Brands Commonlyconsumed in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria

Potable water is crucial for healthy living hence the need to regularly assess and monitor the quality of bottled water which is popularly considered to be pure and fit for consumption. Ten different brands of bottled water randomly purchased from vendors in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, were analyzed. Microplastics were identified using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This technique involved measuring the absorption of infrared light by the sample to produce a spectrum, which revealed the chemical composition of the material. The obtained FTIR spectra of the samples were then compared with a standard database of known microplastics spectra. The result revealed the 10 samples exhibited absorption peaks ranging from the region of 400 to 3400 cm-1. The absorption peaks of various samples observed showed the presence of microplastics polymers. Sample A (Cway), showed peaks for polypropylene (PP), polystyrene(PS), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), and silicone. Sample B-Kona water showed the presence of PP, PS, and PET. Sample C (Bigi), indicates PP, silicone, polyethylene terephthalate PET, and polystyrene PS. Sample D (Essence), revealed PP, polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and PS. Sample E (Gossy) identified PP, PC, PA, and PS. Sample F (Nevaeh) showed PP, PC, PA, PS, and PE. Sample (OAU) indicated PP, silicone, PVC, and PA. Sample H (MrV) reveals PP, silicone, PVC, PA, and PE. Finally, Sample J-Topsila revealed PP, PET, and PA. Peaks at 1043 and 1084 cm-1 were common for PP and PS across multiple samples. The presence of the microplastic contamination could be attributed to the leaching of the packaging material or infiltration during the purification procedure. These findings highlight the widespread contamination of bottled water with microplastics, raising concerns about potential health implications for consumers and the need for regulatory bodies to ensure the quality of bottled water.