New Study: An Average American May Ingest 1,200 Lbs of Microplastics From Bottled Water Over a Lifetime

An eye-opening analysis by WellnessPulse researchers calculated how much microplastics from bottled water are ingested over a human lifetime. It suggests that drinking water from bottles may expose us to hundreds of pounds of microplastics, with the amount of plastic accumulating in the body comparable to the entire set of disposable plastic cutlery.

About six in ten Americans (63%) consume bottled water regularly, which is widely considered a cleaner and more reliable hydration source than tap water. However, growing evidence indicates that bottled water may contain more microplastics (MPs) than tap water.

A study by WellnessPulse researchers discovered that an average American woman could consume 946 lbs (429 kg) of microplastics in her lifetime if she only drank bottled water and met the recommended water intake. For a man with an average life expectancy, the ingested amount would increase to 1,265 lbs (574 kg).

The analysis also looked into how much microplastics are ingested in scenarios where 80% and 20% of water consumption comes from bottled water.

A highly unrealistic scenario where a person doesn't consume bottled water at all was included for the comparison. In this case, they would ingest 16 times less microplastics than those who only drink bottled water.

You can learn more about the methodology of the study here.

Findings: over 1,260 lbs of microplastics over an average lifespan

The market analysis conducted by WellnessPulse researchers reveals that despite growing awareness of the potential risks of microplastics, most water brands continue to rely on plastic packaging.

Of the 31 most popular bottled water brands in the United States, based on Google search results, 61% only sell water in plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a type of polyester plastic, or its recycled version (rPET).

About a quarter (26%) of the brands analyzed use PET but have alternative packaging available, such as glass or aluminum bottles.

Some 13% of the brands completely refrain from selling water in plastic bottles and use alternative packaging, including glass, aluminum, and more novel solutions like bio-PE. This type of plastic is derived from renewable sources, such as sugar cane or corn.

However, plastic packaging isn't the only source of MPs in bottled water — microplastic contamination can also occur during water purification.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles ranging in size from 1 nanometer, making them invisible to the human eye, to 5 millimeters. They have permeated ecosystems worldwide and appear to be accumulating in human bodies, raising concerns about their impact on health.

How much water should we consume?

To estimate the cumulative ingestion of microplastics from bottled water throughout the life of an average American, the researchers adjusted recommended daily water intakes for different age groups to reflect only the amount of water that needs to be consumed as drinking water.

For this reason, they excluded water obtained from food and other sources, which equals 20%.

According to the WellnessPulse analysis, girls between the ages of 9 and 13 need 1.68 L of drinking water daily, and boys need 1.92 L.

The recommended drinking water intake is even higher for adolescents aged 14–18, with 1.84 L per day for girls and 2.64 L for boys.

Adult women 19 years and older may need 2.16 L of water per day, while the recommended intake for men in the same age group is 2.96 L.

The calculation of lifetime water consumption was based on an average American life expectancy of 76 years, according to the World Health Organization data.

The calculations below are based on the current knowledge about the amounts of microplastics found in bottled water. It cannot be ruled out that these amounts were different in the past or will differ in the future.

The estimation of microplastics consumed over an average lifespan of 76 years is generalized; therefore, conclusions should be made with caution.

Scenario A: 100% of water from plastic bottles

In a scenario where 100% of water is consumed from bottles, a woman is likely to ingest 946 lbs (429 kg) of microplastics throughout her life. For a man, the amount would reach a staggering 1,265 lbs (574 kg).

However, most ingested microplastics don't stay in the body. Research suggests a microplastic accumulation rate of 0.004%, meaning that only a tiny fraction remains in organs and tissues.

Therefore, an average American woman would accumulate 17.2 g of microplastics from bottled water in her body throughout 76 years of life. This amount of plastic equals a plastic set that includes a disposable fork, spoon, and knife.

An average man is likely to accumulate even more microplastics — 23 g, equivalent to the entire set of disposable plastic cutlery, which contains a fork, knife, and spoon, plus a plastic plate or bowl and a small plastic cup.

Scenario B: 80% of water from plastic bottles

It is highly implausible that a person's lifetime drinking water consumption would come only from bottles. That's why WellnessPulse researchers calculated microplastic ingestion in a scenario where 80% of drinking water comes from plastic bottles and 20% from the tap. Such a scenario is more likely in countries that don't have wide access to safe tap water.

In this case, a woman with an average American life expectancy would ingest 769 lbs (349 kg) of microplastics and accumulate 14 g, the amount equal to a plastic fork and spoon.

In contrast, a man would ingest about 1,030 lbs (467 kg) of microplastics during his 76 years of life and accumulate almost 19 g, equating to a set with a plastic fork, knife, spoon, and one plastic straw.

Scenario C: 20% of water from plastic bottles

The scenario where an individual consumes 20% of water from plastic bottles is most realistic in countries with potable tap water, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

According to the WellnessPulse analysis, in such a scenario, an average American woman would ingest 238 lbs (108 kg) of microplastics throughout her life. She would accumulate 4.3 g of MPs, an amount comparable to a credit card without a chip.

For an average American man, the amount of microplastics ingested would reach 317 lbs (144 kg), of which almost 6 g is estimated to accumulate in the body. This amount is roughly equal to two plastic bottle caps.

Scenario D: 0% of water from plastic bottles

While a scenario where a 76-year-old person has never drank water from a bottle isn't very likely, it was included in the analysis for comparison purposes.

However, refraining from consuming water from plastic bottles still wouldn't result in zero exposure to MPs, as they may emerge in the water purification and filtering processes.

In this scenario, an American woman would consume 62 lbs (28 kg) of microplastics, whereas an American man would ingest 82 lbs (37 kg) throughout their lifetimes.

With a plastic straw weighing around 0.42 g, the amount of microplastics accumulated in a woman's body would equate to two and a half plastic straws. For a man, the accumulated amount would equal more than three and a half plastic straws.

Findings overview

A person who only drinks bottled water is estimated to consume 16 times more microplastics than a person who drinks only tap water throughout their lifetime, according to the WellnessPulse analysis.

A man whose water consumption comes only from plastic bottles would ingest 1,265 lbs (574 kg) of microplastics in his lifetime, and a woman would consume 946 lbs (429 kg).

In a more likely scenario where 80% of drinking water is consumed from plastic bottles, an average man would ingest 1,030 lbs (467 kg) of microplastics, and a woman 769 lbs (349 kg). The amounts of MPs accumulated in the body would be almost 19 g and 14 g, respectively.

A scenario most plausible in countries with potable tap water is where 20% of lifetime water consumption comes from plastic bottles. In this case, a man would ingest 317 lbs (144 kg) of MPs and accumulate almost 6 g, while a woman would consume 238 lbs (108 kg) and accumulate 4.3 g throughout their lifetime.

More studies are needed to understand the impact of ingested and accumulated microplastics on human health. However, early evidence suggests MP exposure could affect multiple systems, ranging from cardiovascular to reproductive.

The harms of microplastics

While the amounts of microplastics ingested and accumulated may sound shocking, their impact on human health is not yet clearly understood.

Studies have associated exposure to MPs with oxidative stress, a metabolic disorder, immune system disruption, a higher risk of neurological disorders, and reproductive and developmental issues.

However, most evidence comes from studies conducted on cells and animals, and these findings may not necessarily translate to humans.

At the same time, the number of human studies looking into the potential risks of MP exposure is increasing.

People who had microplastics in the plaques of their blood vessels were 4.5 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or die, according to a 2024 study. However, it didn't prove a causal relationship, and the presence of plaques alone is a risk factor for these conditions.

Another study found that individuals diagnosed with dementia may have up to 10 times higher microplastic concentrations in the brain than those without the condition. While the association doesn't necessarily mean causation, the study raised important questions about the potential MPs' role in disease development.

A recent study looked into fecal MP concentrations in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a serious autoimmune condition whose cause is unknown. Those with IBD had nearly 1.5-fold higher MP concentrations in their feces than healthy individuals.

However, it is unclear if exposure to microplastics may be related to the disease process or if IBD exacerbates the retention of MPs.

It's noteworthy that bottled water is one of the many sources of microplastics in the environment, and ingestion is just one of the exposure routes. The analysis doesn't include MPs accumulated from sources like food packaged in plastic, clothes made from synthetic textiles, and personal care products.

Methodology

The study estimated the amount of microplastics a person, depending on their age and sex, may ingest and accumulate in their bodies throughout their lifetime when adhering to daily water intake recommendations in four scenarios:

• Scenario A, where 100% of water is consumed from bottles
• Scenario B, where 80% of water is consumed from bottles and 20% from the tap
• Scenario C, where 20% of water is consumed from bottles and 80% from the tap
• Scenario D, where 100% of water is consumed from the tap

The analysis authors searched for studies from scientific article archives and repositories: PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The articles selected were up to 5 years old, highlighting the presence and estimating the amounts of microplastics in bottled water, as well as the rates of microplastic accumulation in the body.

One researcher, Dominyka Sitavičiūtė, MSc, performed a bottled water market analysis to determine what materials are typically used for bottle production and summarized relevant publications on microplastics' presence, amounts, and accumulation rates.

After the data extraction and calculations, another researcher cross-checked and validated the accuracy of the calculations.

The researchers calculated the percentage of the popular water brands in the U.S. found via Google search that only sell water in PET bottles and those with alternatives to plastic water packaging.

The data was then collected from a publication estimating microplastic ingestion and checked manually for input errors.

From a range of average particles per year consumed either from bottled or tap water, a single data point was calculated by averaging the given numbers.

Further, the relevant data was calculated as follows:

• The average number of particles per liter of bottled water/tap water.
• Water from food sources was eliminated from daily water intake recommendations, and only recommended water intake in the form of liquid was calculated (80%).
• Estimation of ingested mass of microplastics according to the daily water intake recommendations for individuals of different ages and biological sex.

Relevant data was visualized for clarity and readability purposes.

Limitations of the analysis

The analysis is subject to multiple limitations that may have affected the accuracy of the findings:

• Daily recommended water consumption is theoretical and may vary significantly between individuals.
• In real life, the majority of people tend to drink less water than recommended by the guidelines.
• Due to differences in study designs and microplastic analysis methods, the estimated number of microplastic particles per liter of water has been taken from a single scientific publication.
• Estimates were calculated using very limited data. In addition, the estimates included average microplastic particle mass, theorized human exposure to microplastics, and the theorized accumulation of microplastics in the body.
• The amount of microplastics in water bottles could have been very different years ago from today due to less stringent regulations of materials used for water bottle production.
• The amount of microplastics in bottled and tap water varies depending on numerous factors, including different locations, technological processes, and materials. For example, tap water in one country may significantly differ from tap water in another country in terms of microplastic content. Similarly, bottled water from one manufacturer may significantly differ from that of another manufacturer in terms of microplastic content.
• Bottled water may not necessarily be packaged in plastic. Since our primary source does not specify the type of bottled water analyzed, we refer to bottled water in general, regardless of the materials used in its packaging.