Boiling Hard Tap Water Removes up to 90 Percent of Microplastics: Study

The calcium carbonate in hard water encapsulates nanoplastics as it becomes the flaky crust you sometimes see at the bottom of your tea kettle.

Jenn Segal

Boiling tap water is good for more than just killing certain harmful pathogens. It can also destroy contaminants such as microplastics and chemicals, making drinking water safer to drink.

A new research letter published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters indicates that boiling tap water for just five minutes could reduce the amount of microplastics by up to 90 percent. Researchers from Guangzhou Medical University and the Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies in China recommend boiling water in nonplastic electric kettles on gas stoves to remove impurities such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene.