If drinking a nice, cold soda sounds appealing, you’re not alone. Roughly half of all adults and nearly two-thirds of kids in the US consume at least one soft drink daily—mostly sodas. These drinks typically contain considerable amounts of sugar, raising concerns about their effects on dental and metabolic health. However, a recent study has uncovered a more alarming issue: Microplastic contamination is pervasive in these popular beverages.

Researchers analyzed the microplastic content in a popular soda brand purchased in various US locations: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. The sodas were in aluminum, glass, or plastic containers.

They found that the average concentration of microplastic particles in 100 milliliters of soda was 166, with some samples reaching a staggering 482 particles—meaning that a typical 16.9-ounce (~500-milliliter) bottle of soda could contain more than 2,400 microplastic particles. Interestingly, the sodas in glass containers had the highest concentrations of particles. The study investigators speculated that the primary contributors to the sodas' microplastic contamination were local water sources (near the packaging plants).

These findings suggest that microplastic contamination in sodas is ubiquitous and adds to the growing body of evidence about microplastics in food and beverages. Learn more about microplastics in our overview article.