Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Label-free detection and characterization of secondary microplastics from tea bags

Researchers used advanced microscopy techniques to detect microplastics released from tea bags into boiling water. The study identified several types of plastic materials, including polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and nylon, in micrometer-sized particles across 11 different tea bag samples. These findings suggest that brewing tea in plastic-containing bags may be a direct route for microplastic ingestion.

2024 Optical Engineering 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Health risks posed by microplastics in tea bags: microplastic pollution – a truly global problem

This study examines the health risks associated with microplastics released from tea bags during the brewing process. Researchers highlight that commonly used tea bag materials like polypropylene and nylon can release significant numbers of microplastic particles and potentially harmful chemicals when exposed to high temperatures. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in tea bags, along with associated compounds like heavy metals and fluorine, warrants further investigation to protect consumer health.

2023 International Journal of Surgery 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the release of microplastics from tea bags into tea drinks and human exposure assessment

Researchers tested tea bags from five brands in Iran and found that every brand released microplastics into the tea, with an average of over 500,000 particles per bag. The most common plastics were cellulose acetate and nylon fibers, mostly in the 10-50 micrometer size range. Based on typical tea consumption, children and adults could be ingesting thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram of body weight daily just from drinking tea.

2024 Environmental Health Engineering and Management 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics in tea: Sources, characteristics and potential impacts

This review looks at how microplastics and nanoplastics end up in tea, with plastic teabags being the biggest culprit, releasing over a billion tiny particles per bag when steeped in hot water. Even biodegradable and composite tea bags release significant amounts of plastic particles, raising health concerns given that tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world.

2024 Food Chemistry 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and phthalate esters release from teabags into tea drink: Occurrence, human exposure, and health risks

Researchers found that teabags release significant quantities of microplastics and phthalate esters into tea during brewing, with health risk assessments indicating potential human exposure concerns from these contaminants through regular tea consumption.

2023 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Reducing microplastics in tea infusions released from filter bags by pre-washing method: Quantitative evidences based on Raman imaging and Py-GC/MS

Researchers measured the microplastics released from tea filter bags during brewing and found up to 1,288 micron-sized particles per bag. However, a simple fix -- washing the tea bag three times with room temperature water before brewing -- removed 76-94% of the microplastics. This practical finding gives tea drinkers an easy way to significantly reduce their microplastic intake from a common daily exposure source.

2024 Food Chemistry 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Pouring hot water through drip bags releases thousands of microplastics into coffee

Researchers found that pouring hot water through drip coffee bags releases thousands of microplastic particles into the beverage, with polyester and polypropylene bags releasing significantly more particles than other materials, raising concerns about daily microplastic ingestion from food packaging.

2023 Food Chemistry 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the hidden threat of microplastic in paper cups and tea bags: a critical review of their exacerbation and alarming concern in India

Researchers reviewed how everyday paper cups and tea bags release microplastics and toxic chemicals — including phthalates and heavy metals — into hot beverages, with plastic coatings and bag materials breaking down during normal use, posing underappreciated health risks especially in tea-heavy cultures like India.

2025 Discover Applied Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of Microplastics Released from Tea Bags into Water

Researchers tested eight types of tea bags to measure how many plastic particles they release into water at different temperatures and brewing times. They found that synthetic polymer bags (nylon and polypropylene) released nanoscale particles that remained stable and resisted enzymatic breakdown, while cellulose-based particles were easily degraded. Despite high particle concentrations, the released particles showed no cytotoxicity in cell tests, likely due to their negative surface charge.

2025 Polymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavior, Characteristics and Sources of Microplastics in Tea

This review examines microplastic contamination in tea and tea products, covering how microplastics enter tea from packaging materials, processing, and brewing equipment, and summarizing findings on particle abundance and polymer types detected in this widely consumed beverage.

2023 Horticulturae 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Brewing plastics: OCT reveals microplastic release from nylon tea bags in simulated brewed tea infusions

Researchers used optical coherence tomography to detect and quantify microplastics released from nylon tea bags under various brewing conditions. They found that steeping in hot water for five minutes released between 16,000 and 24,000 microplastic particles, with both large and small size fractions present. The study introduces a rapid, non-destructive detection method and highlights nylon tea bags as a significant source of microplastic exposure during everyday beverage preparation.

2026 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts
Article Tier 2

Integrated sample‐pretreatment strategy for separation and enrichment of microplastics and primary aromatic amines in the migration of teabag

This study developed a method to simultaneously separate and analyze both microplastics and toxic primary aromatic amines released from tea bags, detecting microplastic particles and chemical migrants leaching from the bags. The findings highlight that a common household item can release both plastic particles and potentially harmful chemical compounds into beverages.

2021 Journal of Separation Science 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in tea from planting to the final tea product: Traceability, characteristics and dietary exposure risk analysis

Researchers traced microplastics through every stage of tea production, from the soil where tea plants grow to the final brewed cup, finding the highest contamination during the rolling step of processing. Based on estimated daily tea consumption, the dietary exposure to these particles was considered a low health risk, but the study confirms that tea is a consistent source of microplastic intake for regular drinkers.

2024 Food Chemistry 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic microplastics in hot and cold beverages from the UK market: Comprehensive assessment of human exposure via total beverage intake

Researchers tested 155 common hot and cold beverages from UK stores and found microplastics in every single sample. Hot tea had the highest levels at about 60 particles per liter, and hot beverages consistently contained more microplastics than cold ones, suggesting that heat causes more plastic to leach from packaging. Based on typical UK drinking habits, the estimated daily microplastic intake from beverages alone was 3,432 to 6,864 particles per person.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Hidden risk of microplastics in milk tea and coffee: A case study from China's freshly-made beverage market

Researchers tested 105 freshly made milk tea and coffee drinks from seven popular brands in China and found microplastics in 93% of the samples. The average cup contained about 10 particles, primarily polyamide, polyurethane, and PET, which likely originated from the surrounding environment rather than the ingredients themselves. The study estimates that Chinese adults may consume around 25 microplastic particles per kilogram of body weight each year from these beverages alone.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles and Nanoparticles into Tea

Researchers discovered that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea. These particle levels are several orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported in other foods. Toxicity testing on water fleas showed that exposure to these released particles caused dose-dependent behavioral and developmental effects.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 1014 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and phthalate esters release from teabags into tea drink: occurrence, human exposure, and health risks

Researchers tested 45 teabag brands and found that a single teabag can release hundreds of microplastic particles and harmful phthalate chemicals into tea during brewing. Based on typical tea consumption, children could ingest about 486 microplastics daily and adults about 810 just from teabag-brewed tea. The phthalate DEHP, found in the teabags, showed cancer risk levels for both children and adults, highlighting teabags as a significant and overlooked source of microplastic and chemical exposure.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Evaluation of Microplastics from Tea Filter Bags Based on Raman Imaging

Researchers identified and evaluated microplastic release from commercial tea filter bags using Raman imaging combined with chemometrics. The study found that up to 94% of tested filter bags released microplastics after soaking, with particles identified as matching the bag materials, highlighting a potential route of microplastic exposure through everyday beverage consumption.

2022 Foods 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution and Risk Assessment in Packaged Teas in Türkiye

Researchers analyzed 15 packaged tea brands in Turkey and found microplastics in every single one, with the highest concentrations in dry tea leaves removed from the bags. PET was the most common plastic type, and fiber-shaped particles dominated. The study calculated that daily tea drinkers are regularly consuming microplastics, with men potentially exposed to more than women due to higher consumption, raising questions about this overlooked route of human exposure.

2024 Water Air & Soil Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A microscopic survey on microplastics in beverages: the case of beer, mineral water and tea

Researchers tested beer, bottled mineral water, and tea from around the world and found microplastics in every sample without exception. Beer contained 20 to 80 microplastic particles per milliliter, mineral water about 10 per milliliter, and tea leaves carried 200 to 500 per gram, with different plastic types identified in each beverage. The findings highlight that everyday drinks are a routine source of microplastic exposure for consumers.

2022 The Analyst 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Teabag-derived micro/nanoplastics (true-to-life MNPLs) as a surrogate for real-life exposure scenarios

Researchers found that steeping commercial teabags released billions of nanoplastic particles into the tea, made from nylon, polypropylene, or cellulose materials. When human intestinal cells were exposed to these particles, the cells absorbed them -- especially the polypropylene and cellulose types -- raising concerns about everyday plastic ingestion through a common beverage.

2024 Chemosphere 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Disposable plastic materials release microplastics and harmful substances in hot water

Researchers tested whether disposable plastic items release particles when exposed to hot water, mimicking everyday use with hot food and drinks. They found that a single exposure to boiling water released over a million submicron and microplastic particles per milliliter from common disposable containers. The study also detected harmful chemical substances in the leachate, suggesting that routine use of disposable plastics with hot beverages poses an underrecognized exposure risk.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 122 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and size classification of Microplastics leached from disposable beverage cups

This study investigated the size and quantity of microplastic particles leached from disposable paper cups into hot beverages, finding that common paper cups release microplastics measurable by size classification. The research quantified the contamination risk posed by single-use beverage cups to people who regularly drink hot liquids.

2024 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in commercial food and drink products and associated risk of potential human intake in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Researchers tested 112 food and drink products from markets in Saudi Arabia and found microplastics in all of them, with tea bags containing the highest levels at over 600 particles per bag. Based on typical consumption patterns, tea bag users face the greatest daily microplastic intake, followed by bottled water drinkers, underscoring how common foods and beverages are a significant source of human microplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 11 citations