Common Single-Use Consumer Plastic Products Release Trillions ofSub-100 nm Nanoparticles per Liter into Water during Normal Use

This study demonstrates that commonly used consumer productssuch as single-use food grade nylon bags and hot beverage cups lined with low-density polyethylene release nanometer-sized plastic particles at number densities>1012L-1when exposed to water. The number of particles released was a functionof the initial water temperature (high temperature vs ambient) for each of thetested materials. Mean particle diameters were between 30 and 80 nm with fewparticles >200 nm. The number of particles released into hot water from foodgrade nylon was 7 times higher when compared to single-use beverage cups. On aparticle number density basis, particles released into water from a single 300 mLhot beverage cup equate to one particle for every seven cells in the human body ina size range available for cellular uptake.