In the study, scientists put the three plastic compounds into ‘hard water’ — a common type of U.S. freshwater that contains high levels of calcium carbonate and magnesium
When the plastic-containing water was boiled, these calcium carbonates formed tiny clumps around most of the microscopic plastics, trapping them within and rendering them harmless.
The report comes with significant caveats, however.
Scientists only looked at three of the most common — and in the case of polyethylene and polypropylenes, the safest — plastic polymers. They didn’t look at vinyl chloride, for example, a compound of serious concern last month’s study found in bottled water.
Boiling also didn’t manage to remove all of the polymers.
It isn’t really a solution, it just encases them in calcium. The plastic is still in there.
The effectiveness may also depend on the type of water and its mineral content.
It is no longer in solution, it precipitated out. This could very well be used to reduce microplastics in water.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081
Seems like boiling hard water followed by filtration would do the trick. Decanting after letting the water sit for a while, to allow precipitates to fall to the bottom, could work also.
If my water supply would be pre-boiled, I would be so happy!
Fun fact calcium carbonate dissolves quickly in acidic solutions, like say stomach acid.
You’re not supposed to drink the flocculated plastic particles. You still have to decant or filter the boiled water; this just makes it easier to remove the microplastics by increasing the particle size.
Seems like a lot of work compared to just using an ro filter, but I also live in an area where you shouldn’t drink the tap because of the crap they put in it.
Forbidden flavor crystals
True, i do like that this article is very clear this is not a fix all solution. What’s important is that we’ve learned a bit more to build our knowledge off next time
On the bright side, you can make a fun piece of chalk with jawbreaker-style color flecks that can be used to draw a forensic outline around your carcass after the DuPont sponsored social murder.
deleted by creator