While some individuals prefer to consume bottled water because they are concerned about the quality of tap water, others are accustomed to drinking conventional boiling water. The solution lies in two recent research.
In particular, researchers examined five distinct water bottles from three well-known brands (names withheld). They discovered 240,000 particles on average, largely in nano form, from seven distinct kinds of plastic.
While nanoplastics, which are smaller than 1 micron in size, are thought to be more dangerous because they can easily penetrate organs like the intestines, lungs, enter the bloodstream, and even reach the heart and brain, previous studies have concentrated on microplastics, which are pieces smaller than 5 mm and larger than 1 micron (1/1000 mm). They finally enter the fetus after even passing through the placenta.
Specifically, scientists looked at five different water bottles from three popular brands (names were not given). On average, they found 240,000 particles from seven different types of plastic, mostly in nano form.
Research on the actual harm caused by nanoplastics is still ongoing, though.
According to a recent study published in the journal “Environmental Science and Technology Express” by Professors Li Zhanjun of Guangzhou Medical University and Zeng Yongping of Jinan University’s School of Environment, up to 84% of nano/microplastics can be eliminated by boiling water and then filtering it.
This is the simplest and safest method of water purification, which lowers the quantity of microplastics that humans consume through their drinking water.
So where do the water’s microplastics end up?
According to the study, the absent microplastics moved from water to sediment. By co-precipitating with the microplastics, calcium carbonate in the sediment can extract them from the water.
Lastly, depending on various water quality and drinking practices worldwide, the study examined the amount of microplastics that adults and children consumed from tap water and boiling water in 67 regions across six continents. It was discovered that the amount of microplastics consumed through tap water was two to five times greater than the amount absorbed from boiling water.
