For years the scientific community warns of the ‘plague of microplastics’ that floods the planet. These tiny fragments of waste, derived from the decomposition of this material, have already been found since the most remote ecosystems on the planet (like on the top of Everest) even in the inside the human body (as in the bloodstream, heart, or brain).
A study identifies an unprecedented amount of plastic fragments in the best-selling water brands in the US
Until now, the study of this phenomenon has focused on microplastics between 5 millimeters to one micrometer. But what happens if we look even smaller remains? According to a study by the Columbia Climate Schoolthe presence of nanoplastics It’s even more terrifying. In a one liter water bottle, for example, up to 240,000 can be found fragments of this material so tiny that, until now, they had gone unnoticed.
But where does this figure come from? What is the difference with previous estimates? And above allWhat danger could it pose? for a person to ingest this amount of microplastics every time they drink water? To answer all these questions, and understand the conclusions of this work, you have to go step by step, understand the information and not get carried away by alarmism. So, without further ado, let’s start from the beginning.
To carry out this study, the researchers They analyzed three brands of bottled water very popular in the United States. The experts focused on locating all the microplastics present in the bottles: from the largest, which are around 5 millimeters, to those as small as 100 nanometers, a group that had not been tracked until now.
The analysis registers between 110,000 and 370,000 particles per liter of water, 90% of which bypass detection systems
Previous studies had already pointed to the presence of microplastics in bottled water. A 2018 analysis, for example, located up to 325 particles in the bottles. A 2019 investigation pointed to almost 100,000 particles per container. The study published this Monday has detected between 110,000 and 370,000 particles per liter. Of all these, only 10% would fall into what we until now consider as microplastic. The remaining 90% are so tiny that they would circumvent the filters used to date to study the presence of this material in waters. “This way we identify between 10 and 100 times more plastic than previous estimates,” state the authors of this work.
Where do microplastics come from?
Analysis of microplastics found in water bottles has also given some clues about their origin. The most common compound is polyethylene terephthalate (or PET), a very common ‘ingredient’ in the production of water bottles and soda cans. According to the authors of this work, it is likely that this material decomposes and enters the water. when the lid is manipulated (i.e., in the process of repeatedly opening and closing the container) or when the bottle is exposed to heat. In both cases, it is believed that these compounds are released from the bottle and end up falling into the water.
One of the most common compounds can be released from handling of caps or exposure to heat
The analyzes also found a large number of polyamide samples. In this case, experts believe that, ironically, it could be remains of the water filters that are used to purify water before bottling it. In this sense, research has found other very used in industrial processes such as, for example, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate. Beyond these, he worries about the discovery of compounds that, until now, have been impossible to identify. That is, thousands of particles whose composition and origin have not been determined.
What impact do they have on health?
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But what What effect does all this have on health?? What impact can ingesting microplastics have? And what can we do to minimize its impact? Well, at this point the issue becomes thornier. Especially since, at the moment, science still does not have a clear answer. Strange as it may seem, the big problem with microplastics is not the fragments of material themselves, but the substances that are added to modify their properties and adapt it to different uses. It is estimated that of the more than 3,000 chemical compounds used in the manufacture of this material There are at least 60 that are related to a health risk human. This is the case, for example, of substances that could act as endocrine disruptors, cause neurological damage and even have carcinogenic effects. Although, once again, it is still not clear how, when and in what quantities these materials can cause harm to human health.
Exposure to some substances can pose a health risk, although it is still clear how and when
Faced with all these unknowns, experts ask, on the one hand, continue researching these issues and, on the other, do everything possible to minimize the plastic plague on the planet as much as possible. It is currently estimated that global plastic production exceeds 350 million tons annually. It is estimated that a good part of these end up being dumped into the natural environment, either in terrestrial ecosystems or in the world’s waters. Unlike what happens with organic waste, Plastics take much longer to completely decompose and they end up degrading into tiny fragments that, little by little, reach all corners of the planet. Hence, as experts claim, It is urgent to drastically reduce the production and consumption of this material.