Dec 24, 2024 19:00:00

It turns out that commercially available tea bags release millions to over a billion plastic particles per milliliter and are absorbed by human intestinal cells

In recent years, it has been pointed out that

microplastics, which are plastic particles and fragments with a diameter of 5 mm or less, and even smaller nanoplastics , have infiltrated into the environment and the bodies of living organisms. A research team from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain recently announced the results of a study showing that 'massive amounts of micro/nanoplastics are released from commercially available tea bags and are absorbed by human intestinal cells.'

Teabag-derived micro/nanoplastics (true-to-life MNPLs) as a surrogate for real-life exposure scenarios - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653524026377

Commercial tea bags release millions of microplastics, entering human intestinal cells
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-commercial-tea-bags-millions-microplastics.html

Environmental pollution by plastic waste is a serious issue that will affect the happiness and health of future generations. Previous research has found plastic fragments in human lungs ,blood , placenta , testes , brains , etc., and it has also been suggested that microplastics may cause intestinal inflammation .

The study, conducted by the research team, used tea bags purchased from Amazon, AliExpress and local supermarkets to mimic the process of making black tea.

The researchers emptied and washed the tea bags, placed each one in boiling water, stirred it, and then measured the amount of plastic debris in the remaining solution. To characterize the different plastic particles, the team used advanced analytical techniques, including scanning and transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy , dynamic light scattering , laser Doppler anemometry , and nanoparticle tracking analysis .

The analysis confirmed the following levels of plastic contamination for each type of tea bag:

Polypropylene tea bags released around 1.2 billion plastic particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nm ( nanometers ).
Tea bags containing cellulose as the polymer composition released 135 million plastic particles per ml, with an average size of 244 nm.
A nylon 6 tea bag released 8.18 million plastic particles per milliliter, with an average size of 138.4 nm.

'Using a series of cutting-edge techniques, we have managed to carry out an innovative characterisation of these pollutants, which is a very important tool to advance research into their possible impact on human health,' said co-author Alba Garcia from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

The team also stained the detected plastic particles and exposed them to various human intestinal cells to observe their interactions. The results showed that mucus-producing intestinal cells were particularly good at taking up micro- and nanoplastics, with some particles even penetrating into the cell nucleus . This highlights the need for further research into the effects of chronic exposure to micro- and nanoplastics on human health.

'It is important to develop standardized test methods to assess micro- and nano-plastic pollution released from plastic materials that come into contact with food and to formulate regulatory policies to effectively mitigate and minimize contamination. As the use of plastics in food packaging continues to increase, it is essential to address micro- and nanoplastic pollution to ensure food safety and protect public health,' said the research team.