Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles and Nanoparticles into Tea

Abstract

The increasing presence of micro-and nano-sized plastics in the environment and food chain is of growing concern. Although mindful consumers are promoting the reduction of single-use plastics, some manufacturers are creating new plastic packaging to replace traditional paper uses, such as plastic teabags. The objective of this study was to determine whether plastic teabags could release microplastics and/or nanoplastics during a typical steeping process. We show that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature (95 °C) releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a single cup of the beverage. The composition of the released particles is matched to the original teabags (nylon and polyethylene terephthalate) using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The levels of nylon and polyethylene terephthalate particles released from the teabag packaging are several orders of magnitude higher than plastic loads previously reported in other foods. An initial acute invertebrate toxicity assessment shows that exposure to only the particles released from the teabags caused dose-dependent behavioral and developmental effects.

Potent Impact of Plastic Nanomaterials and Micromaterials on the Food Chain and Human Health

“…In summary, many kinds of seafood are potentially contaminated by microplastics and/or nanoplastics [30]. In addition, in our daily life, many consumables, such as tap water [70], bottled water [34,71], beer [70,72], sea salt [70,73], sugar [74], honey [74] and plastic teabags [75] have also been found to contain microplastics or nanoplastics. Even air [76,77] and unprocessed water [78] have been contaminated with microplastics.…”

Toxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Systems

“…Humans could accumulate MPs/NPs from different food sources [53,54] as well as drinking water [55,56]. Plastic water containers [57,58] and plastic teabags [59] are, perhaps unsurprisingly, common sources for human ingested MPs/NPs. MPs/NPs could also be taken up by inhalation [60].…”

Biofilm formation by marine bacteria is impacted by concentration and surface functionalization of polystyrene nanoparticles in a species‐specific manner

“…Placed in a weathering chamber, 1 cm 2 coupons from the polystyrene lids of disposable coffee cups released billions of submicron particles to the surrounding liquid within two months (Lambert and Wagner, ). Similarly, a recent report looking at nylon and polyethylene terephthalate teabags steeped in 95 °C water for 5 min observed the formation of billions of micro and nanoplastics (Hernandez et al ., ). Degraded microplastics are associated with surface defects such as microcrack formation and bubbling or pitting, while the generated nanoplastics are frequently close to spherical in shape (Corcoran et al ., ; Cooper and Corcoran, ; Yousif and Haddad, ; Lambert and Wagner, ; Hüffer et al ., ; Hernandez et al ., ).…”

“…Similarly, a recent report looking at nylon and polyethylene terephthalate teabags steeped in 95 °C water for 5 min observed the formation of billions of micro and nanoplastics (Hernandez et al ., ). Degraded microplastics are associated with surface defects such as microcrack formation and bubbling or pitting, while the generated nanoplastics are frequently close to spherical in shape (Corcoran et al ., ; Cooper and Corcoran, ; Yousif and Haddad, ; Lambert and Wagner, ; Hüffer et al ., ; Hernandez et al ., ). The formation of nanoplastics in simulated marine environments has been shown to lead to the formation of fractal aggregates, and critical coagulation constants are often observed in the order of 10 −3 – 10 −2 M and 10 −2 – 10 −1 for multivalent and monovalent salts, respectively (Koelmans et al ., ; Gigault et al ., ; Alimi et al ., ).…”