Al-Mansoori Muneera, Harrad Stuart, Abdallah Mohamed Abou-Elwafa
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Sci Total Environ. 2025 Aug 1;996:180188. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180188.
Although few studies have assessed human exposure to microplastics (MPs) via drinking, almost all have considered human daily fluid intake as composed solely of water. This study aims to comprehensively assess human exposure to MPs via total fluid intake, including beverages (hot and/or cold), as well as water (tap and/or bottled). To achieve this aim, we used a tiered approach that combined laboratory analysis to quantify synthetic microplastics in 155 cold and hot common beverages sold on the UK market, with a public online survey to assess the average consumption of these beverages on a daily basis. MPs were detected in all analysed samples. The average concentration in hot coffee was 43 ± 14 MPs/l (n = 45, 1 standard deviation (SD)), while iced coffee averaged 37 ± 6 MPs/l (n = 10, 1SD). Notably, hot tea demonstrated the highest abundance of microplastics, with an average of 60 ± 21 MPs/l (n = 30, 1SD), compared to iced tea which had 31 ± 7 MPs/l (n = 10, 1 SD). Hot beverages had higher concentrations of MPs than cold beverages (P < 0.05), indicating the role of temperature in enhancing MPs leaching from packaging material to the beverage. Juices contained an average of 30 ± 11 MPs/l (n = 20, 1SD), and energy drinks averaged 25 ± 11 MPs/l (n = 25, 1SD). In contrast, soft drinks exhibited the lowest concentration, with an average 17 ± 4 MPs/l (n = 15, 1SD). The detected MPs in all beverages ranged in size from 10 to 157 μm. Fragments were the most abundant shape followed by fibres. Polypropylene (PP) was the most abundant polymer type followed by Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polyethylene (PE). Plastic packaging materials (e.g., PET, PP, PE and PS) contributed substantially to the measured MPs contamination in respective beverages. Estimated daily average exposure from all beverages was calculated at 1.7 MPs/kg body weight/day for females and 1.6 MPs/kg body weight/day for males, which is higher than estimated microplastic exposure via drinking water only (1 MPs/Kg body weight/day). These findings underscore the potential risk associated with MPs contamination in daily beverages. Continued exposure to MPs through commonly consumed beverages may contribute substantially to daily intakes of MPs, leading to potential adverse implications for human health.
尽管很少有研究评估人类通过饮用水接触微塑料（MPs）的情况，但几乎所有研究都认为人类每日液体摄入量仅由水构成。本研究旨在全面评估人类通过总液体摄入量（包括热饮和/或冷饮等各类饮品以及自来水和/或瓶装水）接触微塑料的情况。为实现这一目标，我们采用了一种分层方法，将实验室分析与公众在线调查相结合。实验室分析用于量化在英国市场上销售的155种冷热常见饮品中的合成微塑料含量，公众在线调查则用于评估这些饮品的日均消费量。在所有分析样本中均检测到了微塑料。热咖啡中的平均浓度为43±14个微塑料/升（n = 45，1个标准差（SD）），而冰咖啡的平均浓度为37±6个微塑料/升（n = 10，1个标准差）。值得注意的是，热茶中的微塑料含量最高，平均为60±21个微塑料/升（n = 30，1个标准差），相比之下，冰茶的含量为31±7个微塑料/升（n = 10，1个标准差）。热饮中的微塑料浓度高于冷饮（P < 0.05），这表明温度在促进微塑料从包装材料向饮品中浸出方面起到了作用。果汁中的平均含量为30±11个微塑料/升（n = 20，1个标准差），能量饮料的平均含量为25±11个微塑料/升（n = 25，1个标准差）。相比之下，软饮料的浓度最低，平均为17±4个微塑料/升（n = 15，1个标准差）。所有饮品中检测到的微塑料尺寸范围为10至157微米。碎片是最常见的形状，其次是纤维。聚丙烯（PP）是最常见的聚合物类型，其次是聚苯乙烯（PS）、聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯（PET）和聚乙烯（PE）。塑料包装材料（如PET、PP、PE和PS）在各自饮品中检测到的微塑料污染中占了很大比例。经计算，女性通过所有饮品的估计日均接触量为1.7个微塑料/千克体重/天，男性为1.6个微塑料/千克体重/天，这高于仅通过饮用水估计的微塑料接触量（1个微塑料/千克体重/天）。这些发现凸显了日常饮品中微塑料污染所带来的潜在风险。通过常见饮品持续接触微塑料可能会大幅增加每日微塑料摄入量，从而对人类健康产生潜在不利影响。
