The experimental results of water contained in a plastic bottle were astonishing.

Oh... I tried hard to ignore it and close my eyes...

Because bottled water is provided as part of the company's welfare, I drink bottled water instead of using a water purifier...

Microplastics in water stored in plastic bottles are really not good... ㅠ_ㅠ

I have heard that exposure to sunlight and water hitting the bottle can release a lot of microplastics, but...

Ego, ego......... I guess I have to make a decision for the children, right? ㅠ_ㅠ

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Avoid beverages in plastic bottles

Recent studies have reported that bottled water in plastic bottles contains a large amount of microplastics. There are also claims that the habit of regularly drinking water from plastic bottles could be a cause of high blood pressure.

The research team at Danube Private University in Austria had experimental participants drink only tap water for two weeks, instead of water stored in plastic or glass bottles. The results were surprising. The participants' diastolic blood pressure dropped significantly. The lowered blood pressure was maintained even four weeks later.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source = Pixabay]

The research team analyzed that reducing plastic usage decreases the number of microplastic particles in the bloodstream, potentially lowering blood pressure. Hypertension is a major cause of heart disease.

Microplastics refer to very small plastic particles ranging from 5mm to 1 micrometer (μm; 1μm is one millionth of a meter). Anything smaller than 1μm is called 'nano (Nano) plastic.' Nano refers to a size of one billionth of a meter. They come in various forms, including spherical, fiber-like, fragmentary, and film-like shapes.

Fine plastic particles are widely distributed and circulated in all environments, including oceans, freshwater, soil, groundwater, and the atmosphere. They can enter the human body at any time through the ecosystem. For example, fish that have ingested microplastics may appear on human dining tables, or nano plastics floating in the air can enter the body through the respiratory system.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source = Pixabay]

The researchers stated that reducing plastic particle intake may lower cardiovascular risk by indicating a correlation between microplastic concentration and blood pressure changes.

Meanwhile, a 2020 American study found microplastics in 47 organs and tissues, including the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys, obtained from donated cadavers. In a 2021 Italian study, 12 microplastics were found in the placentas of 4 out of 6 pregnant women. The same year, an American study detected plastic particles such as PET in the meconium of newborns and the stool of infants. In a 2022 Dutch study, microplastics were also found in human blood.

Recently, domestic researchers reported for the first time to the international academic community that microplastics can damage the inner ear, which detects sound and maintains balance, potentially causing hearing loss and impaired equilibrium. This suggests that microplastics may threaten ear health as well.