Bottled water contains more pieces of plastic than previously thought, study shows

Researchers have found that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of microscopic pieces of plastic - and that we swallow them when we drink it. Ellie Pitt explains

Bottled water contains more plastic than previously thought, a new study has shown.

Researchers in the US looked at the presence of nanoplastics, which are tiny plastics up to a nanometre in size, in bottled water, and found that a one-litre bottle of water typically contains around 240,000 miniscule pieces of plastic.

Around 90% of the small plastic pieces in bottled water are nanoplastics, and the amount of plastics found is "orders of magnitude" more than have previously been reported, the research found.

The peer-reviewed study published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences was the first to look at nanoplastics in bottled water.

Scientists have long been aware of the presence of microplastics, between 5mm and a mircometre in size, in bottled water, but the abundance of smaller plastics is a revelation.

The tinier the plastics, the riskier they are, as they are more likely to be able to enter the human body.

Researchers used a powerful optical imaging technique to analyse the nanoplastics.

Increasing use of plastics, and its huge role in polluting the planet, has been a cause for rising global concern.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are believed to have a negative impact on human health, but the full effects are still being researched.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…