Americans Consume 74,000-121,000 Microplastic Particles Annually

Every day we are ingesting tiny, often microscopic pieces of plastic -- "microplastics" -- with our food, beverages and with the very air we breathe.

Americans eat, drink and breathe between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles each year depending on their age and sex, new research suggests.

Those who exclusively drink bottled water rather than tap water can add up to 90,000 plastic particles to their estimated annual total, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

The full impact on our health isn't known. Research shows some particles are small enough to enter our tissues, where they can trigger an immune reaction, or release toxic substances and pollutants absorbed from the environment, including heavy metals.

How do microplastics get into our food and beverages?

Not only do animals ingest tiny plastic particles in their environments, but microplastics contaminate our food during production and packaging, previous studies suggest.

Read more at CNN