FTIR-Based Identification of Microplastics in Commercial Bottled Drinking Water

¹ Department of Environmental Science, Postgraduate School, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia.
³ Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation Foundation, East Java, Indonesia.

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The presence of microplastics in drinking water has raised serious concerns regarding environmental pollution and human health risks. This study aims to identify microplastics in 10 samples of bottled drinking water (BDW) using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Water samples from several commercial brands were filtered, and the retained particles were analyzed to determine their polymer composition. FTIR results revealed the presence of various polymer types commonly associated with packaging materials, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The obtained FTIR spectra exhibited several characteristic peaks, including a broad aliphatic C–H stretching at 2900 cm⁻¹, and a strong C=O stretching band from ester groups at 1715 cm⁻¹. These peaks are consistent with the presence of PET, PE, and PP polymers that are widely used in plastic packaging materials. The findings indicate that microplastic contamination exists in bottled drinking water, potentially originating from packaging and bottling processes. This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring microplastic pollution in drinking water and highlights the need for stricter quality control to ensure public health safety.