A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Marine Plastics Abatement

Research studies project report (M.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2022

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles with a size range of 0.1 æm -5000 æm. They are virtually found in every environmental compartment and have become a threat to the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This research study assesses the presence of these microplastic particles in drinking water sources within the Asian Institute of Technology AIT, Thailand. A total of six samples of drinking water sources within the AIT campus were collected and analyzed in the EEM laboratory. The samples are bottled water which includes both the cheap brand and the expensive brand, tap water, filtered water, and water filter samples which include both the resin membrane and the paper membrane, all samples were examined for microplastic abundance. Among the samples, the resin membrane and the paper membrane were observed to have a total microplastic abundance of 26 particles with a mean value of 8.6 in a triplicate sample and 25 particles with a mean value of 8.3 in a triplicate sample respectively whereas tap water, bottled water, and filtered water showed no presence of microplastics with the applied methodology for detection. The shape of the microplastics from the resin membrane samples were fibers while that of the paper membrane samples were fragments. The resin membrane samples were observed to have a wider range of sizes ranging from 100 æm- 20 mm which includes 46% of microplastics and 54% of mesoplastics while the paper membrane samples were entirely microplastics between the size range of 100 æm-5000 æm. Statistical analysis was done using a t-test and there was no significant difference (p{u2265}0.05) between the resin membrane sample and the paper membrane sample. The abundance of microplastics released from the resin membrane and the paper membrane after subjection to a vortex indicates the latent possible contamination of microplastics in filtered water from faulty or poorly maintained water filter machines.