Melbourne, April 29 : Drinking out of water bottles made from PET plastic may pose a human health risk, reveals a new study.

According to lead researcher Martin Wagner, Goethe University, Frankfurt, a questionable finger could be raised on the safety of the PET plastic water bottles.

The study found that estrogenic compounds trickle into the water in bottles made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

And some yet-to-be-identified chemicals in these plastics seemed to have the potential to meddle with estrogen and other reproductive hormones.

"What we found was really surprising to us. If you drink water from plastic bottles, you have a high probability of drinking estrogenic compounds," ABC Science quoted Wagner as saying.

But Wagner and his team warned that it was still too early to conclude if PET plastics were a cause of concern in relations to human health.

Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York, added maybe a revised review of so-called "safe" plastics was required.

Swan said: "This is coming at a good time because the use of bottles for consuming water is getting very bad press now because of its carbon footprint.

She continued: "This raises questions about all plastic bottles." (ANI)