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ACS reports boiling tap water reduces microplastics and a new vibrant blue pottery pigment with less cobalt
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Researchers at ACS reported that boiling tap water causes nano- and microplastics to become trapped within limescale (calcium carbonate) precipitates that form during heating, which can then be removed by simple filtration. This finding suggests that a simple, low-cost household intervention may reduce human exposure to waterborne micro- and nanoplastics.
On February 28, 2024, ACS reported that boiling tap water can trap nano- and microplastics inside limescale particles, which can be easily filtered out.
More Papers Like This
Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics
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A study found that simply boiling tap water can remove at least 80% of nano- and microplastics by causing them to become trapped in calcium carbonate (limescite) deposits that naturally form during boiling. This traditional practice, common in parts of Asia, offers a free and easy way for people to significantly reduce the amount of plastic particles they consume through drinking water.
Response to Comment on “Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics”
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Researchers responded to scientific commentary on their earlier finding that boiling tap water can reduce nanoplastic and microplastic content in drinking water. They addressed methodological questions and reaffirmed that the calcium carbonate deposits formed during boiling can encapsulate and help remove plastic particles. The study supports the idea that a simple household practice like boiling water may offer a partial approach to reducing microplastic intake from tap water.
Microplastics in potable water of a coastal city of Bangladesh: Efficacy of boiling as a point-of-use mitigation strategy
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Researchers quantified microplastic contamination across three domestic water sources in Khulna City, Bangladesh — pond, tap, and groundwater — finding MPs in all samples and demonstrating that boiling reduces concentrations by over 70%, with reduction efficiency strongly correlated with water hardness due to calcium carbonate co-precipitation trapping particles at the vessel bottom.
Potable water boiling can induce havoc in the water quality management arena due to the presence of microplastics
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Researchers reviewed growing evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics in drinking water present serious health and management challenges, warning that boiling water — the most widely used low-cost purification method — may actually worsen contamination by causing plastics to leach harmful chemicals, threatening safe drinking water access for billions of people.
Enhanced coagulation of nanoplastics: impact of complex water matrices on nanoplastics removal
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Scientists tested whether a common water treatment method, coagulation, can remove tiny nanoplastics from drinking water sources that also contain natural substances like organic matter and clay. They found that using enough treatment chemical (10 ppm) removed over 98% of nanoplastics regardless of what else was in the water, offering practical guidance for making tap water safer.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.