Plastic Bottled Water: Concern over the fact that microscopic particles known as microplastics are appearing almost everywhere on Earth—in soil, drinking water, food, and polar ice—has grown in recent years.
According to a study, each container of Plastic Bottled Water contains tens of thousands of recognizable fragments together with unknown nano plastics that pose a serious risk to human health. Concern over the fact that microscopic particles known as microplastics are appearing almost everywhere on Earth—in soil, drinking water, food, and polar ice—has grown in recent years.
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However, the researchers’ focus on the study—which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal was on nano plastics, which are the offspring of microplastics that have degraded even further. With the use of recently developed technology, the Columbia University team in the United States was able to count and identify these tiny particles in Plastic Bottled Water for the first time.
How Nano plastics Found in Plastic Bottled Water and what will be the quantity?
They discovered that a liter held on average, 240,000 identifiable plastic particles, which is 10–100 times more than earlier predictions that were mostly based on larger sizes. Unlike microplastics, nano plastics are so small that they can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and intestines and then go to other organs such as the brain and heart.
They have the ability to infiltrate individual cells and go through the placenta to enter the bodies of fetuses. “Before, this was just an unknown, gloomy place. According to Beizhan Yan, an environmental chemist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, “toxicity studies were just guessing what’s in there.”
“This opens a window where we can look into a world that was not exposed to us before.” In order to analyze plastic particles as small as 100 nanometers, the researchers examined three well-known brands of bottled water sold in the US using a method known as stimulated Raman scattering microscopy. This method entails probing samples with two simultaneous lasers that are tuned to make specific molecules resonate. The researchers did not reveal which brands they tested.
In every liter, they saw between 110,000 and 370,000 particles, of which 90% were nano plastics and the remainder were microplastics. Additionally, they identified the particular plastics that are utilized in different industrial processes, including polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, and polyamide.
What is the alternative way of Plastic Bottled Water?
Single-use plastic water bottles have a lot of excellent alternatives; the one that’s ideal for you will depend on your tastes and way of life. Here are some alternatives to think about:
Reusable water bottles:
- Stainless steel: Durable, lightweight, and keeps drinks hot or cold for hours.
- Glass: Eco-friendly and doesn’t affect the taste of your water, but can be fragile.
- Aluminum: Similar to stainless steel, but lighter and can dent easily.
- Silicone: Compact and foldable, good for travel, but may retain flavors.
- Ceramic: Stylish and keeps drinks cool, but heavier and prone to breakage.
Other choices:
- Boxed water: Comes in paper cartons that are recyclable and often sourced from sustainably managed forests.
- Water filters: Invest in a water filter for your home or a portable filter for travel. This avoids buying bottled water altogether.
- Carry a refillable container: Take your own bottle to cafes or restaurants and ask them to fill it with water instead of buying bottled water.
The most crucial thing is to stay away from single-use plastic water bottles, regardless of whatever choice you select. A wonderful method to lessen your influence on the environment and save money is to convert to reusable alternatives.
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