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Estimating microplastic consumption
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A research summary estimates that people drinking only bottled water consume an additional 90,000 microplastic particles per year compared to those who drink only tap water. The study highlights how packaging and delivery method of drinking water affects microplastic exposure.
If you get your recommended daily hydration exclusively from bottled water, you’re consuming an additional 90,000 particles of microplastic per year. That’s one of the alarming findings of the first study to take a comprehensive look at available data on human microplastic consumption (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2019, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01517). Marine ecologist Kieran D. Cox, part of a team led by Sarah E. Dudas at the University of Victoria, and collaborators culled all the high-quality data they could find about microplastic levels in air, water and other beverages, and foods. Then, extrapolating from US-recommended daily allowances and consumption habits, they estimated how much microplastic Americans consume each year. The study is incomplete: data are available for salt, honey, bottled water, fish, and other products, but not for foods that make up 85% of the calories that Americans consume, including meat, grains, and vegetables. From existing data, the researchers estimate that people
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Insights into human exposure to microplastics through drinking water: Current state of the science
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This review analyzed 66 studies on microplastics in drinking water from 2018 to 2023 and found that tap water actually contained more microplastics on average (about 62 particles per liter) than bottled water (about 38 particles per liter). Most particles were small fragments and fibers made of common plastics like PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The researchers estimate that people ingest roughly 175 microplastic particles per day just from drinking water alone.
Occurrence and characterization of microplastics in bottled drinking water
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Researchers analyzed microplastics in ten bottled water brands and found up to nine microplastic particles per liter, estimating that people who drink only bottled water may ingest over 150 microplastic particles per year — with polypropylene and polystyrene being the most common types found.
Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge
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This review summarizes current research on microplastic contamination in both tap and bottled drinking water. Researchers found that microplastics are present in both water sources, with bottled water generally containing higher concentrations than tap water, and smaller particles being more abundant. The study raises public health concerns and emphasizes the need for improved detection methods and drinking water treatment standards.
2019’s top research, by the numbers
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This news summary highlighted that people who drink exclusively bottled water consume an estimated 90,000 additional microplastic pieces per year compared to tap water drinkers, making it a widely cited statistic in the debate over drinking water plastic contamination.
Unveiling the hidden chronic health risks of nano- and microplastics in single-use plastic water bottles: A review
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This review examines how single-use plastic water bottles release micro- and nanoplastics into drinking water, with bottled water consumers potentially ingesting up to 90,000 more plastic particles per year than tap water drinkers. The research links chronic exposure to these tiny plastic particles with respiratory diseases, reproductive issues, brain toxicity, and cancer risk, though more standardized testing methods are still needed.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.