Study shows boiling water and simply filtering it may remove up to 84% of nano/microplastics!
In January 2024, the international academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) published a recent study that found:Each liter of bottled/bucketed water contains an average of about 240,000 detectable plastic particles. When bottled water bottles are squeezed or exposed to high temperatures, it can enter the water as debris is dislodged. Even when caps are repeatedly opened and closed, many plastic particles can enter the water.
In February 2024, a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters found:Boiling water and simply filtering it may remove up to 84% of nano/microplastics! The study found that the disappearing microplastics were transferred from the water to the limescale deposits, and that the calcium carbonate in the limescale could co-precipitate with the microplastics to remove them from the water. This is the easiest and most harmless way to “purify” water, and the amount of microplastics ingested daily through boiling water is 2 to 5 times less than the amount ingested through tap water.
- Reduce the use of disposable plastic products: disposable plastic cups, plastic lunch boxes, plastic bowls and spoons are plastic products.
- Develop the habit of boiling water for drinking: bring your own cups, preferably glass, enameled cups, or stainless steel cups. Try to boil their own tap water to drink or cool white, less drinking bottled water.
- Do not eat in a bowl set of plastic bags: high temperature will increase the rate and number of microplastics. If you need to pack, it is best to use degradable boxes and bring your own lunch box.
- Make it a habit to use less plastic straws: when liquid comes into contact with the wall of a plastic straw, microplastics will be introduced into the body, and hot drinks will increase this risk.
- Eat less processed food packaged in plastic: processed food is packaged in layers, and the risk of microplastic contamination is higher.
