The least contaminated proteins were chicken breasts, followed by pork loin chops and tofu.
According to the Environmental Research study, of all vegetables, carrots had the tiniest particles of microplastics, containing over 100,000 pieces per gram. By contrast, lettuce had the biggest particles of microplastics but were the least-contaminated vegetable studied.
As our infographic shows, the biggest known source of microplastic which enters our bodies is bottled water. Based on 4 separate studies, the average number of particles per liter is 94. Beer has the second highest number, at 32, but it is that in third place which may cause the most alarm.
[59] analyzed the presence of microplastics in fruits (grapes and banana) and vegetables (brinjal and potato) samples taken from different markets in Trichy, Tamil Nadu (India) and reported the occurrence of microplastics of 2 and 10 µm size in fruits and 2 and 10 µm size in vegetables, respectively.
The Brita Hub™ is certified to reduce 70+ contaminants including chlorine, lead, and microplastics.
With organic cotton, linen, hemp, ramie (Chinese grass), kapok (fruit of the kapok tree) and jute, you can be sure that there is no microplastic in the fibre. Clothes made of tencel, lyocell and modal are also a safe options, as they are man-made fibres of vegetal origin.
Scientists found that tiny flecks of calcium carbonate will ensnare plastic particles. These bits of calcium carbonate are large enough that they can then be removed by pouring the water through a coffee filter. This approach is more effective in hard water than soft.
Research finds microplastics in our stool and urine. And Joana Prata says her review of animal data suggests that, in principle, most of what we ingest or inhale will leave the body during a trip to the bathroom.
The researchers found that, on average, a liter of bottled water included about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. About 90% of these plastic fragments were nanoplastics. This total was 10 to 100 times more plastic particles than seen in earlier studies, which mostly focused on larger microplastics.
Not even plant-based food is safe from microplastic contamination. New research finds that nearly 90% of proteins — yes, even vegan alternatives — tested by researchers contain microplastics, which have been linked to negative health consequences.
“They're in everything you eat or drink,” says Mason. But the largest dietary source of microplastics can be found in drinking water.
As reported in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters, boiling and filtering calcium-containing tap water could help remove nearly 90% of the nano- and microplastics present.
The lawsuit alleges that by writing on their labels that their filters “Reduce 3X contaminants,” Brita has falsely given consumers the impression that the filter removes “arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate and nitrites” and other chemicals, including PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” It does not mention misleading ...
Ceramic Filters
The ceramic material is porous and features tiny pores typically around 0.5 to 1 micron in size which is effective at removing microplastics and other contaminants. Once water passes through the ceramic filter, it captures contaminants and filters water, making it safe for use.
While many studies have reported the presence of microplastics in several foods, including salt, seafood, sugar, beer, bottled water, honey, milk, and tea, current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that the levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health.
If you want to cut away plastic junk from your water, an excellent place to start is purchasing and installing a reliable water filtration system that can remove bits of plastic down to at least 5 microns in size.
In a 2024 study, scientists found that brewing tea with a tea bag made from the plastic polypropylene released about 1.2 billion small pieces of plastic per milliliter of tea. “That's a fair amount,” said Mark R. Wiesner, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke University.
Plastic food storage and packaging is so common that it's difficult to avoid entirely. But your safest bet is to avoid storing food or liquid in plastic when possible and to minimize exposing any plastic (even those that say they're BPA-free or microwave-safe) to high heat.
Don'ts: Wrap completely in plastic: Never store an entire banana in a plastic bag. These sweet treats will rot very quickly in a warm and moist environment and will be inedible. Store it directly next to other fruit: Please mind the gap!
A total of 90% of the reported particles presented a size range of 1-50µm. The number of MPs present in canned tuna suggests that the ingredients and inputs of the canning process greatly contribute to micro polymers.