According to scientists, the world is so polluted that microplastics must be considered ubiquitous. These particles have already contaminated all the ecosystems on the planet: from the sea to the clouds.
A few years ago, the presence of microplastics — tiny plastic particles imperceptible to the human eye — in the intestines of fish and crustaceans. This is how scientists realized that We are facing a worrying consequence of the pollution .
And that’s it Plastics continually break down in the environment and become small, invisible fibers. up to 5 millimeters that stick to all sorts of things, including the food and water we consume.
At the beginning of this year 2024, a study of the University of Colombia shocked the world: Even bottled water, consumed by millions of people, is contaminated with hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic.
In addition, a survey by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Chile showed that The 12 brands of bottled water distributed in the Metropolitan region (foreign and national) contain microplastics.
What effects do microplastics have on health? AND, Is there anything we can do to reduce its presence in the water we drink daily?
The effects of microplastics on human health
A study of Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) of Spain published in the magazine Nature Journalshowed that Continued ingestion of microplastics can alter the functioning of the human intestines.
And, in the long term, they can reduce bacterial diversity and alter its balance.
Additionally, some research suggests that toxins from Microplastics could be linked to lung diseases (asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and also have an impact on cancer and chronic inflammation.
Although there are also people who ingest microplastics and have no symptoms (so far).
Anyway, Scientists and doctors still don’t know exactly what permanent, long-term damage microplastics can cause. given that this is a very recent and unprecedented phenomenon.
And as he explained National Geographic In a report, it is difficult for science to measure the harmful effects of ingesting microplastics in humans, compared to animals, because “Humans cannot be intentionally fed plastic.”
“There are many other questions. I would like to know what levels we are exposed to throughout our lives. What microplastics do we breathe in every day, whether working at home, in the office, outdoors, cycling, running, in different environments. “There is a big knowledge gap.” said the environmental ecologist of University of Hull, Jeanenete Rotchell .
However, what experts do know is that microplastics come from plastics made from chemicals that can be toxic.
Furthermore, according to various studies, due to the current global context and pollution, It must be considered that microplastics are omnipresent (they are everywhere), since they have penetrated all the ecosystems that exist on the planet: from the sea to the clouds.
So far, Microplastics have been found in the blood of animals and humans, in the testicles, placenta and in sperm.
How to remove microplastics from the water we drink
A recent study from Guangzhou University and Jinan University in China, published in the journal Letters on environmental science and technologyshowed that There is a “sterilization and purification” method to reduce the amount of microplastics present in drinking water.
As they explainedA single bottle of water can contain around 250,000 plastic particles.
This is why researchers recommended Boil the water and then filter it, in order to “clean” the microplastics from the liquid.
“This simple water boiling strategy can ‘decontaminate’ nano- and microplastics from tap water and has the potential to harmlessly reduce human ingestion of particles via water consumption.” read the study.
By doing this, Up to 90% of polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene particles could be reduced, whose sizes vary between 0.1 and 150 micrometers.
Regarding the method, the authors of the study explained that, When water boils, small pieces of plastic become “trapped” in the calcium carbonate. which forms naturally during this process.
As the media explains Wired in a classic electric kettleCalcium carbonate is that whitish substance that remains at the bottom and around the appliance. This is because when water is heated, the minerals in the liquid are separated to increase its temperature.
Now, once the water has boiled and it is detected that calcium carbonate has formed, The liquid must be filtered or strained to remove microplastics, as if you were preparing tea or an infusion.
Following what the study says, Scientists have conducted several tests of this simple, homemade method, and in each of them a similar result was obtained: water with fewer microplastics.
The researchers even added additional plastic particles to those already present in different water sources (tap and bottled). Then, they photographed the boiling and filtration process at a microscopic level and confirmed that when this calcium carbonate “coast” formed, the amount of microplastics in the liquid was reduced.
Besides the benefit of eliminating microplastics, Boiling water also minimizes other health risks, such as “paralyzing” disease-causing organisms that may be present in it, such as viruses, bacteria and parasites.
Even boiling water can remove much of the chemicals and heavy metals present in it.
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
