"Paying To Drink Microplastics"...Three Times More Than Tap Water

Up to 6 million micro- and nanoplastic particles per liter
found in single-use plastic bottled water
Glass or stainless-steel bottles should be used

A study has found that micro- and nanoplastics in single-use plastic bottled water are up to three times more abundant than in tap water. In particular, as researchers raise the possibility that plastic particles can accumulate in human organs or even cross the brain’s protective barrier, concern is growing over how we consume water.

This photo is for illustrative purposes only and is unrelated to the article. Getty Images.

According to science outlet StudyFinds on the 7th, a research team at Ohio State University in the United States compared six commercial bottled water brands with tap water from four water treatment plants in Ohio. They detected an average of 6 million micro- and nanoplastic particles per liter in bottled water, while about 2 million were found in tap water.

The team estimated that drinking water from plastic bottles could result in ingesting between 2.6 million and 11.5 million micro- and nanoplastic particles per liter. By contrast, tap water poured into a cup contained about 1.6 million to 2.6 million particles per liter. On average, bottled water had roughly two to three times more plastic particles than tap water. Even the least contaminated bottled water was found to have a similar level of contamination to the most polluted tap water.

Bottle and cap as sources of contamination...shaking increases particle release

The most frequently detected substance in bottled water was PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the primary material used to manufacture plastic water bottles. This was followed by polyamide used in filtration systems and rubber components believed to originate from the sealing material in bottle caps.

This shows that plastic particles generated from the container itself, rather than from the water, act as the main source of contamination. The explanation is that everyday use, such as opening and closing the bottle, shaking it during transport, and changes in temperature, can continuously introduce plastic particles into the water.

In contrast, tap water contained polyamide, rubber, and polyester, which were analyzed as having entered from the original water sources such as rivers and lakes rather than from the purification process. In other words, tap water is mainly affected by contamination at the water source, whereas bottled water is additionally polluted by the container itself, highlighting a structural difference between the two.

Illustrative photo for the reader's understanding, unrelated to the article. Getty Images.

Potential organ accumulation...concerns about crossing the blood-brain barrier

Concerns are also mounting over the impact of micro- and nanoplastics on the human body. Generally, particles larger than 150 micrometers are excreted from the body, but those in the 10 to 130 micrometer range can migrate into tissues, and particles smaller than 10 micrometers can penetrate into cells. In particular, nanoplastics measuring 1 micrometer or less are thought to be able to travel through blood vessels to various organs, and there is growing concern that they may even cross the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain.

The research team used new analytical techniques such as electron microscopy and photothermal infrared spectroscopy to measure particles as small as about 300 nanometers, which is 30 times smaller than in many previous studies. This suggests that earlier research may have missed a substantial portion of ultrafine particles, implying that real-world plastic exposure could be even greater than current estimates.

"Use stainless steel or glass bottles after purification"

Megan Jamieson Hart, who led the study, stressed the need to reduce bottled water consumption and minimize plastic exposure. She explained, "We cannot completely avoid micro- and nanoplastics, but we can lower our exposure by reducing the use of single-use plastics."

The most practical alternative proposed is to purify tap water and then drink it from glass or stainless steel containers. While this cannot completely remove plastics originating from the water source, it can at least block additional contamination coming from plastic bottles.