The problem of microplastic pollution has been a growing concern for some time. These tiny particles, which are less than 5 mm in diameter, are widely found in natural environments such as water and the atmosphere, and some microplastics may cause health hazards such as intestinal inflammation when ingested. Boiling water for five minutes can remove nearly 90 percent of the microplastic particles in the water, Live Science quoted a new study as saying. The study was published in the February issue of Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

The researchers said that "drinking boiled water" is a fine tradition in some Asian countries. The study found that if the water was hard, meaning it had a high calcium carbonate content, boiling water was nearly 90 percent effective in removing microplastics. This is because when hard water is boiled and cooled, the calcium carbonate in the water becomes solid, and the sedimentation process of these solid calcium carbonate particles will "pack away" the microplastics in the water. The researchers suggest that the easiest and most effective way to remove microplastics from drinking water is to boil the water for five minutes, let it cool, and then filter the cool Baikai to remove the sediment. (Zhen Xiang)

Plastic Industry Video