Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have made a groundbreaking discovery about microplastics in tea bags. The study, published in the journal Chemosphere, found that when commercial tea bags are infused, they release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics that can be absorbed by human intestinal cells.
The team characterized the types and amounts of particles released from three common materials used in tea bag production: nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose. They found that these plastics release varying numbers of particles when brewed, with polypropylene releasing over 1 billion particles per milliliter.
To study the effects on human health, UAB researchers exposed human intestinal cells to the particles, which showed a high uptake rate, even entering the cell nucleus. This suggests that mucus-producing intestinal cells play a key role in absorbing these pollutants.
The findings highlight the need for further research into the impacts of microplastics on human health and the development of standardized test methods to assess contamination from food packaging materials. The study emphasizes the importance of regulating plastic waste to ensure food safety and protect public health.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-commercial-tea-bags-millions-microplastics.html