ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research

Study finds billions of plastic particles released by tea bags

Tea, plastic-flavored.

Fermin KoopbyFermin Koop
September 26, 2019
in Discoveries, Research
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Tea drinkers may now think twice before using plastic tea bags, as a new set of tests found that a single bag sheds billions of particles of microplastic into each cup. The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Researchers discovered that a cup of the brewed beverage may come with a dose of micro- and nano-sized plastics shed from the bags. Possible health effects of ingesting these particles are currently unknown.

Over time, plastic breaks down into tiny microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics, the latter being less than 100 nanometers (nm) in size. Scientists have detected the microscopic particles in the environment, aquatic organisms and the food supply, but they don’t yet know whether they are harmful to humans.

Nathalie Tufenkji and her team wondered whether recently introduced plastic teabags could be releasing micro- and nanoplastics into the beverage during brewing. They also wanted to explore the effects of the released particles on small aquatic organisms called Daphnia magna, or water fleas, which are model organisms often used in environmental studies.

In order to do this, they purchased four different commercial teas packaged in plastic tea bags. They cut open the bags, removed the tea leaves and washed the empty bags. Then, they heated the teabags in containers of water to simulate brewing conditions.

Using electron microscopy, the team found that a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature released about 11.6 billion microplastic and 3.1 billion nanoplastic particles into the water. These levels were thousands of times higher than those reported previously in other foods.

“We think that it is a lot when compared to other foods that contain microplastics,” Tufenkji said. “Table salt, which has a relatively high microplastic content, has been reported to contain approximately 0.005 micrograms plastic per gram salt. A cup of tea contains thousands of times greater mass of plastic, at 16 micrograms per cup.”

More research is needed to determine the kind of impact the particles will have on humans, the researcher added. For now, she said, it’s best to avoid plastic tea bags and seek out other options.

RelatedPosts

Birds are building nests out of decades-old plastic trash and it’s a record of the Anthropocene
Newly discovered bacteria feeds on toxic plastic
Sugar with that? Sweetening coffee or tea really changes your drink
Great garbage patches in the Great Lakes resemble those in the Pacific

“Tea can be purchased in paper tea bags or as loose-leaf tea, which eliminates the need for this single-use plastic packaging,” she said.

Tags: microplasticplasticplastic pollutiontea

ShareTweetShare
Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop is a reporter from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He holds an MSc from Reading University (UK) on Environment and Development and is specialized in environment and climate change news.

Related Posts

Animals

This Bear Lived Two Years With a Barrel Lid Stuck on Its Neck Before Finally Being Freed

byTibi Puiu
2 days ago
Future

Researchers just got a group of bacteria to produce Paracetamol from plastic

byMihai Andrei
4 days ago
Environment

This Plastic Dissolves in Seawater and Leaves Behind Zero Microplastics

byTudor Tarita
2 weeks ago
Chemistry

Scientists Invented a Way to Store Data in Plastic Molecules and It Could Someday Replace Hard Drives

byRupendra Brahambhatt
4 weeks ago

Recent news

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

June 28, 2025

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking ‘Eureka!’ Moments Like Salvador Dalí

June 28, 2025

The world’s oldest boomerang is even older than we thought, but it’s not Australian

June 27, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.