Ongoing experiment — Round 1 of 3
We Tested 7 Bottled Water Brands for Microplastics. All 7 Had Them.
Liquid Death, Fiji, Crystal Geyser, Dasani, Evian, San Pellegrino, and Path — tested using Nile Red fluorescence microscopy in our LA lab. Every single one contained microplastic particles that matched PET (water bottle plastic).
Including the aluminum cans. More on that below.
The Experiment
We're testing the same 7 brands over 3 months under different storage conditions. Same methodology each time. Here's the plan:
March 2026
Fresh off the shelf, room temperature
April 2026
Same batch, 30 days at room temperature
May 2026
Same batch, 30 days in a hot car
The question everyone asks: does water get worse the longer it sits in plastic? We're going to find out.
Round 1 — March 2026
Fresh Off the Shelf
All 7 brands purchased from grocery stores in Los Angeles. Tested within 48 hours of purchase using our standard Nile Red fluorescence process.
Liquid Death
Aluminum canAluminum cans have PET-based interior linings
Fiji
Plastic bottleCrystal Geyser
Plastic bottlePath
Aluminum canPET-lined aluminum can
San Pellegrino
Plastic bottleEvian
Plastic bottleDasani
Plastic bottleThe aluminum can finding
Liquid Death and Path both come in aluminum cans. Most people assume aluminum = no plastic. But aluminum cans have a thin plastic lining inside to prevent the metal from reacting with the liquid. That lining is made of PET-based plastic. Both brands matched our PET training signature — the classifier identified them as water bottle plastic without being told what container they came from.
All testing performed at our LA lab using peer-reviewed Nile Red fluorescence methodology. See how we test →
Next Up: Does Heat Make It Worse?
In Round 2, we're testing the same brands after sitting at room temperature for 30 days. In Round 3, we'll leave them in a hot car in an LA summer.
If you've ever left a water bottle in your car and drank it later — Round 3 is for you.
Results updated monthly. Check back in April for Round 2.