According to a study published Monday January 8 in the scientific journal PNASwater from plastic bottles contains up to 100 times more tiny plastic particles than previously estimated.
To reach this conclusion, the researchers used a brand new technique using lasers, and counted on average 240,000 detectable plastic fragments per liter of water. They tested three brands of water, without revealing their names: “We believe that all bottled water contains nanoplastics, so highlighting some of them could be considered unfair”explained to Agence France-Presse, Beizhan Yan, co-author of the study.
Nanoplastics have attracted more and more attention in recent years, and are present everywhere on the planet. Microplastics are less than 5,000 micrometers (or 5 millimeters), while nanoplastics are less than a micrometer. They are so small that they can enter the blood system and therefore into organs, including the brain and heart.
The results showed that each liter contained between 110,000 and 370,000 particles per liter, of which 90% were nanoplastics, with the remainder being microplastics. The most common type found was nylon – likely from plastic filters used to purify water – followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which the bottles are made of.
Adverse effects on the reproductive system
This study 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”, says Beizhan Yan. But he adds: “We do not recommend not drinking bottled water when necessary, as the risk of dehydration may be greater than the potential consequences of exposure to nanoplastics. »
Research into the consequences of nanoplastics on ecosystems and human health is still limited, but some studies have already highlighted harmful effects, for example on the reproductive system.
In the future, researchers hope to test tap water, which also contains microplastics, but apparently in smaller quantities.