We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, but so many years after their appearance we must have the courage to face this open secret. Which? Drinking PET bottled water means ingesting a potentially toxic cocktail of microplastics.
Plastic particles smaller (even much) than 1 millimeter, which do not decompose easily and could kill us slowly, progressively, through a process known as bioaccumulate. We found them everywhere: in the airin fruits and vegetables, in the water, in the rain, in the blood, even in the human placenta.
In bottled water globally, they are released by the material from which the bottle, neck and cap are made. It's a plastic polymer you've already heard of: it's called polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Evil everywhere
We have no definitive evidence that microplastics cause serious disease (a dynamic that closely resembles that of smoking harms, discovered "slowly" over the past century). However, researchers are increasingly concerned about their possible long-term effects on our bodies.
On the other hand, we know practically everything about the process that makes bottled water an "infusion of microplastics" from studies already published (here's one). The presence of these particles is the result of many factors, such as the physical stress during transport, the shaking of the bottles and the injection of high pressure water into the bottle in the production plants.
Not to mention a paradox and a crucial factor. The paradox: recyclable bottled water releases more particles than disposable (other study). The crucial factor: the thermal impact during the storage of millions and millions of packages of bottled water, which can aggravate the fragmentation of microplastics.
Bottled water, a cancer juice?
Unfortunately, the question remains unresolved: no published study has yet directly investigated the effects of plastic particles on humans. However, researchers have already developed many hypotheses about physical and chemical hazards.
According to the World Health Organization, microplastics with particle sizes smaller than 1,5 μm (1,5 micrometres) are soluble. They can therefore be ingested or absorbed, migrating through the intestinal wall and reaching various body tissues, including the intestine, liver and lymph nodes.
This is extremely concerning, as the tiny particles entering tissue can cause inflammation and irritation (other study), leading to health problems such as cancer.
That's not all: microplastic particles can release toxic chemicals such as plasticizers, stabilizers and pigments used in their production, which can travel through our bodies into the bloodstream.
Substances that have already been linked (Harvard studio) to inflammation, genotoxicity, oxidative stress and damage to the gastrointestinal tract. They have been identified as emerging pollutants: disrupt the endocrine system (other study), in addition to cancer, they can cause other serious health problems such as developmental defects.
What can you do?
While waiting for science to say something unequivocal about microplastics (I'm still waiting for something definitive about cell phones and I remember the decades needed for smoking), protect yourselves.
If you use bottled water as your primary source of drinking water, there are a few precautions you can take.
- Avoid shaking the bottle excessively or opening and closing it unnecessarily: you will reduce the risk of releasing microplastic particles into the water.
- Avoid reusing bottles water bottle, as this can cause the inner surface of the bottle to abrade and release further particles.
- Important: To minimize contamination from chemical pollutants such as plasticizers, which can be leached from PET water bottles, store bottled water in cool, dry places. Light and heat accelerate the degradation of bottles and the release of chemicals.
Hoping that, considering the long waits for these packs in the various squares and warehouses, the evil "tea" hasn't already been prepared.
