Health
Bottled water found to contain tens of thousands of ‘tiny plastic particles’ in new study
People who drink bottled water may be getting more than just hydration, some researchers claim.
A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that each bottle of water can contain hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics, which are tiny particles of plastic below 1 micrometer, measured in billionths of a meter.
Researchers from Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, and Columbia Mailman School of Public Health in New York found that each liter of water contained around 240,000 of these plastic fragments, much higher than previously thought.
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Because nanoplastics are so tiny, the concern is that they could make their way into people’s bloodstreams and organs and potentially enter individual cells, the researchers cautioned in a press release from the university.
The potential health effects are still unknown.
A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that each bottle of water can contain hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics. “Previously, this was just a dark area, uncharted,” said the study’s co-author. “Toxicity studies were just guessing.” (iStock)
While previous studies provided broad estimates of nanoplastic amounts, this is the first study to identify the specific number of individual particles, the researchers noted.
They used a novel technique called stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, in which lasers stimulate the molecules of common plastics.
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“We developed a powerful optical SRS imaging technique for rapid analysis of nanoplastics with unprecedented sensitivity and specificity,” study co-author Beizhan Yan, an environmental chemist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, told Fox News Digital.
“Previously, this was just a dark area, uncharted. Toxicity studies were just guessing what’s in there,” he added in the press release. “This opens a window where we can look into a world that was not exposed to us before.”
Three popular types of bottled water were analyzed in the study, but the researchers did not specify the brands.
Three popular types of bottled water were analyzed in the study, although the researchers did not specify the brands. (iStock)
“We found approximately one quarter of a million tiny plastic particles in one liter of water, 90% of which are nanoplastics,” Yan said.
“This number is about 10 to 100 times higher than previously estimated.”
Out of the seven types of plastic identified, the most prevalent was polyamide, a type of nylon.
Another was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is the material used to make the water bottles themselves.
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Other detected plastics included polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate.
In future studies, Yan said he hopes to use a laser with higher power to increase the sensitivity and plans to identify additional types of plastic beyond these initial seven.
“Media reports about these particles in drinking water do nothing more than unnecessarily scare consumers.”
Celeste Meiffren-Swango, the Zero Waste program director at Environment America in Colorado, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital that she believes “we have a public crisis on our hands — in our bodies and our water.”
She went on, “This new nanoplastics study reinforces that plastics have infiltrated just about everywhere. The proof is indisputable: For the sake of human and wildlife health, it’s time for our society to move beyond plastics.”
Of the seven types of plastic identified, the most prevalent was polyamide, a type of nylon. Another was polyethylene terephthalate, which is the material used to make the water bottles themselves. (iStock)
The Northeast Bottled Water Association (NEBWA) was not a participant in the research, but also reacted to the study findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“This new study by Columbia University … used bottled water to apparently demonstrate a new method for nanoplastics analysis due to a lack of currently available methods,” said a statement from Jason Hutzley, executive director of NEBWA.
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“This new method needs to be fully reviewed by the scientific community and more research needs to be done to develop standardized methods for measuring and quantifying nanoplastics in our environment.”
NEBWA noted that there is “a lack of standardized methods and no scientific consensus on the potential health impacts of nanoplastic and microplastic particles. Therefore, media reports about these particles in drinking water do nothing more than unnecessarily scare consumers.”
The Northeast Bottled Water Association (NEBWA) said there is “a lack of standardized methods and no scientific consensus on the potential health impacts of nanoplastic and microplastic particles.” (iStock)
The association’s statement also pointed out that microplastics and nanoplastics are found in thousands of food and beverage products packaged in plastic containers, not just water bottles.
“Moreover, and perhaps even more important, nanoplastic and microplastic particles are found in all aspects of our environment — soil, air and water,” the statement added.
When contacted for comment, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is not involved with the Columbia study, said it is aware of the studies that have been conducted on microplastics in the food supply.
“While there is evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics are entering the food supply … there is a lack of evidence demonstrating that microplastics or nanoplastics occurrence in food poses a risk to human health.”
“This is an area where the FDA has not only been monitoring the research but also working to advance the science through analysis of testing methodologies and other related work, including participation in the United States Government Nanoplastic Community of Interest,” an FDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
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“There have been fewer studies on nanoplastics because there are not as many reliable methods to measure them,” the agency continued.
“This and other significant research gaps exist, but the FDA is not aware of scientific evidence that would support consumers being concerned about the potential level of microplastic or nanoplastic contamination in food, including bottled water.”
“We do not advise against drinking bottled water when necessary, as the risk of dehydration may outweigh the potential impacts of nanoplastics exposure,” the study researcher said. (iStock)
“While there is evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics are entering the food supply, primarily from environmental contamination, there is a lack of evidence demonstrating that microplastics or nanoplastics occurrence in food poses a risk to human health.”
Bottled water processors must comply with “robust regulations,” the FDA noted.
Study author Yan acknowledged that further research is necessary to determine whether drinking bottled water containing nanoplastics could lead to adverse health effects.
“If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it’s reasonable to consider alternatives like tap water and reusable bottles,” the researcher said.
“However, it’s important to emphasize that staying hydrated is crucial for health,” he added.
“Therefore, we do not advise against drinking bottled water when necessary, as the risk of dehydration may outweigh the potential impacts of nanoplastics exposure.”
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Americans consume foods every day that are marketed as “healthy,” when they could be quietly destroying their health, one doctor warns.
Dr. Mark Hyman, physician and co-founder of Function Health in California, says that much of America’s daily diet is filled with unhealthy ingredients.
“The amount of refined starches and sugars that are everywhere is just staggering to me, given what we know about how harmful they are,” he shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I don’t think people really understand.”
Hyman, author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored,” said he’s “astounded” by what people are eating, especially for breakfast.
“People just eat sugar for breakfast,” he said. “They have muffins, they have bagels, they have croissants, they have sugar-sweetened coffees and teas.”
Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored.” (Function Health; Little, Brown Spark)
In addition to the traditionally sweet options for breakfast, some cereal brands and breakfast staples have adopted new “protein-packed” menu items and products, following health trends that encourage eating more protein.
“Highly processed food is not food.”
“Now, we’re seeing this halo of protein in certain things,” Hyman said, mentioning that many protein smoothies are “full of sugar.”
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The doctor also noted that some popular cereals are now marketed as having protein in them. “My joke is, if it has a health claim on the label, it’s definitely bad for you,” he said.
Instead of starting the day with a “quick fix” or processed food, Hyman suggests choosing whole sources of protein and fat for breakfast, adding that “if there’s a little carbohydrate in there, it’s fine.”
More products marketed as “high protein” have cropped up on supermarket shelves. (iStock)
For his own breakfast, Hyman said he has a protein shake with whey protein, avocado and frozen berries. Eggs and avocados are also a great protein-and-fat combo option, he added.
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“It’s not that complicated — people need to just think about their breakfast not being dessert,” he said. “No wonder we’re in this cycle of obesity and diabetes. One in three teenage kids now has type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. That’s just criminal.”
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Instead of counting calories and being in a caloric deficit as a way to lose weight and stay healthy, Hyman instead suggests focusing on how certain foods make you feel and how they impact your health.
“When you look at the way in which different types of calories affect your biology, you can just choose what you’re eating, and then you don’t have to worry about how much,” he told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the traditionally sweet options for breakfast, some cereal brands and breakfast staples have adopted new “protein-packed” menu items and products. (iStock)
“For example, if you eat a diet that doesn’t cause your insulin to spike — which is low in starch and sugar, higher in protein and fat — you won’t develop those swings in blood sugar, you won’t develop the spikes in insulin, you won’t deposit hungry fat … You will break that cycle.”
People are more likely to “self-regulate when they eat real food” instead of processed foods, which “bypasses the normal mechanisms of satiety, fullness and brain chemistry,” according to Hyman.
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“Ultraprocessed food and junk food or highly processed food is not food,” he said. “It doesn’t support the health and well-being of an organism. It doesn’t do that. It does the opposite.”
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Small fragments of plastic were found in the tumors of most prostate cancer patients, according to a new study from NYU Langone Health.
In past studies, microplastics have been found in almost every human organ and in bodily fluids, but their impact on human health still isn’t fully understood.
The researchers analyzed tissue samples from 10 patients with prostate cancer who underwent surgery to remove the entire organ.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples, according to the study press release.
In past studies, microplastics were found in almost every single human organ along with bodily fluids, even the placenta. (iStock)
The cancerous tissue contained on average more than double the amount of plastic as healthy prostate tissue samples, the study found. This equates to about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared to 16 micrograms.
Researchers avoided contaminating the samples with other plastics by substituting standard tools with those made of aluminum, cotton and other non-plastic material, the release noted.
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The scientists say this is the first direct evidence linking microplastics to prostate cancer.
“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” said senior study author Vittorio Albergamo, assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in the release.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples. (iStock)
The study findings were presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco on Feb. 26.
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“What is most striking is not that microplastics were detected, but that they were found embedded within tumor tissue itself,” Dr. David Sidransky, oncologist and medical advisor at SpotitEarly, a startup that offers an at-home breath-based test to detect early-stage cancer, told Fox News Digital.
“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure.”
“We already know microplastics are present in water, air, blood and even placental tissue. Their detection in prostate tumors suggests systemic distribution and long-term bioaccumulation,” added Maryland-based Sidransky, who was not involved in the study.
Study limitations
Albergamo cautioned that a larger sample is needed to confirm the findings. Additionally, Sidransky noted that the presence of microplastics alone does not prove they cause cancer.
“Tumors can act as ‘biologic sinks,’ meaning they may accumulate circulating particles simply because of altered vasculature and permeability,” he said.
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A key unanswered question, according to the doctor, is whether microplastics are biologically active in ways that “promote DNA damage, immune modulation or chronic inflammation within the prostate.”
About one in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The most actionable step men can take is appropriate screening and early detection, according to doctors. (iStock)
For those concerned about microplastics, Sidransky offered some insights.
“I believe the appropriate response is curiosity, not panic, and a commitment to understand more,” he said.
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“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure, such as minimizing heating food in plastic containers, reducing bottled water consumption when possible, and favoring glass or stainless steel alternatives.”
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The most actionable step men can take, however, is getting appropriate screenings to help ensure early detection, according to the doctor. Screening discussions should be individualized based on age, family history and other risk factors.
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