Microplastic contamination has been found in tap water in countries around the world, leading to calls from scientists for urgent research on the implications for health.

全球多个国家的自来水被发现受到塑料微粒污染，科学家呼吁就其对健康的影响开展紧急研究。

Scores of tap water samples from more than a dozen nations were analyzed¹ by scientists for an investigation² by noNPRofit organization Orb³ Media.

参与非营利组织Orb Media的一项调查的科学家们对来自10余个国家的自来水样本的成分进行了分析。

Overall, 83% of the samples were contaminated with plastic fibers⁴. The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%.

总体来说，83%的样本受到了塑料纤维的污染。美国自来水的污染率最高，达94%。

Lebanon and India had the next highest rates. European nations including the UK, Germany and France had the lowest contamination rate, but this was still 72%.

污染率第二高的国家是黎巴嫩和印度。英国、德国、法国等欧洲国家的污染率最低，但其数值仍达高72%。

"We don't know what the health impact of microplastic is," said Anne Marie Mahon at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

高威梅雅理工学院的安妮·玛丽·马洪表示：“我们不清楚塑料微粒对健康会有什么影响。”

Microplastics can attract bacteria in sewage. Mahon said: "Some studies have shown there are more harmful pathogens on microplastics downstream of wastewater treatment plants."

塑料微粒会吸引污水中的细菌。马洪称：“部分研究已显示，污水处理厂下游的塑料微粒中的有害病原体更多。”