Chinese scientists have discovered a simple and effective method to remove microplastic particles from drinking water
Tiny microplastic fragments enter our bodies in worrying quantities, particularly through food and drinks.
A team from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University (China) conducted tests on both soft and hard tap water (richer in minerals), previously adding nanoplastics and microplastics (NMP). Boil the liquid and then filter the precipitates using a simple homemade filter.
In some cases, The cooking and filtering process removed up to 90% of the microplastics, although the effectiveness varied depending on the type of water. The big advantage, of course, is that most people can use what they already have in their kitchen.
Plastic fragments in the water
Additional microplastics were added to determine the effectiveness of the cooking and filtering process. (Yu et al., Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2024)
“This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ NMPs from household tap water and has the potential to harmlessly alleviate the absorption of NMPs through water consumption in humans,” the researchers write in their published paper.
A higher concentration of NMP was removed from samples of hard tap water, which naturally forms lime (or calcium carbonate) when heated. Commonly found in kitchen kettles, this chalky substance forms on the surface of plastic when temperature changes cause calcium carbonate to dissolve, trapping plastic fragments in a crust.
Even in soft water, in which less calcium carbonate is dissolved, about a quarter of the NMPs remained in the water. According to the researchers, plastic fragments embedded in lime could be removed using a simple filter, such as the stainless steel strainer used for straining tea.
Previous studies have measured fragments of polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate in the drinking water that we consume in varying amounts every day. To test the strategy, the researchers added even more nanoplastic particles, effectively reducing their number.
“Drinking boiled water appears to be a viable long-term strategy to reduce overall exposure to NMPs,” the researchers write. “However, drinking boiled water is often considered a local tradition and is only widespread in some regions.”
The research team is confident that drinking boiled water will become an increasingly common practice as plastics continue to take over the world.
Although it is not yet known exactly how harmful plastic is to our bodies, it is clear that it is not the healthiest snack. Plastics have already been linked to changes in the gut microbiome and the body’s resistance to antibiotics.
The team behind this latest study now wants to further investigate how boiled water can keep artificial materials out of our bodies and potentially counteract some of the alarming effects of microplastics that are occurring.
“Our results have supported a very viable strategy for reducing human exposure to NMPs and laid the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples,” the researchers write.
REFERENCE
Drinking boiled tap water reduces human intake of nanoplastics and microplastics
