Six different forms of plastic have been found in Coca-Cola and Schweppes soda, according to a report released this week by a French NGO.
In order to mimic actual use, the organization Agir pour l’environnement (Act for the Environment) used two laboratories to perform research on the possible presence of plastic nano- and microparticles when the bottles are opened once, ten, or twenty times.
Six distinct polymers were identified through investigation of the plastics contained in the report.
According to the statement released by the organization, “manufacturers declare only two polymers in contact with the beverage: [polyethylene] PE for the cap and PET for the bottle,” which is why the committee characterized the results as “surprising”.
These results call into “question the Coca-Cola and the French health authorities, who must guarantee consumers [a container] that does not expose them to molecules whose health impact cannot be ruled out,” said Magali Leroy who manages surveys and analyses for Agir.
Microplastic Findings of the Report
Four microparticles were found for every liter of Coca-Cola and 4.6 microparticles for every liter of Schweppes when the bottles were opened for the first time.
46 microparticles for one liter of Coca-Cola and 62 microparticles for one liter of Schweppes were found after opening the bottles 20 times.
According to the author, once the bottle is opened frequently, there’s a chance that the plastic cap degrades and releases more particles.
Nearly all of the detected microparticles were smaller than 100 micrometers (µm), and all of them were smaller than 500 µm.
Most of the particles linked to the openings were smaller than 50 µm.
Both sodas had a “large quantity” of nanoparticles as well. According to the report, their asymmetrical structure “favours their interaction either with other particles, combining the effects of several polymers,” and it also makes it easier for them to come into contact with human cells.
The NGO urged many French authorities to follow guidelines by contacting them.
Previous Findings
According to estimates from earlier studies, a person’s annual intake of microplastic particles from food sources might vary from 39,000 to 52,000.
If you include inhaled particles, this increases to 74,000 to 121,000 particles eaten annually per person.
Hundreds of thousands of microscopic particles of plastic were discovered in plastic water bottles by a study published in January of this year, which is a far larger number than what was previously reported.
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