Rain contains microplastics, as discovered by scientists A recent study confirmed the presence of roughly 81 tonnes of microplastics in rain, which makes the water unsafe for drinking.
Up to 81 tonnes of microplastics were found in the rain that fell from the skies in 2020, according to a recent study from New Zealand, making the water unsafe to drink.
The high concentrations of PFAS, a chemical linked to cancer, according to study participants’ findings make the water unsafe for human consumption.
The US Department of Interior study from 2019 that made the initial discovery of microplastics in rain is supported by the 2022 study. Scientists were shocked to see fibres, beads, and shards of microplastics after expecting to observe “soil and mineral particles.”
Despite the fact that research has proven that microplastics have previously been identified in the bloodstream and lungs, scientists are still investigating the precise effects of swallowing microplastics by humans.
Over 24 trillion particles of microplastic, which have been used extensively over the years, are now present in our oceans.
In the words of the journal of Environmental Science and Technology, “levels of PFAAs in atmospheric deposition are especially poorly reversible because of the high persistence of PFAAs and their ability to continuously cycle in the hydrosphere, including on sea spray aerosols emitted from the oceans.” Contamination of rainwater poses a serious threat to those who depend on it for drinking purposes.
According to the journal, this has made it crucial that PFAS applications and emissions are quickly limited.
Gregory Weatherbee, a co-author of the 2019 study on microplastics, said, “The most significant finding, in my opinion, is that there is more plastic than first appears to be in the world. It is in the snow and it is raining. It currently exists in our environment.”
