A recent report by GNN suggests that we may have significantly overestimated the amount of plastic entering the oceans, with the true figure possibly being 3,000% lower than previously believed.
This revelation comes as scientists continue to investigate the broader impacts of plastic pollution, particularly microplastics in water supplies. However, a new study offers some good news: simply boiling water can remove a significant amount of microplastics, potentially reducing their presence in our drinking water by up to 90%.
The discovery evokes comparisons to the historical shift in sanitation that occurred with the rise of tea drinking in Western Europe. When tea was introduced, people began boiling water regularly for the first time, which had the unintended benefit of killing harmful pathogens and purifying the water.
This new study suggests that boiling water could once again play a key role in improving human health by reducing our exposure to microplastics.
In the study, researchers from Guangzhou University examined the effects of boiling on two different types of tap water: hard water and soft water. Hard water contains a higher concentration of minerals, particularly calcium carbonate, which is responsible for the buildup of limescale in appliances like kettles and coffee markers. Soft water, on the other hand, has lower mineral content. The researchers aimed to determine how boiling would affect the levels of microplastics in both types of water.
When hard tap water was boiled, the calcium carbonate in the water precipitated out and formed a limescale layer. Interestingly, this limescale also trapped a significant portion of the microplastics present in the water.
The researchers found that boiling hard water removed between 25% and 90% of microplastics, depending on the size of the particles. The majority of plastic particles, ranging from 5 to 10 micrometers in size, were captured in the limescale.
“This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ [nano and microplastics] from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” the researchers wrote in their paper, which was published in February.
Even in soft water, where there is less calcium carbonate to form limescale, boiling was still effective in removing around 25% of microplastics. This demonstrates that boiling water can be a useful tool for reducing microplastic contamination, regardless of the type of water being used.
The findings are particularly relevant for people who rely on battled water, especially in the United States where most bottled water is derived from hard water sources. In fact, most tap water in the U.S. is also hard water, meaning that boiling it could be an easy and effective way to reduce microplastic contamination.
Some bottled water brands use processes like reverse osmosis to remove minerals from the water, which can then be re-added to create so-called “mineral water.” However, this study suggests that simply boiling the water at home may be just as effective at reducing microplastic levels.
The authors of the study were optimistic about the broader implications of their findings, stating, “Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples.”
The team’s work opens the door for more extensive studies on the effects of boiling water on microplastic contamination, as well as other potential methods for reducing human exposure to these pollutants.
Microplastics have become a major concern in recent years, as they have been found in virtually every corner of the planet – from the deepest oceans to the highest mountain peaks. Even more concerning is their prevalence in the huma body. It is estimated that the average person consumes around 5 grams of plastic per week, which is roughly equivalent to the size of a credit card.
Studies on mice have shown that microplastics can accumulate in organs, including the brain and placenta, but the long-term effects of this contamination on human health remain largely unknown.
For those who are concerned about their exposure to microplastics, this study offers a simple and effective solution. By installing a high-quality water filter on your kitchen tap, graded for 99.99% purity, and then boiling the filtered water, you can remove the vast majority of microplastics from your drinking water.
“If you don’t feel like waiting for the government to gather evidence to put restrictions on microplastics in water, this study offers a key insight,” GNN reported. Boiling water after filtering it provides an additional safeguard, ensuring that any remaining microplastics are eliminated.
While the full extent of the dangers posed by microplastics is still being researched, this study represents a significant step forward in understanding how to mitigate their presence in our water supply.
By employing simple strategies like boiling water, people can take control of their own health and reduce their exposure to these tiny but potentially harmful particles. As further research is conducted, we may uncover even more ways to protect ourselves from microplastics, but for now, boiling water offers an easy and accessible method to make out drinking water safer.
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