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8 months ago
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The number of Americans who drink bottled water has nearly doubled in recent years due to growing concerns about the chemicals found in tap water.
A series of studies showing lead contamination in water systems and clever marketing on behalf of bottled water companies has seen Americans switch to plastic bottles in droves - with the market growing 73 percent in the past decade.
But a shocking study released this week has reignited the debate about whether drinking from the tap or a plastic bottle is safer.
Researchers at Columbia University found the average liter bottle of store-bought water contains over 240,000 nanoplastics, tiny molecules linked to cancer, infertility and birth defects.
DailyMail.com spoke to the lead authors of the new study, who said the entire team reduced their bottled water consumption after uncovering the tiny particles.
They said they were eager to get the results to the public to help them make informed decisions about their habits.
Bottle or tap? That's the question after an explosive study warned of tiny plastics in the bottled stuff
The above map from pressure group the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) shows populations served by drinking water with the highest levels of lead contamination
Professor Beizhan Yan, a chemist who co-authored the Columbia study, told DailyMail.com: 'In terms of microplastic levels, tap water is a good option to drink.
'Other studies have found its microplastic level to be much lower than that in bottled water,' Yan said.
In fact, Yan noted that he and his team have 'reduced their consumption of bottled water' following the shocking study.
He cautioned, though, that 'tap water may contain other pollutants, such as heavy metals and black carbon, which may be less prevalent in bottled water.'
While the team at Columbia declined to reveal the names of the three popular plastic water bottle brands they studied, Yan said they believed 'all bottled water contains nanoplastics' due to the squeezing of bottles and water filtration process.
Fears about tiny plastics have intensified in recent years. A study published in 2023 used biological models and biomarkers to determine the toxic effects of nanoparticles when consumed.
The UK-based researchers found that the molecules can cause cell death, produce oxidation stress, damage DNA and induce inflammatory responses - processes that are linked to the formation of tumors.
Other studies have found tiny particle exposure may produce major congenital heart defects that impair cardiac function in chicken embryos.
But the effects on humans is based on laboratory and animal studies with no direct evidence.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told DailyMail.com it was too early to panic.
A spokesperson said the agency 'is not aware of scientific evidence that would support that would support consumers being concerned about the potential level of microplastic or nanoplastic contamination in food, including bottled water.'
Researchers at Columbia University found the average liter bottle of store-bought water contains over 240,000 nanoplastics, tiny molecules linked to cancer, infertility and birth defects. Pictured is a researcher looking at a nanoparticle
The team found polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide and polystyrene were the common particles, but also identified polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate
Professor Paul Anastas, an epidemiologist at Yale told Dailymail.com that both tap and bottled water were fine to drink.
He said it was 'impossible to know how many nanoparticles are in tap water because there isn't enough data and research to draw a comparative conclusion.'
Asked whether one was safer than the other, he said: 'Without those studies that we all should be demanding, we can't make people terrified if there's isn't data ... to draw a comparative conclusion.'
But at least 22 million Americans are living in homes with tap water that has detectable levels of pesticides and toxic metals - though there is still some debate about how much you would need to consume to suffer negative health effects.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says these contaminant can cause brain damage and injure soft tissue and other organs at 'high' exposure levels, but has taken steps to protect drinking water from contaminants.
'Over 93 percent of the population supplied by community water systems receives drinking water that meets all health-based standards all of the time,' Cathy Milbourn, EPA Press Officer for Office of Water, told Dailymail.com.
'EPA has established protective drinking water standards for more than 90 contaminants, including drinking water regulations issued since the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act that strengthen public health protection,' Milbourn said.
She added that the EPA works to protect people's drinking water from more than 90 contaminants, including lead, and recommends people contact their local water system and health department to confirm their drinking water is safe.
While studies indicate that Brita filters and similar devices can reduce chlorine, lead and copper from drinking water, nanoplastics are so small they can bypass them.
Nanoplastics are particles smaller than 1 micrometer - about 70 times smaller than human hair.
'This size disparity significantly influences their interaction with the human body and the environment,' according to Yan.
'Nanoplastics, due to their smaller size, are more likely to penetrate primary biological membranes (eg. the gastrointestinal tract lining) and secondary barriers, such as the placenta and blood-brain barrier, potentially leading to more severe health impacts compared to microplastics.'
