Plastic waste pollution, particularly from food packaging like tea bags, presents a significant environmental and health concern due to the release of micro and nanoplastics (MNPLs) upon brewing. Research from the UAB Department of Genetics and Microbiology found that tea bags made from nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose release billions of these particles during steeping. Specifically, polypropylene bags emitted approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, while cellulose and nylon-6 released around 135 million and 8.18 million particles, respectively. Advanced analytical techniques revealed that these MNPLs can interact with human intestinal cells, with mucus-producing cells showing the greatest uptake, allowing particles to even penetrate the cell nucleus.
This interaction underscores the potential chronic health risks associated with prolonged exposure to MNPLs. The researchers call for urgent regulatory measures, as the increasing use of plastic in food packaging necessitates stringent testing and policy formulation to mitigate risks linked to plastic contamination. These findings highlight the pressing need for public health protection regarding food safety and call for further investigation into MNPLs’ impact on human health, especially in the context of ongoing plastic pollution challenges. The study is part of the European project PlasticHeal.
