"Can It Be This Simple?"... How Boiling Water Can Remove Up to 90% of Microplastics in Water

Chinese Researchers Test Microplastic Removal by Boiling Tap Water
Up to 90% Removed from Hard Water, 25% from Soft Water

A study has found that a simple method of boiling tap water and filtering out sediment can remove up to 90% of micro- and nanoplastics in the water.

On October 16 local time, science news outlet Science Alert reported on findings published by Chinese researchers in the 2024 journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, saying that boiling tap water and filtering out the sediment can remove up to 90% of micro- and nanoplastics in the water.

Electric kettle. Pixabay

The Chinese researchers tested soft water, which has a low mineral content, and hard water, which is rich in minerals. They added nanoplastics and microplastics to both types of water, boiled the water, and then filtered out the sediment produced in the process.

The experiment found that boiling water and filtering out the sediment can remove a substantial proportion of plastic particles that could enter the human body.

Under some experimental conditions, boiling and filtering removed up to 90% of the micro- and nanoplastics. However, the effectiveness varied depending on the type of water. The method was also cited as having the advantage of requiring only common kitchen utensils.

Photo is unrelated to the specific content of the article. Unsplash

"Boiling water before drinking can reduce microplastic intake"

The experiment found that micro- and nanoplastics were removed more effectively from hard water with a higher mineral content. When heated, hard water tends to form limescale made of calcium carbonate. The white scale commonly found inside electric kettles is a familiar example. As water heats up, changes in temperature cause calcium carbonate to precipitate. The substance adheres to the surfaces of plastic particles, trapping them along with it.

The researchers explained that "the higher the hardness of the water when boiled, the greater the precipitation efficiency for nanoplastics." In water with a calcium carbonate concentration of 80 mg per liter, 34% of the nanoplastics precipitated. When the concentration increased to 180 mg per liter, the precipitation rate rose to 84%, reaching 90% at 300 mg per liter.

The study also found that soft water with a low calcium carbonate content could remove about one-quarter of the micro- and nanoplastics.

According to the researchers, plastic particles attached to limescale can be removed with simple filtration tools, such as the stainless-steel strainer used to filter tea. Previous studies have detected various plastic materials in tap water used for drinking, including polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These substances can enter the body through water people drink every day.

To further assess the removal effect, the researchers conducted experiments by adding larger quantities of nanoplastic particles to the water. The results showed that the number of plastic particles decreased effectively.

The researchers concluded that "drinking boiled water could be a viable long-term strategy for reducing exposure to nano- and microplastics worldwide."

Microplastics build up in the body... "Their health effects are still unknown"

Microplastics come from a range of everyday products, including clothing, kitchenware, and personal care products. Because they are extremely small and do not readily break down, they remain in the environment for a long time and can also accumulate in the human body. Many people around the world have already been exposed to microplastics, and everyday exposure continues. Regulations on microplastics remain limited.

A literature review published in 2025 by researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington found that a substantial proportion of human exposure to microplastics may come from drinking water. The researchers also noted that wastewater treatment facilities do not remove microplastics sufficiently.

It is still unclear how harmful microplastics are to the human body. However, previous studies have suggested links between microplastic exposure and changes in the gut microbiome, as well as antibiotic resistance.

The researchers stressed that further studies are needed to determine how much the habit of drinking boiled water can reduce exposure to plastics and whether it can also mitigate the potential health effects of microplastics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.