Tea bags release millions of microplastics, which enter human intestinal cells, study finds

Tea bags release millions of microplastics, which enter human intestinal cells, study finds
Tea bags release millions of microplastics, which enter human intestinal cells, study finds

Microplastics have been a topic of increasing attention among scientists. Recent work from the University of New Mexico, in the United States, found high levels of the particles, defined as fragments with a diameter of less than 5 mm, in brains analyzed after autopsy. The material accounted for an average of 0.5% of the weight of the organs.

Humans are exposed to microplastics through chemicals used to make various products, such as plastics, as well as through the presence of these tiny particles in air, water and food. The health risks are still unraveled, but studies have found important associations between the presence of fragments in the heart, for example, and a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Another study detected microplastics in the penis of four out of every five men who received treatment for erectile dysfunction, and there are also studies that found the particles in the semen and testicles, as well as in other body systems, such as the lungs, placenta and bone marrow. bone.

In the new work, scientists from the Mutagenesis Group of the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at UAB analyzed samples of tea bags made from commercially available polymers such as nylon-6, polypropylene and cellulose and observed that, during the preparation of the drink, enormous amounts of microplastics were released.

The polypropylene ones emitted approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometers. The cellulose ones expelled around 135 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 244 nanometers, while the nylon-6 one released 8.18 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 138.4 nanometers.

“We were able to characterize these pollutants in an innovative way with a set of cutting-edge techniques, which is a very important tool to advance research into their possible impacts on human health”, explains the UAB researcher and one of the study's authors, Alba Garcia , in a statement.

After identifying the release in tea, scientists exposed the particles to different types of human intestinal cells. The experiments showed that those responsible for producing mucus in the organ had the greatest absorption, with microplastics even entering the cell nucleus that houses the genetic material.

“It is critical to develop standardized testing methods to assess contamination by microplastics and nanoplastics released from food contact plastic materials and to formulate regulatory policies to effectively mitigate and minimize this contamination. As the use of plastic in food packaging continues to increase , it is vital to address contamination to ensure food safety and protect public health”, argue the researchers in the statement.

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