Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics

Abstract

Tap water nano/microplastics (NMPs) escaping from centralized water treatment systems are of increasing global concern, because they pose potential health risk to humans via water consumption. Drinking boiled water, an ancient tradition in some Asian countries, is supposedly beneficial for human health, as boiling can remove some chemicals and most biological substances. However, it remains unclear whether boiling is effective in removing NMPs in tap water. Herein we present evidence that polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene NMPs can coprecipitate with calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) incrustants in tap water upon boiling. Boiling hard water (>120 mg L −1 of CaCO 3 ) can remove at least 80% of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene NMPs size between 0.1 and 150 μm. Elevated temperatures promote CaCO 3 nucleation on NMPs, resulting in the encapsulation and aggregation of NMPs within CaCO 3 incrustants. This simple boiling-water strategy can "decontaminate" NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption.

Comment on “Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics”

“…Yu et al recently described the removal of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) from hard drinking water by coprecipitation with CaCO 3 by boiling. The authors state “This simple boiling-water strategy can “decontaminate” MNPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of MNPs through water consumption”.…”

Response to Comment on “Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics”

“…We appreciate the interest and acknowledgment from Hale and Albert in our recent published paper “Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics” and the opportunity to further clarify the topic of widespread attention.…”