ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF AMBIENT, FREEZING AND SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE ON MICROPLASTIC GENERATION AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITY OF COMMERCIALLY PACKAGED NYLON WATER AND PET (WATER AND BEVERAGE)

ABSTRACT Consumption of bottled water and beverages has become increasingly popular worldwide. The aim of this study is to assess how different environmental conditions—ambient temperature, freezing, and sunlight exposure—affect microplastic release and the physicochemical quality of commercially packaged nylon sachet water and PET bottled water/beverages. Sachet water, PET bottled water, and PET drinks were assessed under room, sunlight, and freezing conditions for 3 and 7 days using pH, TDS, ORP, and electrical conductivity. The results showed that sachet water remained relatively stable with only slight reductions in TDS, while PET bottled water exhibited variable fluctuations, particularly under sunlight. PET drinks, however, were the most unstable, maintaining acidic pH but showing marked increases in TDS, ORP, and conductivity over time. Among the storage conditions, sunlight exposure accelerated the most significant changes, whereas freezing and room conditions had milder effects. FTIR analysis of sachet water and PET beverage samples revealed characteristic peaks corresponding to polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), indicating leaching of polymer fragments into the water under different storage conditions. Overall, sachet water proved more stable than PET bottled water and PET drinks, highlighting the influence of both packaging material and storage environment on water and beverage quality.