Message in a Bottle: Research Reveals the Nanoplastics in Our Bottled Water

In the United Kingdom, we purchase an estimated 7.7 billion bottles of water every year. This is partially due to the misconception that bottled water is cleaner and healthier than tap water. New technological developments have allowed scientists to detect and count miniscule plastic particles called nanoplastics in bottled water. These particles are absorbed when we drink water from plastic bottles and may impact our health.

What are Nanoplastics?

Nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that measure around 1,000^th of the width of a human hair. Previous attention has been paid to the larger and more visible microplastics. However, recent technological advancements have made it easier to detect and analyse nanoplastics. Studies have now found nanoplastics in the human body, including in our blood, liver and lung cells, the heart, and even breast milk. Because nanoplastics are smaller than microplastics, they are more easily transported over long distances and are found in a wider range of environments than microplastics. Studies conducted over the past few years have detected nanoplastics in seawater, snow, soil, and even the air we breathe. 

Nanoplastics in Bottled Water

New research suggests that nanoplastic concentrations are shockingly high in bottled water. A study published by the University of California used a cutting-edge optical imaging technique to detect particles that were too small to analyse with previous technology. The researchers found an average of 240,000 plastic particles per litre of bottled water, with 90% of these particles being nanoplastics. This concentration of nanoplastics is far higher than

previous estimates and greatly exceeds the 5.5 plastic particles per litre found in tap water.

Conclusions

The concentration of nanoplastics found in bottled water is significantly higher than that found in tap water. These particles pose unique health concerns, as they can enter the tissues and cells that make up our organs. In light of this research, we should try to drink tap water rather than bottled water and use steel and glass bottles instead of plastic ones.

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For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk

Image: Little girl, Drinking water - Image by Nguyen Ngoc Tien from Pixabay (ST ref: 1359)

Edited by Sophia Stilwell