Bottled water drinkers are being warned to switch to reusable bottles, as scientists have discovered harmful particles inside.
While the environmental benefits of ditching plastic bottles are well-known, it turns out there are also health advantages. Drinking plenty of water is always good for you, but where your water comes from and how you drink it can make a difference.
Shockingly, scientists have found that an average one-litre bottle of water contains 240,000 plastic particles, compared to just five and a half in tap water.These tiny particles, known as nanoplastics, have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer, birth defects and fertility problems.Their small size allows them to easily penetrate blood cells and the brain, reports the Express.
Phthalates, the plastic used to make the bottles, have also been associated with health problems.The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has stated that this plastic is "linked with development, reproductive, brain, immune and other problems." Reflecting on these findings, Beizhan Yan, an environmental chemist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and co-author of the study, said: "This was not surprising, since that is what many water bottles are made of." The expert also disclosed some surprising and perhaps unsettling insights about common plastics in our daily lives.