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In modern times, the vast majority of families should choose bottled water to drink water.
However, it is this most common bottled water in our lives, and many official authoritative media have said that it may not be healthy, and even has great harm!
Is bottled water really safer?
A study by American experts has shown that bottled water contains a large amount of microplastics. Although these microplastics are invisible to the naked eye, they do exist and are potentially harmful to our health.
The term microplastics may sound unfamiliar, but in fact they are infiltrating our daily lives like invisible "roommates". Microplastics, as the name suggests, are those plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in diameter. How do these tiny particles sneak into the bottled water we drink every day? The answer is not complicated.
We need to understand the production process of bottled water. In the process of manufacturing plastic drums, plastic bottles may release tiny plastic debris like "dandruff". These debris are so fine that they are not visible to the naked eye, but they can easily get mixed with the water.
In addition, the cap of the bottled water bottle may rub off microplastics during the repeated opening and closing process. Suffice it to say, every time you unscrew the cap, you're opening the door to these particles, which happily jump into your water. These seemingly insignificant details ultimately lead to the phenomenon of microplastics entering the bottled water.
What are the dangers of microplastics?
So what are the dangers of these microplastics to our bodies? The long-term health effects of microplastics are not fully understood, but there are some studies that suggest that microplastics may be potentially harmful to humans.
These particles may enter our bodies through the food chain and trigger an inflammatory response. These particles are like little tricksters that break into your body, causing your digestive system to strike and possibly even cause systemic problems.
Chemical additives contained in microplastics, such as phthalates, are substances commonly found in plastic products that have endocrine disrupting effects that may affect the body's hormonal balance. These chemicals act like sneaky "spies" that, through long-term accumulation, adversely affect our immune system and even increase the risk of certain diseases.
According to the People's Daily, the harm of microplastics to the environment and human health is gradually emerging. Although research is still ongoing, what is certain is that reducing the intake of microplastics is beneficial to our health.
After learning the news, some netizens said that fortunately, our family has been drinking tap water! However, is tap water really safe?
Running water is also not safe?
The study found that microplastics were also present in tap water. These tiny plastic particles are also inevitably mixed with tap water. Whether it is rivers, lakes or groundwater, these main sources of tap water are not immune to the invasion of microplastics in today's increasingly serious environmental pollution. Even if you move deep into the mountains, you won't be able to escape these invisible polluters.
In the water treatment process, although some of the microplastics can be filtered out, there are always some extremely tiny particles that can pass through the layers of filtration systems and finally reach our faucets. Even modern water treatment technologies are difficult to completely remove these particles. It's like trying to pluck all the dust particles out of a patch of sand, and it's as difficult as you can imagine.
According to a report published by the World Health Organization, microplastics have been detected in 83% of tap water samples worldwide. This is a chilling statistic. These microplastics come from a variety of sources, including environmental pollution, aging of plastic pipes, and chemicals used in water treatment processes.
Microplastics seem to be everywhere from the source to the plumbing of homes.
Since both bottled water and tap water can contain microplastics, what can we do about it? Here are some tips to help you minimize your exposure to microplastics in your daily life
How can I reduce my intake of microplastics?
It is possible to install a high-efficiency household water filter, like the activated carbon filter that is common in our lives, which is an important step in reducing microplastics. These filters are effective at removing most microplastics from the water.
At the same time, it can also filter out other harmful substances such as heavy metals and organic pollutants. Reverse osmosis systems exclude tiny particles and impurities through semi-permeable membranes, while activated carbon filters use their strong adsorption capacity to capture particulates and chemical contaminants.
Try to avoid using plastic containers to store drinking water, as plastic containers may release tiny plastic particles during use. Choose water bottles and bottles made of glass or stainless steel, which are not only safer, but also reduce the release and ingestion of microplastics. Glass and stainless steel do not react chemically with water, and are not easy to age and decompose, so they are more secure to use.
Regular cleaning and maintenance of your home's faucets and pipes can reduce the amount of microplastics that are produced due to aging pipes. Pipes that are not cleaned for a long time can accumulate impurities and microorganisms that can enter the drinking water when washed by the flowing water. With regular cleaning, you can ensure that the inside of the water pipes remains clean, thereby reducing the risk of contamination from microplastics.
If you must buy bottled water, choose brands that have undergone rigorous testing and use high-quality packaging materials. These brands often have stricter quality control measures in place during the production process and are able to reduce the amount of microplastics. Before purchasing, you can check the relevant test reports and brand reputation to ensure that the bottled water you buy is of reliable quality.
Microplastics can also enter the body through other foods. For example, foods such as seafood, salt, and beer can contain microplastics. Try to choose organic foods and foods from responsibly sourced sources to reduce your intake of microplastics. Choose certified suppliers when buying seafood and natural rock salt or sea salt when buying salt to reduce possible contamination.
While the health effects of microplastics aren't fully understood, who wants to drink a "plastic specialty" every day?
Maybe one day, we can hold up a glass of crystal clear water and proclaim, "Goodbye, microplastics!" "But until then, we can take some of the steps above to make our drinking water safer and healthier. Let's work together to get microplastics out of our lives!
Information sources:
Who is healthier, those who boil water for a long time to drink or those who often buy bottled water to drink? The results were unexpected
The Paper: Which is healthier, boiling water for a long time or buying bottled water for drinking?
The surging: Each liter of bottled water contains 240,000 microplastics! There is also a minefield for drinking water?
The Paper: Which is better, tap water, purified water, mineral water or natural water? It's all at once!
Yangjiang Municipal Health Bureau: liter bottled water, 240,000 microplastics! This simple approach reduces harm
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