Bottled water of several brands contaminated with particles of plastic

Aleksey – stock.adobe.com

AFP

Wednesday, 14 march, 2018 21:59

UPDATE
Wednesday, march 14, 2018 22:08

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The bottle of water from many major brands across the world is contaminated by tiny particles of plastic, whose health hazards are unknown, indicates a study published Wednesday.

Researchers tested the water of more than 250 bottles in nine countries, including Lebanon, India or the United States, under the leadership of Sherri Mason, a professor at the State university of New York at Fredonia, according to a summary of the study published on the media platform Orb Media.

Plastic has been found in 93% of these samples of bottled water of several brands such as Aqua, Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, Nestle Pure Life and San Pellegrino.

It was in particular of polypropylene, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (pet) (PET). On average, the researchers found, in each litre of water, 10,4 particle size of surrounding 0,10 millimetres.

“I think it comes from the bottling process. I think that most of the plastic comes from the bottle itself, the cap, the industrial process of bottling,” said Sherri Mason to the AFP.

“Water in glass bottles also contained microplastics”, notes the study.

A previous study published by Orb Media had shown that particles of plastic were also present, in smaller amounts, in tap water.

The extent of the risks posed by these particles on human health is unknown.

Jacqueline Savitz, head of North America for the NGO Oceana, which fight against the pollution of the oceans, felt that this study provided one more reason to limit the production of plastic water bottles.

“It is more urgent than ever today to ensure that the plastic water bottles are a thing of the past”, said the representative of the NGO that was not involved in the study.