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A new study warns of “billions of plastic particles released into cups” when they come into contact with boiling water.
Plastic is everywhere, even in our cafe. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have indeed found that disposable plastic cups, when filled with hot water, “released trillions of nanoparticles per liter“.
Trillions of plastic particles ingested by the body
The results are worrying. According to the work carried out by NIST scientists, it is not tens, but billions of plastic particles that walk around in our coffee cup.
“Plastic particles are everywhere. There are trillions of them per litre. We do not know their harmful effects on health (…) but we know that they are indeed present“, assures Christopher Zangmeister, chemist of the NIST.
To reach these conclusions, the researchers looked at two types of plastic products: nylon bags and single-use hot drinks, such as coffee cups. The cups they analyzed were covered in low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a flexible plastic film often used as a liner.
The cups were then exposed to boiling water (100 degrees Celsius) for about twenty minutes.
After a battery of tests, the scientists found that the average size of the nanoparticles was between 30 nanometers and 80 nanometers. A few were larger than 200 nanometers.
“These many tiny nanoparticles can get inside a cell, possibly disrupting its functioning“, said Christopher Zangmeister.
Metals, including zinc, lead and chromium, have also been found in the water. Elements diffused – again – by the plastic shell.
Plastic microparticles: what health risks?
Whether by inhalation or ingestion, we are exposed throughout our lives to a wide variety of microplastics.
However, during the manufacture of plastic, many plasticizers and chemical additives are used in particular to give certain characteristics to the final product (color or transparency, flexibility or rigidity, impermeability to light or oxygen, flame retardants, etc. ). Since the majority of them are not firmly attached to the polymer, they easily contaminate water, food or the human body.
Result: certain microparticles could impact the immune system and the respiratory system, lead to a decrease in fertility, increase the risk of cancer, etc.
In this context, the European Chemicals Agency is trying to restrict the use of microplastics to the whole of Europe. In January 2019, it submitted a restriction proposal falling within the framework of the European Reach regulation. The goal? Prohibit the marketing of certain products containing microplastics.