Jakarta –
Many people consume mineral water in plastic bottles. However, scientists reveal that there are dangerous risks from drinking this type of water.
Not a few people choose to drink plastic bottled water because it is practical and they prefer the consistent quality.
Unfortunately, scientists have found dangerous risks from consuming mineral water from plastic bottles.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Scientists have also issued an urgent warning for people to stop drinking this bottled water. The reason is, plastic bottled water contains particles that are dangerous if swallowed.
According to research on the Getsurrey website, plastic bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of harmful plastic particles.
Researchers at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, New York also found that the average one-liter water bottle contains 24,000 plastic particles in it. This number is 10 to 100 times greater than previous estimates.
Particles in the water, known as nanoplastics, have been linked to various health problems, ranging from cancer, birth defects and fertility problems.
 Scientists warn to stop drinking water from plastic bottles because of the dangerous content in them. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto/arto_canon |
The very small size of these particles makes them very dangerous. These particles can enter blood and brain cells, reports getsurrey.co.uk (02/01/2025).
In addition, the flafat type of plastic used to make plastic bottles has also been linked to health problems. The UK’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says that plastic exposure has been linked to developmental, reproductive, brain, immune and other problems, reports expresso.co.uk.
Apart from flafat, there is also polyamide, a type of nylon that is often found in drinking water bottles. According to researchers, this substance actually comes from plastic filters that are supposed to be used to purify water before it is bottled.
Fellow study researcher Wei Min revealed that there is a lot to learn from the world of nanoplastics.
According to him, “It’s not the size that matters. What matters is the number, because the smaller things are, the easier they can get inside us.”
Apart from nanoplastics, plastic bottled mineral water is also at risk of being contaminated with other chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and antimony which can leach into the water when the plastic bottle is heated or used repeatedly.
BPA can trigger dangerous risks, ranging from causing reproductive, immune and neurological disorders. Meanwhile, antimony can cause lung problems and increase the risk of lung cancer.
 Plastic water bottles contain nanoplastics and BPA which can be dangerous. Photo: iStock |
Plastic bottles can also be a place for bacteria and fungus to breed, especially if the bottle has small cracks.
To avoid the dangers of drinking plastic bottled mineral water, it is recommended not to use repeated bottles. Replace plastic bottles with tumblers that are designed to be refilled. Usually the bottle has a polymer code number 5 or polypropylene (PP). You can also use stainless steel bottles.
In fact, it’s not just plastic bottled mineral water that you need to be wary of, but a new study also found that tea bags can also release 8 to 1.2 billion nanoplastic particles into a cup of tea.
(aqr/adr)
