The microplastics are very small plastic fragments that, in recent decades, have invaded our environment: from the air that we breathe to the foods we consume, to the water we drink. It must be said, however, that recent research shows that some daily choices can significantly increase exposure to these particles.
In particular, those who prefer mineral water in the bottle, often considered safer than that of the tap, find themselves ingesting significantly higher quantities of microplastics. To say it is a revision conducted by researchers from the Concordia University of Montreal, published on Journal of Hazardous Materialswhich has come to a truly impressive conclusion: a usual consumer of bottle water can ingest up to 90,000 more plastic particles per year compared to those who drink tap water.
The study
The study is based on a critical revision of about 140 research published between 2016 and 2024, with particular attention to 16 studies focused on microplastics present in the disposable bottles. The goal was twofold: to understand the real extent of the problem and highlight the methodological gaps, underlining the need for shared protocols to evaluate the health risks in a more accurate way.
The research considered analyzed champions from 8 to 280 bottles at a time, coming from 16 countries including Italy, France, Germany, the United States, India, Brazil and China. Different types of water have been evaluated: natural mineral, purified, distilled, source and even desalized.
Once everything is analyzed, a figure emerged clearly: the plastic bottles are not at all neutral containers, as in reality it has been known for some time or at least it was suspected. Friction, exposure to the sun, openings and repeated closures, compression and even the cap (especially if in high density polyethylene) contribute to the release of micro and nanoplastics.
On average, those who drink only tap water ingests between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles per year, while those who regularly consume bottled water can reach about 90,000 more particles. Considering a prolonged consumption for decades, the accumulation in the body becomes significant and worrying.
Mineral waters more (and less) contaminated
Another interesting fact is that which concerns the most contaminated mineral waters. In fact, not all the tested bottles was the same and some brands presented much higher concentrations of microplastics:
As can be seen, within the same Nestlé group, there are significant differences: the San Pellegrino water, produced in Italy, contains much less particles, demonstrating how the type of packaging and production processes significantly influence the level of contamination.
Possible health risks
The ingestion of micro and nanoplastics can have significant effects on the body. Scientific studies connect them to respiratory disorders, reproductive problems, neurotoxicity, chronic inflammation, alterations of the intestinal microbiota and even an increased risk of tumors. Nanoplastics, being extremely small, can penetrate red blood cells, lymph nodes and different tissues, gradually accumulate and representing greater danger than the larger particles.
A critical point that emerged from the review is also the absence of common methods to analyze microplastics: the techniques used by the workshops vary a lot, making the data comparison difficult. The authors therefore underline the urgency of standardized protocols and studies on a larger scale, to obtain more reliable and precise information.
Important changes are needed
From a regulatory point of view, the study highlights the need to establish clear contamination limits, reduce the use of disposable plastic and choose safer materials for bottles.
Considering all this, and without forgetting environmental reasons, it is always better to prefer tap water.
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