Water from plastic bottles contains 100 times more tiny plastic particles than previously thought, according to a study published Monday.
Using innovative technology, scientists recorded an average of 240,000 detectable plastic fragments per liter of water after testing several popular brands.
This study, published in the journal PNAS, raises questions about potential health consequences.
“If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it is reasonable to consider alternatives such as tap water,” study co-author Beizhan Yang told AFP.
But he added: “We do not recommend not drinking bottled water when necessary as the risk of dehydration may be greater than the risk of exposure to nanoplastics.”
In recent years, nanoplastics have received increasing attention and are present throughout the planet.
Microplastics are less than five thousand micrometers in size, which is five millimeters, and nanoplastics are less than one micrometer. [a milésima parte de um milímetro]. They are so small that they can penetrate the circulatory system and therefore organs such as the brain or heart.
Research on its effects on ecosystems and human health is still limited, but some studies have already identified its harmful effects, for example on the reproductive system. For their research, the investors used a new technique using lasers.
They tested three brands of water without revealing the names: “We believe that all water in plastic bottles contains nanoplastics, so it would be unfair to single out some of them,” said Beizhan Yang.
The results showed that each liter contained between 110,000 and 370,000 particles, of which 90% were nanoplastics and the rest were microplastics. The most common type is nylon (probably from plastic filters used for water purification), followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is what bottles are made from.
Next, the researchers intend to test tap water, which also contains microplastics, but initially in smaller quantities.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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