Teabags Release 'Huge Amounts' of Nanoplastics

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a tea bag.Photo:Getty

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Scientists have discovered that commercially available teabags release millions — and billions — of nanoplastics andmicroplastics, which are then absorbed into intestinal cells.

The brands of tea used in the study were not named, but were described as “commercially available.” When simulating tea preparation, scientists found that the polymers used in the teabags release millions and billions of various microscopic pieces of plastic. Specifically, polypropylene releases 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, cellulose releases 135 million particles per milliliter, and nylon-6 releases 8.18 million particles per milliliter.

Stock image of a woman holding a cup of tea.Getty

The microparticles were stained and then observed as they interacted with mucus-producing intestinal cells. Researchers found that the particles were not only absorbed, but “the particles even [entered] the cell nucleus that houses the genetic material.”

“It is critical to develop standardised test methods to assess [micro and nanoplastic] MNPLs contamination released from plastic food contact materials and to formulate regulatory policies to effectively mitigate and minimize this contamination. As the use of plastic in food packaging continues to increase, it is vital to address MNPLs contamination to ensure food safety and protect public health,” the release quotes the researchers as saying.

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Stock image of tea bags.Getty

Microplastic contamination is an ongoing concern: They’ve been found intesticles,hearts, and this year, scientists found a“scary” amountin brain tissue. Researchers who examined microplastic contamination in commercially available bottled water said they’d stop drinking it after discoveringmillions of microscopic particlesin each bottle.

Oneresearcher told PEOPLEthat a “concerning question is where exactly in the body are these particles going, how long do they stay there, and what are they doing while they’re there?”

As the teabag study states: “The potential health implications of environmental micro/nanoplastics (MNPLs) are increasingly concerning.”

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source: people.com