Microplastics in tea bags could be linked to a number of serious diseases, fertility problems and an increased risk of multiple cancers, experts have warned.
Concern arose today after a new study found that tea bags release toxic microscopic particles when soaked in hot water.
Microplastics, which are also found in a wide range of everyday items including food containers and pots, can leach into food and drinks and even the air we breathe.
They then find their way deep into the body, and tests show high levels of microplastics in breast milk, saliva, feces and blood.
More recently, experts at the University of California, San Francisco discovered that microscopic plastic particles in the air could be to blame for the rising tide of young people suffering from colon cancer.
Researchers reviewed data from 3,000 studies and found that once inhaled they can pass into the blood through the lungs and accumulate in organs over time.
They pointed to several studies suggesting that exposure to microplastics could increase the risks of structural changes in the colon.
A 2022 Chinese study found that lab mice chronically exposed to microplastics had “notable colonic deficiencies,” such as damage to the walls of the colon.
In a new study, published in Chemosphere, the team investigated microplastics released from three popular types of tea bags, which can be easily purchased online or at local supermarkets.
Experts say you can reduce your exposure to microplastics by swapping plastics in your home for natural materials, metal and glass.
Another study published the same year suggested that exposure to microplastics caused the colon to produce less mucus, which forms a protective layer around the colon.
Meanwhile, other research published earlier this year found Cancer cells in the intestine spread at an accelerated rate after contact with microplastics.
and a scientist reviewpublished in October in the journal Life Sciences, summarized the concerns of a growing number of specialists: “Microplastics trigger uncontrolled cell proliferation and subsequent tissue growth that leads to various types of cancer that affect the lungs, blood, breasts, prostate and ovaries.
Experts have also raised the alarm about the potential between microplastics and reproductive health.
Scientists warned in June that they had found tiny plastic particles in men’s sperm.
The plastic was a specific type used in plumbing pipes, and tests revealed that sperm exposed to the plastic were less motile and therefore less able to fertilize eggs.
tThe Chinese team suggested this could link microplastics to a global decline seen in fertility rates.
It comes as sScientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona warned that a single tea bag can release billions of dangerous microplastics into the body.
Scientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona warn that a single tea bag can release billions of dangerous microplastics in the body
In their new study, the team investigated the microplastics released by three popular types of tea bags, which can be easily purchased online or at local supermarkets.
During their experiments, the team discovered that most of these microplastics are absorbed by mucus-producing intestinal cells.
However, they discovered that some can even enter the cell nucleus, the part of the cell that houses genetic material.
“The potential health implications of environmental micro/nanoplastics (MNPL) are of increasing concern,” the researchers stated.
“Beyond environmental exposure, other sources such as food packaging, including tea bags or herbs, may also be important.”
Previous studies have shown that food packaging is a major source of microplastics.
However, until now, there has been little research into how much of these plastics we ingest from tea bags.
In their new study, published in chemosphereThe team investigated the microplastics released by three popular types of tea bags, which can be easily purchased online or at local supermarkets.
Small pieces of microplastic, seen here as black dots, were found in semen samples from 36 participants in a Chinese trial.
The first type was a nylon tea bag, which the researchers ordered from Amazon. Next, a polypropylene tea bag was ordered from AliExpress.
Finally, a third type was purchased in a supermarket, but with an unknown filter polymer. For each type of tea bag, the researchers transferred 300 tea bags to a 1-liter beaker containing 600 ml of water at 95°C.
The team found that, in all three types, huge quantities of nanometer-sized particles were released into the water.
Polypropylene tea bags were the worst, releasing approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometers.
Meanwhile, nylon tea bags released 8.18 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 13.8.4 nanometers.
The researchers then stained the microplastics before exposing them to different types of human intestinal cells.
They found that mucus-producing intestinal cells had the highest absorption of plastic. Humans can be exposed to plastic particles through consumption of food products, drinking water and air.
However, the level of human exposure, the concentrations that cause a toxic effect, and the underlying mechanisms by which microplastics cause harm are not yet sufficiently understood to conduct a full assessment of the risks to humans.
Commenting on the new findings, Maria Westerbos, co-founder of the Plastic Health Council, said: “Time and again scientists are discovering the dangerous effects of plastic on human health.” There can be no more doubts.
‘The international community is just months away from final negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty, yet policymakers are bowing to the petrochemical giants.
“The international community cannot waste any more time; it must finally listen to science, once and for all.”
Building on the tea bag research, researchers call for urgent research into the impacts of microplastics on the human body.
“Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence on the widespread nature of plastic pollution and its potential implications for human health,” they added.
“As the use of plastics in food packaging continues to increase, scientific research and policymaking must address the challenges posed by MNPL contamination to ensure food safety and consumer well-being.”