Hot Tea and Coffee Found to Contain Highest Levels of Microplastics in Popular Drinks

Published: 17 August ‘2025 | The English Chronicle Desk

Microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic that have become ubiquitous in the environment, are now being detected in surprising quantities in some of the beverages people consume daily. A new study from the University of Birmingham has revealed that hot drinks, particularly tea and coffee, may contain higher concentrations of microplastics than previously understood, raising fresh concerns about human exposure.

The research, considered the first of its kind, examined 155 popular beverages across the United Kingdom, including both hot and cold drinks. The team tested hot and iced tea, hot and iced coffee, fruit juices, energy drinks, and soft drinks purchased from supermarkets and coffee shops in 2024. Samples were filtered and analyzed through microscope imaging to determine microplastic content, with hot drinks cooled for 30 minutes before testing.

The results indicated that hot tea and coffee, especially when served in disposable cups, had the highest microplastic concentrations. Hot tea in disposable cups contained an average of 22 microplastics per cup, compared to 14 microplastics per cup in glass cups. More expensive teabags were found to leach the largest amounts, averaging between 24 and 30 microplastics per cup. Hot coffee similarly showed elevated levels of microplastics, with the study suggesting that the materials used in disposable cups were a significant contributor.

Expressed in microplastics per litre, the study’s findings were as follows: hot tea contained 49 to 81 MPs per litre, hot coffee 29 to 57 MPs per litre, iced tea 24 to 38 MPs per litre, iced coffee 31 to 43 MPs per litre, fruit juice 19 to 41 MPs per litre, energy drinks 14 to 36 MPs per litre, and soft drinks 13 to 21 MPs per litre. The authors noted that these figures suggest exposure assessments based solely on drinking water may significantly underestimate the actual risk to humans.

Professor Mohamed Abdallah, one of the lead authors, told The Independent that while previous research has focused heavily on microplastics in tap and bottled water, humans consume a far wider variety of beverages. “We found a ubiquitous presence of microplastics in all the cold and hot drinks we looked at. Which is pretty alarming, and from a scientific point of view suggests we should not only be looking at water; we should be more comprehensive in our research because other sources are substantial,” he said.

Abdallah highlighted the scale of consumption as a key concern. “We’re consuming millions of teas and coffees every morning, so it’s something to definitely look at. There should definitely be legislative action from the government and also from international organisations to limit human exposure to microplastics … they’re everywhere.”

The researchers emphasized that their study represents a critical step toward understanding real-life microplastic exposure from dietary sources. They advocate for more comprehensive studies to accurately assess risks and inform broader environmental and public health interventions, potentially prompting new regulations to protect consumers.

As microplastics continue to permeate food and drink globally, this research underscores the urgent need for both scientific scrutiny and policy measures to address what has become an invisible but widespread public health concern.