Plastic bottled water, especially mineral water, enjoys a good reputation among many people, often due to its supposed purity. However, this water contains up to 100 times more tiny plastic particles than previously estimated, according to the results of a study published this Monday, January 8, 2024.
Using an innovative technique, scientists counted an average of 240,000 detectable plastic fragments per liter of water, after testing product from several popular brands.
Plastic fragments present everywhere.
Microplastics measure less than 5,000 micrometers (or 5 millimeters), while nanoplastics measure less than one micrometer. They are so small that they can enter the blood system and therefore organs, including the brain and heart.
“We know that they are everywhere, whether micro or nanoplastics, in nature, in the seas, but also in our body, in the lungs, in the blood…”, explains Mathilde Monperrus, doctor in chemistry, to the Parisian specialist in water quality. at the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour.
In March 2022, an unprecedented study published in the journal Environment International revealed that these plastic residues were present in human blood. They have also already been detected in the human placenta.
Effects on the intestinal system.
But what are the risks to human health? “There is little certainty, especially because we do not know how much micro- and nanoplastics we are exposed to,” Muriel Mercier-Bonin, INRAE research director at the Toxalim unit in Toulouse, explains to BFMTV.com.
In fact, research is still limited, but some studies have already shown harmful effects, for example on the reproductive system.
Muriel Mercier-Bonin and her collaborators also demonstrated, for the first time, the harmful effects of exposure to microplastics on the human intestinal microbiota. To do this, they reproduced the human intestinal ecosystem and followed its evolution during exposure to polyethylene microparticles.
Result: the researchers observed an alteration of the microbiota in its composition and activity. “There is an increase in the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in certain beneficial species,” explains Muriel Mercier-Bonin.
“Therefore, a weakening of gastrointestinal functions is likely to occur,” he adds.
According to the National Agency for Food Safety, Environmental and Occupational Health (ANSES), animal studies suggest harmful effects on metabolism, the intestine, brain development, damage to genetic equipment or even cellular respiration, which can cause death. early.
The particularity of nanoplastics
In addition, nanoplastics, which are smaller than microplastics, “have a greater ability to cross the intestinal barrier” and this could have other harmful consequences. These particles are likely to cross the body’s natural barriers, enter the blood and reach organs such as the brain.
In addition, these nanoplastics “can be loaded with other contaminants,” explains Muriel Mercier-Bonin. When broken, these small pieces of plastic increase their specific surface area and can thus become vectors for other contaminants.
“We can already fear that the toxic substances transported by these micro and nanoparticles, such as bisphenols for example, add harmful effects to the intrinsic toxicity of the plastic fragments themselves,” toxicologist Nicolas Cabaton explains to Le Monde, who specifies that “We still have there is a lack of knowledge” on the subject.
What alternatives?
“If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it is reasonable to consider alternatives, such as tap water,” says Beizhan Yan, co-author of the bottled water study. The risk of plastic contamination increases especially if the bottles are reused several times.
“We do not recommend not drinking bottled water when necessary, as the risk of dehydration may be greater than the possible consequences of exposure to nanoplastics,” he says.
“The only advice we can give is to vary the origin of the water we drink as much as possible. Because if bottled water contains micro and nanoparticles of plastic, we also know from other studies that tap water is contaminated with traces of pesticides.” Mathilde Monperrus said to Le Parisien.
Source: BFM TV
