It’s becoming clear that microplastics are everywhere — in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even the water we drink. Recent research shows that these tiny plastic fragments are not only contaminating our environment but are also finding their way into the human body in alarming quantities. Now, a new study has pinpointed one everyday beverage as a major source of exposure.
The findings come from research conducted at the University of Binghamton in the U.K., which tested more than 150 popular drinks — including sodas, juices, energy drinks, and both hot and cold coffee and tea. The goal was to determine which beverages contribute most to microplastic intake, and the results raise concerns about a daily habit most people don’t think twice about.
Hot beverages show the highest levels of microplastics
The researchers discovered that hot drinks, especially tea and coffee, had the highest concentrations of microplastics compared to their chilled counterparts. Among all samples tested, tea stood out with particularly high contamination levels. According to the study, the issue was even more pronounced in expensive tea varieties served in disposable cups — a clue that packaging might play a bigger role than previously thought.
The study’s authors wrote that the data “strongly suggest that the disposable cup material is a primary source of [microplastics] in our hot coffee samples.” The heat of the beverage likely accelerates the breakdown of the cup’s inner plastic lining, releasing more microscopic particles into the liquid.
When the team compared different beverages, they found a clear hierarchy in microplastic content per liter:
- Hot tea: 49 to 81 MPs
- Hot coffee: 29 to 57 MPs
- Iced tea: 24 to 38 MPs
- Iced coffee: 31 to 43 MPs
- Fruit juice: 19 to 41 MPs
- Energy drinks: 14 to 36 MPs
- Soft drinks: 13 to 21 MPs
These results highlight how temperature and container materials can drastically affect microplastic levels in what we drink.
Researchers call for broader testing beyond water
One of the study’s main conclusions is that focusing solely on drinking water may greatly underestimate the real scope of microplastic exposure. While previous research often centered on bottled and tap water, this study demonstrates that other beverages — especially hot ones — can contribute significantly.
Professor Mohamed Abdallah, one of the study’s lead authors from the University of Birmingham, explained that the contamination was far more extensive than anticipated. “We noted that a lot of research in the microplastics sphere is focusing on drinking water – tap water, bottled water – and we’ve also released a paper from the U.K. on water. But we realized that people don’t only drink water during their day. You drink tea, coffee, juices,” he said.
What this means for consumers
Although the study didn’t measure health outcomes directly, it adds to growing concern about how deeply microplastics have infiltrated our everyday lives. From disposable packaging to heating methods, small choices may influence how much plastic we consume without realizing it.
While more studies are needed to determine the long-term effects, this research offers a clear message: it’s not just what we drink, but also how we drink it, that may be contributing to our exposure to microplastics.