A recent American study observed that bottled mineral water contains a hundred times more plastic particles than previous estimates.
- An American study has observed that bottled water may contain larger quantities of plastic particles than previously estimated.
- Bottled water contains between 110,000 and 370,000 plastic fragments per liter.
- Nearly 90% of particles in bottled water were nanoplastics.
For the longest time, bottled water was considered a healthier alternative to tap water. However, a one-liter bottle of water could contain, on average, 240,000 plastic particles, according to a recent study published in the journal PNAS.
A water bottle contains between 110,000 and 370,000 plastic fragments
To reach this conclusion, researchers from Columbia University (United States) analyzed the water contained in six one-liter bottles from three American supermarkets without revealing their names. “We believe that all bottled water contains nanoplastics, so highlighting some of them could be considered unfair”indicated Doctor Beizhan Yan, co-author of the study, at the AFP. Using an innovative technique, they then exposed them to lasers, which vibrated when they encountered a fragment of plastic.
Scientists have found that bottled water contains between 110,000 and 370,000 plastic particles per liter. On average, each bottle contained 240,000 detectable plastic fragments per liter of water, up to 100 times more than previous studies revealed.
Nylon, polyethylene terephthalate: pSeveral types of nanoplastics identified in bottled water
The size of the laser vibrations helped indicate the type of plastic present in the water. Nearly 90% were nanoplastics, which are less than a micrometer in size, and the rest were microplastics. Among the nanoplastics, the American team identified nylon, probably from plastic filters used to purify water, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the components used to make bottles.
The health consequences of nanoplastics are still unknown, but they are so small that they can enter the blood system and reach organs, including the brain and heart. Some studies have already pointed out their harmful effects on the reproductive system. “If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it is reasonable to consider alternatives, such as tap water (…) We do not recommend do not drink bottled water when necessary, as the risk of dehydration may be greater than the potential consequences of exposure to nanoplastics”recommended Doctor Beizhan Yan.
In the future, the authors of the work hope to test tap water, which also contains microplastics, but apparently in smaller quantities.
