The plastic content of bottled water is many times higher than previously thought

Using new technology, researchers examined the plastic content of a popular liter of bottled water and found an average of 240,000 plastic particles in a single bottle. That amount is 10 to 100 times higher than previous estimates and raises health concerns that warrant further investigation, scientists say.

Study co-author Beizhan Yan, a professor at Columbia University, urges bottled water consumers to look for alternatives, such as using tap water. At the same time, he points out that dehydration can pose a more serious threat to the body than plastic particles, so bottled water can still be important in terms of proper hydration.

Micro- and nanoplastics are already detectable in many ecosystems, including food and drinking water. These particles are so small that they pass through the digestive system, the lungs, and enter the bloodstream, reaching organs, the brain, and the heart. Nanoplastics can even enter the body of unborn fetuses through the placenta.