Beware: 240 Thousand Nanoplastics Detected in Plastic Bottle Water
A recent study by researchers from Columbia University has found that there are approximately 240,000 “nanoplastics” in the water in a typical one-liter plastic bottle. These tiny particles, which can be as small as one billionth of a meter, pose a potential threat to human health. The researchers utilized a new laser imaging method to identify and measure these nanoplastics.
Beizhan Yan, one of the researchers involved in the study, explained that as the size of the plastic decreases, the possibility of it entering the human body increases. This is concerning because the small size of these particles makes them capable of passing the blood-brain barrier, potentially leading to cell loss in certain areas of the brain later in life.
The study also raised concerns about the potential effects of these tiny plastic particles on human health. The researchers believe that these nanoplastics may affect the microbes that help digest food in the intestines, and could even lead to health risks such as increased mortality rate and birth defects.
It is not yet known exactly how and in what quantities people are exposed to these nanoplastics, but the researchers suspect that the particles are released from materials in packaging or are produced during the production of water. The research was published in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)”. This study points to the need for further research and tighter regulations to prevent the potential health risks posed by nanoplastics in our drinking water.
