A new study has raised alarming concerns about the potential health risks associated with your everyday tea bags.

Research from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, published in Chemosphere in December 2024, shows that steeping certain tea bags in boiling water can release microplastic particles into your tea.

And it’s not just a few; the study found that billions of microplastic particles are released, adding to the growing body of evidence linking plastic pollution to human health risks.

The study focused on common tea bag materials such as nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose. Researchers steeped these tea bags in hot water and measured the amount of microplastic released.

The results were striking. Polypropylene tea bags released approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometers.

Cellulose bags released 135 million particles per milliliter, and nylon-6 tea bags released 8.18 million particles per milliliter. The particles, though tiny, are concerning, as they have the potential to accumulate in the human body over time.

The Health Implications of Ingesting Microplastics

The implications of consuming these microplastics are still being studied, but some preliminary research has already raised serious concerns. The Barcelona study found that the microplastics were absorbed by human intestinal cells, especially mucus-producing cells, which play a critical role in the body’s defense mechanisms.

These particles even managed to enter the cell nucleus, where they could potentially affect genetic material.

The long-term health risks of microplastic consumption are still being researched, but other studies have shown that microplastics can affect various systems in the body, including the digestive, respiratory, immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems.

There are even studies suggesting that microplastics could be linked to infertility and miscarriage, adding a troubling dimension to the issue.

What Can Be Done?

Given the potential dangers posed by microplastics, experts are calling for stricter regulations and standardized testing methods to assess contamination levels from plastic food contact materials, such as tea bags.

These measures are necessary to ensure food safety and protect public health, especially as the use of plastic in food packaging continues to rise.

If you're concerned about the microplastics in your tea, there are a few alternatives to consider. One option is switching to loose-leaf tea, which you can brew using a stainless steel tea infuser, completely bypassing the use of plastic bags.

Another option is to seek out biodegradable tea bags, which use materials less likely to release harmful particles into your drink.

While the long-term health effects of microplastics are still being studied, the findings from this new study suggest that the microplastic contamination in tea bags could be significant.

If you're looking to reduce your exposure to these particles, consider making the switch to loose-leaf tea or biodegradable bags. As research continues, it’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to the impact of plastic on both our environment and our health.