There’s probably one lurking on your desk, kitchen top or bedside table.
But up to three quarters of all bottled water we drink could contain potentially harmful chemicals linked to cancer, concerning research has suggested.
Scientists in Qatar found between 10 and 78 per cent of bottled water carried contaminants including microplastics — microscopic particles that leach into the bloodstream and are thought to interfere with multiple bodily processes.
Tap water, meanwhile, is far safer to drink given it’s subject to ‘rigorous quality and safety standards’, they said.
Up to three quarters of all bottled water we drink could contain potentially harmful chemicals linked to cancer, concerning research has suggested
Invisible to the human eye, microplastics are plastic fragments as small as two micrometres, or two-thousandths of a millimeter.
These particles make their way into food, water supplies and even into the air when plastic products degrade naturally.
A growing body of research has already linked them to the development of cancer, heart disease and dementia and even lower-quality sperm.
The scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, who conducted the latest study, also found traces of other contaminants including phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).
They are thought to break down and get into water when bottles are squeezed or the lid is repeatedly opened and closed.
They can also seep into water if a bottle is exposed to heat, such left in a hot room, car on a warm day or outside in the sun.
Used to make plastics more durable, phthalates are known to interfere with hormone production in the body.
BPA is a chemical used to make food packaging stronger and less vulnerable to corrosion or breaking down.
They have both also been linked to infertility, PCOS, asthma and some cancers.
Britain follows EU BPA safety levels, advising a safe daily exposure level of 0.2 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day.
But both of their risks to health are only believed to be heightened when exposed to high levels.
Writing in the journal, BMJ Global Health, the scientists said: ‘While there are short-term safety thresholds, the long-term effects of these contaminants remain largely unknown.
‘The reliance on bottled water incurs significant health, financial and environmental costs, calling for an urgent re-evaluation of its widespread use.’
They also urged restaurants and other public spaces to ditch bottled water in place of tap.
Invisible to the human eye, microplastics are plastic fragments as small as two micrometres, or two-thousandths of a millimeter
Tap water is far safer to drink as it is subject to ‘rigorous quality and safety standards’ and does not carry the risk of ‘harmful chemicals leaching from the plastic bottles’, the researchers added.
Microplastics have worried scientists for decades.
Researchers are spooked, as the smaller things are, the more easily they can get inside us.
Previous studies have suggested that the average person ingests around five grams of plastic a week — equivalent to a credit card.
However, experts have warned that it may be much more, as not all foods have been analysed to check their plastic content.
People are also thought to breathe in up to 7,000 microplastics a day, prompting concerns they could rank alongside asbestos or tobacco as a health threat.
