Over three months, rats were fed water that had been exposed to boiling water in plastic containers at different intervals: 1 minute, 5 minutes and 15 minutes, and then examined. The study, published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, said after three months, samples of the rat's feces showed changes to their gut biome, and examination of their heart tissue found "extensive" damage.
"The results indicated that ingestion of these leachates altered the intestinal microenvironment, affected gut microbiota composition, and modified gut microbiota metabolites, particularly those linked to inflammation and oxidative stress," the study said. "Additionally, this exposure resulted in damage to the heart muscle tissue of the rats, alongside increased markers of myocardial injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress."
They added that the rats showed damage regardless of how long the water they ingested had been boiled for: "The study shows plastic exposure as a significant [cardiovascular disease] CVD risk factor regardless of duration," indicating that even minimal exposure to heated plastic takeout containers may carry risks.
"It leads to changes in myocardial tissue, gut microbiota, and metabolites, all closely tied to CVD."
Researchers cited an earlier study, which said, "Plastics contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates (PAEs) and plasticizers, which are linked to higher CVD risk."
Although they did not recommend any specific action beyond "further research is necessary," the authors did note that based on the existing data, "to prevent ongoing harm from plastic products to human health, it is essential to avoid using plastic containers for high-temperature food, reduce the use of plastic products in daily life, and implement timely plastic pollution control measures."
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