Scientists shocked as glass bottles found to shed 50x more microplastics than plastic
A new French study has revealed that drinks sold in glass bottles may carry more microplastics than those packaged in plastic.
Researchers at France’s food safety agency ANSES found higher contamination in soft drinks, beer, and lemonade sold in glass, contradicting long-standing assumptions that glass is a cleaner option.
The study, published last month in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, analyzed various drinks sold in France. It found that glass bottles averaged around 100 microplastic particles per liter, five to 50 times more than what was found in plastic bottles or metal cans.
Ph.D. student Iseline Chaib, who conducted the research, told AFP, “We expected the opposite result.”
Microplastics traced to paint on glass bottle caps
Researchers initially believed plastic packaging would be the main source of microplastic contamination. But further analysis revealed the particles in glass bottles matched the shape, color, and composition of the paint on the caps.
Chaib explained, “We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, color and polymer composition—so therefore the same plastic—as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles.”
ANSES said the caps likely shed particles due to microscopic scratches caused by friction during storage. These scratches, invisible to the naked eye, could be enough to release microplastics into the drinks.
Beer and soft drinks show highest contamination
Beer had the highest microplastic count, with an average of 60 particles per liter. Lemonade followed with around 40, and soft drinks registered roughly 30 particles per liter.
Water, both flat and sparkling, showed much lower levels, 4.5 particles per liter in glass bottles and 1.6 in plastic. Surprisingly, wine also contained very few microplastics, even when bottled in glass with painted caps.
“The reason for this discrepancy remains to be explained,” said Guillaume Duflos, research director at ANSES.
Health risks still uncertain, but concern is growing
Scientists have not yet established a safe level of microplastics in food or drink. ANSES noted there is currently no reference level for what amount may pose health risks.
Still, concern over microplastics is increasing. Prior research has shown their presence in air, food, and human tissue. A study from the University of New Mexico revealed microplastics in every organ of the human body, including the brain.
“That’s about the size of a plastic spoon,” said toxicologist Matthew Campen. “An adult human brain probably has about five to 10 grams of plastic,” according to Straight Arrow News.
The study also found dementia patients had ten times more plastic in their brains than healthy individuals.
Simple cleaning could cut contamination
While health effects are still unclear, ANSES found that contamination could be reduced through a basic cleaning method. Blowing the caps with air and rinsing them with water and alcohol lowered microplastic levels by up to 60%.
Duflos said, “We sought to investigate the quantity of microplastics in different types of drinks sold in France and examine the impact different containers can have.”
The findings challenge common assumptions and point to an easy fix for reducing microplastic exposure in beverages.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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Scientists shocked as glass bottles found to shed 50x more microplastics than plastic