Research from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain found that individual tea bags steeped in boiling water can release billions of micro- and nanoplastic particles. Here's what to know.
  • splinter@lemm.eeEnglish
    162·
    20 hours ago

    This study is such bullshit. They took 300 teabags and boiled them in 600ml of water while stirring at 750rpm for an unspecified amount of time, and claim their method to be an accurate simulation of making a cup of tea.

    • Zip2@feddit.ukOPEnglish
      2·
      8 hours ago

      They probably microwaved the water too, and didn’t use a saucer. No mention of when they put the milk in?

      • ralakus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        Three teabag types were purchased online (Amazon and AliExpress) or in a local supermarket. The online-purchased teabags were ordered empty (with no tea inside) and with a known polymer composition

        The third teabag type (sample 3), bought in the supermarket, was a regular tea brand of green tea

        300 teabags were transferred into a 1 L beaker (pre-washed and sterilized) containing 600 mL of Milli-Q water at 95 ◦C with constant stirring (750 rpm).

        It sounds like they were using a magnetic stir bar rather than a spoon or rod but still, 300 teabags, most of which coming empty from Amazon or AliExpress in 600ml is ridiculous.

      • splinter@lemm.eeEnglish
        3·
        11 hours ago

        It’s almost too absurd to believe.

        There’s a conversation to be had about microplastic contamination, but this study feels and sounds like bad faith argument.

  • FarceOfWill@infosec.pubEnglish
    7·
    19 hours ago

    Not clicking but if this is the one from a while ago its specifically about plastic teabags. And, like, obviously.

    If you stir with a plastic spoon you’ll have even more

    • smeg@feddit.ukEnglish
      1·
      2 hours ago

      What if I exclusively drink out of disposable plastic mugs? That’s still fine, right?