Teabags Release ‘Huge Amounts’ of Nanoplastics

Scientists have discovered that commercially available teabags release millions — and billions — of nanoplastics and microplastics, which are then absorbed into intestinal cells.

“When these tea bags are used to prepare an infusion, huge amounts of nano-sized particles and nanofilamentous structures are released,” says a press release on the study, which was conducted by the Autonomous University of Barcelona and published in the journal Chemosphere.

The brands of tea used in the study were not named, but were described as “commercially available.” When simulating tea preparation, scientists found that the polymers used in the teabags release millions and billions of various microscopic pieces of plastic. Specifically, polypropylene releases 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, cellulose releases 135 million particles per milliliter, and nylon-6 releases 8.18 million particles per milliliter.

The microparticles were stained and then observed as they interacted with mucus-producing intestinal cells. Researchers found that the particles were not only absorbed, but “the particles even [entered] the cell nucleus that houses the genetic material.” 

“It is critical to develop standardised test methods to assess [micro and nanoplastic] MNPLs contamination released from plastic food contact materials and to formulate regulatory policies to effectively mitigate and minimize this contamination. As the use of plastic in food packaging continues to increase, it is vital to address MNPLs contamination to ensure food safety and protect public health,” the release quotes the researchers as saying. 

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Microplastic contamination is an ongoing concern: They’ve been found in testicles, hearts, and this year, scientists found a “scary” amount in brain tissue. Researchers who examined microplastic contamination in commercially available bottled water said they’d stop drinking it after discovering millions of microscopic particles in each bottle. 

One researcher told PEOPLE that a “concerning question is where exactly in the body are these particles going, how long do they stay there, and what are they doing while they’re there?” 

As the teabag study states: “The potential health implications of environmental micro/nanoplastics (MNPLs) are increasingly concerning.”

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