Unexpected Result: More Microplastics in Glass Bottles Than in Plastic Bottles

The particles in the glass bottles mostly originate from the paint on the bottle caps. "We actually expected the opposite result," said the doctoral student Iseline Chaïb.

She conducted the study, funded by the food authority and the Hauts-France region, in a laboratory in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France. According to the results, beverages offered in glass bottles contain on average about 100 microplastic particles. This is five to 50 times more than in beverages in plastic bottles or metal cans.

More Microplastics Found in Glass Bottles Than in Plastic Bottles

"The particles came from the same plastic as the paint on the metal caps," explained Chaïb. These bottle caps often showed fine scratches, which presumably occurred because they rubbed against each other during storage. The study indicates that better cleaning of the bottle caps by manufacturers could reduce the number of microplastic particles by up to 60 percent. The food authority is now calling for changes in the storage conditions of the caps or their coating.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.