How it Works
A liter of plastic bottled water contains about 325 plastic fragments, mostly nanoplastics. They’re also found in some foods and air. This cumulative exposure raises health concerns. While the amount varies between persons and environments, overall exposure is significant. Public awareness, behavior changes, and drinking innovations can help reduce this.
How Long Do These Plastics Stay in Our Bodies?
Microplastics have been found in human tissues, including the lungs, liver, and brain weeks after death. Their small size helps them evade typical filtration mechanisms and rapid breakdown. They can cause inflammation and other immune responses, potentially leading to chronic health effects overtime. It is still unclear how long these plastics can stay in the body before breaking down, but just like a plastic bottle in a landfill, microplastics decompose slowly.
What are the Health Implications of Plastic Ingestion?
When plastics are ingested or inhaled, they pass through protective tissues and enter the bloodstream. They have been linked to respiratory issues, liver damage, and reproductive problems. Chemical additives in plastics can leach out and cause additional health concerns. There’s evidence these plastics can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially causing long-term effects.
How Does Drinking From Glass Help?
Glass doesn't leach chemicals or plastic particles into water. Glass is free from harmful chemicals like BPA & phthalates and does not degrade. Its non-porous surface doesn’t absorb flavors, odors, or bacteria, keeping water pure. Using glass reduces the demand for single-use plastics and their associated health risks. Glass is reusable, easily cleaned and easily sterilized, making it a sustainable choice. Plus, it’s transparent, allowing you to see exactly what you’re drinking.
PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH (UNSIMPLIFIED)
Exposure to Irregular Microplastic Shed From Baby Bottles Activates the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 Signaling Pathway, Causing Intestinal Inflammation.
“Irregularly shaped microplastics (MPs) released from infant feeding bottles (PP-IFBs) may exhibit increased cytotoxicity, in contrast to the commonly studied spherical MPs. This study presents an initial analysis of the thermal-oxidative aging process of plastic shedding from feeding bottles, and investigates the inflammatory response induced by these atypical MPs in human intestinal cells…”
Animal Exposure to Microplastics and Health Effects: A Review
Over the past 10 years, interest in microplastic consumption has grown exponentially as its health repercussions become more apparent. Figure 2 displays the number of yearly publications that include the words “microplastic” and “animal” since 2008.
Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Marine Environment and Human Health
“Pictorial representation displaying the three primary paths of human exposure to NPs, i.e., via A lungs, B gastrointestinal (GI) system, and C skin.”
Effects of Microplastics and Tetracycline on Intestinal Injury in Mice
“This study investigated the pathological and functional injuries of different intestinal segments and the microbial disorder upon exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and/or tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). Both PS-MPs and TCH altered the intestinal morphology and induced functional impairment.”
Human Consumption of Microplastics
Microplastics are ubiquitous across ecosystems, yet the exposure risk to humans is unresolved. Focusing on the American diet, we evaluated the number of microplastic particles in commonly consumed foods in relation to their recommended daily intake. The potential for microplastic inhalation and how the source of drinking water may affect microplastic consumption were also explored. Our analysis used 402 data points from 26 studies, which represents over 3600 processed samples. Evaluating approximately 15% of Americans’ caloric intake, we estimate that annual microplastics consumption ranges from 39000 to 52000 particles depending on age and sex. These estimates increase to 74000 and 121000 when inhalation is considered. Additionally, individuals who meet their recommended water intake through only bottled sources may be ingesting an additional 90000 microplastics annually, compared to 4000 microplastics for those who consume only tap water. These estimates are subject to large amounts of variation; however, given methodological and data limitations, these values are likely underestimates.