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Identification, Quantification, and Presence of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Beverages Around the World
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Researchers reviewed studies from around the world examining microplastics in beverages including water, beer, soft drinks, and other drinks. They found microplastics were present in virtually all beverage types tested, with concentrations ranging widely and particles originating from water sources, packaging materials, and processing surfaces. The findings raise concerns about ongoing low-level human exposure through everyday drinks.
Plastic waste mismanagement has led to environmental pollution, affecting natural elements such as water resources. Microplastics present in water bodies pose a threat to human health when the water is destined for human consumption. Therefore, studies on their presence in beverages have been reviewed in literature. Research articles from 2016 to 2024 were reviewed in April and March 2023, using the main keyword "microplastics," followed by beverage type. Microplastics were omnipresent in beverages, although identification and classification techniques differed between studies, with concentrations ranging from 1.15 to 3,769 pieces/L. Their main characteristics included a size of 1 to 6,742.48 μm, a predominance of fragments and fibers, transparent particles as the most common color, and a typical chemical composition of polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The most commonly reported origins of microplastics are water sources, packaging, and work surface area. The presence of plastic particles in beverages poses a risk to human health and produces concern about how we deal with our waste and how the measures that have been currently taken have not been sufficient. Therefore, preventing plastic waste generation must be prioritized, and it is necessary to explore remediation strategies.
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