A new study has found that there is a simple way to remove toxic chemicals from tap water using two common household items.
Researchers from Jinan University in China discovered that boiling water and then filtering it using a “coffee filter” removes approximately 90% of microplastics linked to cancer and reproductive disorders.
These microplastics are ubiquitous, as they were found in 129 of 159 tap water samples from 14 countries around the world in the study.
Boiling water was particularly effective when used on hard water, which is water that contains large concentrations of minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
At high temperatures, the limescale hardens, effectively “encapsulating” the plastic particles and making them easier to remove through a filter.
Plastic particles carry phthalates, a group of chemicals used to make plastic more durable, flexible and last longer, which are known to interfere with hormone production in the body, which may increase the risk of reproductive disorders and cancers.
Growth and reproductive problems, brain and immune diseases, and more are linked to phthalates, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Nanoplastics and microplastics also carry toxins on their surfaces, such as heavy metals. Over time, microplastics break down into nanoplastics, which are so small that they can pass through the intestines and lungs into the blood, and travel through the body to organs such as the heart and brain.
In fact, there are some advanced drinking water filtration systems that can capture nanoplastics and microplastics, but we need simple, inexpensive ways to help reduce human plastic consumption.
The researchers wanted to know if boiling could be an effective way to help remove plastics from hard and soft tap water.
The team collected tap water samples from Guangzhou, China, and spiked them with different amounts of nanoplastics and microplastics.
They found an average concentration of one milligram per liter of nanoplastics and microplastics.
The samples were boiled for five minutes and left to cool. Next, the team measured the floating plastic content.
Boiling hard water leads to the formation of a chalky substance known as limescale or calcium carbonate.
“We estimated that intakes of nano- and microplastics through boiled water consumption were two to five times lower than those through daily tap water,” said Eddie Zeng, from the Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies at the Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health. .
He suggested that any remaining solids floating in the water could be removed by pouring it through a simple filter such as a coffee filter.
Even in soft water samples (less than 60 milligrams of limescale per liter), boiling was able to remove about 25% of nanoplastics and microplastics.
The researchers say this work could provide a simple and effective way to reduce the consumption of nano- and microplastics.