Microplastics by Product Category: Real Scan Data + Study Ranges
Bottled water and bagged tea carry the highest per-serving microplastic exposure of everyday categories, followed by packaged foods; tap-water routines run roughly 50-100x lower than bottled — based on peer-reviewed measurements and aggregated scans from the MicroPlastics app.
Updated July 27, 2026 · App layer: 115+ categorized scans (early dataset, medians shown with sample sizes) · All figures are estimates, not lab tests.
| Category | App scans (n) | Median exposure index* | Est. particles / serving† | Primary sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Water (bottled-first routines) PET bottles dominate scans; glass and stainless routines score far lower. | 20 | 44 / 100 | ~47–325 / serving | Mason 2018; Cox 2019 |
Tap water (comparison) Literature comparison: tap + filter + steel bottle is the biggest daily reduction. | — | — | ~2–6 / glass | Kosuth 2018 |
Tea (bagged) Plastic and plastic-sealed paper bags release particles in hot water. | 23 | 42 / 100 | ~30–250 / cup | Hernandez 2019; app scans |
Soft drinks, juice & other drinks Cans and glass score lower than single-use PET. | 36 | 25 / 100 | ~20–150 / serving | Cox 2019; app scans |
Packaged food & drink Plastic-contact packaging and heat are the main drivers. | 19 | 45 / 100 | ~20–300 / serving | Cox 2019; Hussain 2023 |
Dairy Small sample so far; plastic-jug milk scores worse than cartons. | 4 | 44 / 100 | ~10–250 / serving | Kutralam-Muniasamy 2020 |
Snacks (wrapped) Film-wrapped snacks; frying oil contact raises transfer. | 5 | 35 / 100 | ~10–200 / serving | Cox 2019; app scans |
Cosmetics & personal care Exposure is via polymer ingredients (e.g., carbomer, acrylates), not ingestion. | 8 | 46 / 100 | n/a (dermal, not dietary) | App ingredient analysis |
*Exposure index: 0-100 model-based estimate from each scan's materials, packaging, heat contact, and usage (higher = more exposure), aggregated and anonymized across MicroPlastics app users; categories shown when n ≥ 3. †Per-serving particle ranges are from peer-reviewed measurement studies of comparable products: Cox et al. 2019 (Environ. Sci. Technol.), Mason et al. 2018 (Front. Chem.), Kosuth et al. 2018 (PLOS ONE), Hernandez et al. 2019 (Environ. Sci. Technol.), Hussain et al. 2023. Estimates only — not measurements of any specific product, and not medical guidance.
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Get the free scannerFrequently asked questions
Which product category has the highest microplastic exposure?
Per serving, bottled water and plastic tea bags consistently rank highest in both peer-reviewed studies and MicroPlastics app scan data. Bottled water averages roughly 94 to 325 microplastic particles per liter (Mason 2018), and hot water passing through plastic-containing tea bags releases elevated particle loads. Seafood and heavily packaged foods follow.
How many microplastic particles does a typical person ingest per day?
Cox et al. 2019 (Environmental Science & Technology) estimated dietary ingestion at roughly 106 to 142 particles per day for adults, rising by about 250 additional particles per day for people who drink only bottled water. Estimates vary widely by diet and are best treated as order-of-magnitude figures.
Where does the app scan data on this page come from?
From aggregated, anonymized scans by real MicroPlastics app users. Each scan produces a 0-100 exposure index from the product’s materials, packaging, temperature contact, and usage. We publish category medians with sample sizes shown, and update the table as the scan dataset grows.
Are these particle counts exact measurements?
No. All figures are estimates, not lab tests of your specific product. Per-serving ranges come from peer-reviewed measurement studies of comparable products, and app exposure scores are model-based estimates. They are designed for comparing categories and tracking your own trend, not for medical decisions.