VOA慢速英语2019 饮用水中微塑料还不会构成健康威胁（在线收听）

Plastics in Drinking Water Are a Concern

The World Health Organization says levels of plastic in drinking water present a low risk to health, but need more research.

世界卫生组织表示，饮用水中的塑料含量对健康的风险较低，但是仍需要进行更多的研究。 

On Thursday, the WHO released a report on microplastics, particles smaller than five millimeters.

世界卫生组织周四发布了一份关于微塑料的报告，这种粒子的直径小于5毫米。 

Bruce Gordon is the WHO’s coordinator for water, sanitation and hygiene.

布鲁斯·戈登是世界卫生组织水、环境卫生和个人卫生事务协调员。 

He said one of the main findings of the report is: “If you are a consumer drinking bottled water or tap water, you shouldn’t necessarily be concerned.”

他表示，该报告的重大发现之一是：“如果你饮用的是瓶装水或自来水，请放心。” 

However, Gordon said that the available information is “weak” and that more research is needed.

然而，戈登说，现有的信息是“薄弱的”，需要进行更多的研究。 

He also urged a greater effort to reduce plastic pollution.

他还敦促加大力度减少塑料污染。 

Andrew Mayes teaches chemistry at Britain’s University of East Anglia.

安德鲁·梅斯在英国东安格利亚大学教授化学。 

He was not part of the WHO study.

他没有参与世界卫生组织的这项研究。 

He said that microplastics did not appear to be a health worry for now.

他说，目前看来，微塑料似乎还不会构成健康威胁。 

But he added that stronger measures are needed to reduce plastic waste.

但他补充说，需要采取更有力的措施来减少塑料垃圾。 

“We know that these types of materials cause stress to small organisms,” he said. “They could be doing a lot of damage in unseen ways.”

他指出：“我们知道这类材料会对小生物体造成压力。它们可能会以看不见的方式造成巨大的伤害。”

Health concerns center on smaller particles that get into drinking water and into human digestive systems.

健康问题集中在进入饮用水和人体消化系统的细微颗粒上。 

A study supported by the Word Wildlife Fund and released in June said that plastic is widespread throughout the environment.

一项由世界野生动物基金会赞助并于今年6月发布的研究表明，塑料在环境中随处可见。 

It estimated that people may be eating or drinking as much as five grams of plastic each week. That is equal to the amount of plastic in a credit card.

据估计，人们每周会摄入多达5克塑料，相当于吃进去一张信用卡。 

The study found that plastics exist throughout the environment and have been found in sea water, freshwater, food and drinking water.

研究发现，塑料存在于整个环境中，在海水、淡水、食物和饮用水中都有发现。 

Possible risks from microplastics come from small particles, chemicals and microorganisms that stick to plastic materials.

微塑料的潜在风险来自于小颗粒、化学物质以及粘附在塑料材料上的微生物。 

Gordon said that the WHO would continue to study levels of microplastics in water.

戈登表示，世界卫生组织将继续研究水中微塑料的含量。 

However, he said that higher importance is given to proven risks in drinking water such as bacteria that cause typhoid and cholera.

不过，他说，更应关注的是饮用水中的已知风险，例如会导致伤寒和霍乱的细菌。 

The report notes that microorganisms are the biggest threat to healthy drinking water.

报告指出，微生物是健康饮用水的最大威胁。 

For example, research blames 485,000 deaths in 2016 on drinking water infected with microbes.

例如，研究认为2016年有48.5万人死亡归咎于感染了微生物的饮用水。 

“These are the things that cause immediate illness and can kill millions of people,” Gordon said.

戈登表示：“这些会导致直接疾病，造成数百万人死亡。”