Croatia reports low microplastic levels in drinking water and links to heart attacks

A national monitoring program by the Institute for Water "Josip Juraj Strossmayer" found an average of 0.144 microplastic particles per litre of treated drinking water in Croatia – roughly one particle in seven litres – a level notably lower than the 0.9‑2 particles per litre reported in European literature. The study also showed a 94.7 % reduction of microplastic particles during water treatment, establishing the country’s first reference values for drinking‑water safety.

A separate clinical study published in the European Heart Journal examined blood samples from 61 patients and detected microplastic particles in 84 % of those who had suffered a heart attack, compared with 40 % of patients with chronic coronary disease and 32 % of individuals with normal arteries. The highest concentrations were found in blood drawn from blocked arteries and were associated with elevated inflammatory markers, suggesting a possible connection between microplastic exposure and cardiovascular risk.