How to remove micro plastics from drinking water

 Easy way to remove micro plastics from drinking water   

Tiny fragments of plastic are making their way deep inside our bodies in concerning quantities, particularly through our food and drink. A team tested two types of tap water, hard tap water and soft water. Aside from a discussion of industrial contaminants, the difference between the two is that so-called hard tap water is richer in minerals, particularly calcium carbonate, or limescale. Scientists in China found a simple and effective means of removing them from water. The team ran tests on both soft water and hard tap water (which is richer in minerals). They added in nanoplastics and microplastics before boiling the liquid and then filtering out any precipitates. "Tap water nano/microplastics (NMPs) escaping from centralized water treatment systems are of increasing global concern, because they pose potential health risks to humans via water consumption," the researchers says. In some cases, up to 90 percent of the NMPs were removed by the boiling and filtering process, though the effectiveness varied based on the type of water.

It’s reminiscent of the revolution in sanitation that occurred after tea drinking was introduced into Western Europe. For the first time ever, societies were regularly consuming boiled water which had the added effect of purifying it of pathogens first. Anyone who uses an electric kettle or coffee maker knows that the limescale builds up and needs to be addressed every few months. When the scientists boiled the hard tap water, the pushing out of the calcium carbonate from the water solution effectively trapped a variety of plastic particles ranging from 5 micrometers to 10 micrometers in length. 90% of these components were trapped in the limescale layer. Of course the huge benefit is that most people can do it with what they already have in their kitchen. "This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption," says biomedical engineer Zimin Yu from Guangzhou Medical University and colleagues.

This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ [nano and micro plastics] from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption. Even in soft water, where less calcium carbonate is dissolved, roughly a quarter of the plastic was snagged from the water. A greater concentration of NMPs was removed from samples of hard tap water, which naturally forms a buildup of limescale (or calcium carbonate) as it is heated. Commonly seen inside kitchen kettles, the chalky substance forms on the plastic's surface as changes in temperature force the calcium carbonate out of solution, effectively trapping the plastic fragments in a crust. "Our results showed that nano-plastic precipitation efficiency increased with increasing water hardness upon boiling," the team says. "For example, from 34 percent at 80 mg L−1 to 84 percent and 90 percent at 180 and 300 mg L−1 of calcium carbonate, respectively." Even in soft water, where less calcium carbonate is dissolved, roughly a quarter of the NMPs were snagged from the water. Any bits of lime-encrusted plastic could then be removed through a simple filter like the stainless steel mesh used to strain tea, the researchers say.

It was reported that the world may be overestimating the amount of plastic entering the ocean by 3,000%. It also turns out that maybe there’s not such a danger of plastics in the water supply either, since a group of scientists found that simply boiling it first can remove between a quarter and 90% of all the micro plastics therein. Past studies have measured fragments of polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate in potable tap water, which we're consuming daily in varying quantities. This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water. To put the strategy to the ultimate test, the researchers added even more nano-plastic particles, which were effectively reduced in number. "Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs," says Yu and team. "Drinking boiled water, however, is often regarded as a local tradition and prevails only in a few regions." Some brands use reverse osmosis or other methods to dissolve the minerals found in tap water. It’s either sold as soft water or ‘mineral water’ after re-adding minerals to it. “Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples,” says the researchers.

The scientists hope it might become a more widespread practice as plastics continue to take over the world. Tiny pieces of plastic are an increasingly big problem. Micro plastics originate from clothing, kitchen utensils, personal care products and countless other everyday objects. Their durability makes them persistent in the environment, including in human bodies. Not only are many people on Earth already contaminated by micro plastics, but we're also still being exposed every day, as there is minimal regulation of these insidious specks. Wastewater treatment plants actually do remove a lot of these small particles, the new review indicates, but not enough. While it's still not certain exactly how damaging this plastic is to our bodies, it's clearly not the healthiest of snacks. Plastics have already been linked to changes in the gut microbiome and the body's antibiotic resistance. It’s believed that there is around 7 credit cards worth of plastic circulating in your body. The broad, long-term effects of this contamination are unknown, but they’ve been found in every organ in mice studies, including brain and even the placenta. According to a literature review from The University of Texas at Arlington, a significant portion of our micro plastic exposure may come from drinking water, as wastewater treatment plants are still not effectively removing micro plastics. Roughly 9 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced globally since plastic production began, much of which has progressively degraded into ever-smaller fragments without truly breaking down, forming a fine plastic dust which now pervades the planet.

The team behind this study wants to see more research into how boiled water could keep artificial materials out of our bodies, and perhaps counter some of the alarming effects of micro plastics which are emerging now. "Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples," Yu and colleagues conclude.  If you don’t feel like waiting for the government to gather evidence to put restrictions on micro plastics in water, this study offers a key insight. Stick a water filter on your kitchen tap that is graded for 99.99% purity, and if you boil the water that comes out of that, removing 90% of whatever remains, you’re probably quite safe.

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Chinese 6G smart surface and stealth jets

Stealth jets to turn radar into a power source​ with 6G smart surface introduced by China

Chinese scientists have developed a smart surface which could transform electromagnetic waves into usable electricity. The innovation, born from the fusion of communications technology and advanced electromagnetic engineering, could be used to develop intelligent stealth systems and next-generation 6G wireless communication, according to the team from Xidian University. The development could given China an edge in the development of 6G technology. This included investigating “electromagnetic cooperative stealth”, where multiple entities work together to reduce their visibility to radar and electromagnetic sensors. The surface eliminates the need for traditional batteries by harvesting power directly from radar or environmental signals. The technology makes 'electromagnetic cooperative stealth' possible. Basically, It's a smart electromagnetic surface capable of converting ambient electromagnetic waves into electrical power. This development represents an integration of electromagnetic engineering and communication principles.

“In the case studies, by jointly optimizing parameters such as transceiver beamforming, robot trajectories, and RIS coefficients, solutions based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning and multi-objective optimization are proposed to solve problems such as beamforming design, path planning, target sensing and data aggregation,” said the researchers. The self-sustaining electronic system integrates wireless information transfer and energy harvesting and has the potential to upend the dynamics of electronic warfare. Instead of evading enemy surveillance, future stealth aircraft could instead use radar beams as a source of power and communication. The technology may also give China an advantage in the development of next-generation 6G technology, including communication satellites. The innovation focuses on a self-sustaining electronic system which combines wireless information transfer with energy harvesting, potentially altering the current methods used in electronic warfare and wireless networking. “Ultimately, it is expected to have a broad impact on 6G communications, the Internet of Things, intelligent stealth and other related fields,” added the researchers.

For 6G, however, the researchers say RIS need to do more than just reflect signals. They must also support sensing and radar functions on the same platform to cut costs and make better use of limited resources. Their proposed solution is an “all-in-one” radiation and scattering surface which can control both emitted and reflected electromagnetic waves. “This achieves significant savings in physical space and cost while ensuring multi-functionality across diverse application scenarios,” the team said. The system can also operate in a receiver mode, harvesting wireless energy to power itself or charge other devices. The technology utilizes a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), which is a two-dimensional reflecting material designed to manipulate electromagnetic waves in real-time. By drawing power from radar or other environmental signals, the surface operates without the need for traditional batteries. “A reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided IoRT (Internet of Robotic Things) network is proposed to enhance the overall performance of robotic communication, sensing, computation and energy harvesting,” as the research paper says. In practical applications involving stealth aircraft, this allows for the harvesting of enemy radar beams to power onboard propulsion or communication systems, reported SCMP. This capability supports a concept known as electromagnetic cooperative stealth, where multiple networked platforms work in coordination to reduce their overall radar cross-section and visibility to sensors. Beyond military use, the surface is designed to support 6G telecommunications through integrated sensing and powering for satellites or base stations.

The technology could help power future communications systems and shift the dynamics of electronic warfare. In theory, stealth aircraft could absorb radar energy, use it to operate onboard systems and even communicate, rather than merely trying to evade detection. It's a technology that could change how stealth aircraft and wireless networks interact with radar. By turning electromagnetic signals into a source of power and communication, the system points to a future where radar is used rather than avoided, with potential implications for both military stealth and next-generation 6G connectivity. The research, led by a team at Xidian University, combines advances in communications technology with electromagnetic engineering. Instead of focusing only on hiding from enemy sensors, the team is exploring what it calls “electromagnetic cooperative stealth”, where platforms work together to manage how they interact with radar and other detection systems. The hardware platform integrates data transmission and radar-like functionality to optimize the use of spectrum and hardware resources. Current prototypes demonstrate the ability to perform beam steering up to ±45° with low side lobes, which improves signal coverage in scenarios where a direct line-of-sight is obstructed by physical barriers.

At the heart of the work is a self-sustaining electronic system which brings communication, sensing and energy harvesting together in a single hardware platform. This means electromagnetic waves used for detection or communication could also serve as a source of power. In theory, stealth aircraft could absorb radar energy, use it to operate onboard systems and even communicate, rather than merely trying to evade detection. This integrated approach could reduce the risk of eavesdropping and interference while expanding what advanced military and civilian systems can do. “Ultimately, it is expected to have a broad impact on 6G communications, the Internet of Things, intelligent stealth and other related fields,” the team said. The researchers describe this RIS architecture as a low-cost and highly programmable solution for future wireless networks. By jointly manipulating scattered electromagnetic waves and actively radiated signals, the system reduces the physical space and hardware costs typically required for such multi-functionality. The surface can be configured to create intentional radio dead zones, a feature which helps mitigate signal interference and reduces the risk of electronic eavesdropping. The team suggests that this architecture will eventually enable environment-adaptive integrated sensing systems, micro base stations and self-powered relay systems. 

Many scientists believe the biggest leap in next-generation wireless communication will come not just from faster chips or antennas, but from rethinking how signals travel through the environment. A major focus of 6G research is reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, or RIS. These are flat surfaces made up of many small, controllable elements which can reflect and shape wireless signals to improve coverage, security and signal quality. According to the report, supporters of the technology say 6G could blur the line between the physical and digital worlds, enabling applications such as holograms, digital twins and large-scale Internet of Things networks. The US and China are also racing to build space-based data centres which could support AI and future wireless connectivity, including 6G systems. As next-generation wireless communications increasingly focus on the transmission channel, the ability to include sensing, communication and power harvesting into a single hardware platform is expected to impact fields ranging from the Internet of Things to intelligent stealth. Previous research has suggested RIS could be used for anti-jamming systems, drone communication and radio surveillance, areas where older tools struggle. Other studies have pointed to their role in improving air-to-ground security for connected devices, creating deliberate dead zones to prevent eavesdropping, and even helping satellite-to-ground communication by redirecting signals around obstacles. The Xidian University team reportedly argues that RIS are attractive because they are relatively low-cost, programmable and easy to deploy.

“As the technology continues to mature, it is envisioned that RISs may play a pivotal role in enabling more sophisticated, efficient, and reliable robotic operations, opening a new era of advancements in intelligent and connected systems,” concluded the paper. According to the researchers, the design could work in both direct line-of-sight communication and in environments where buildings or other obstacles block signals. Looking ahead, they say the architecture could support adaptive communication systems, compact base stations, relay networks and self-powered sensing platforms. If successful, the technology could strengthen China’s position in the global race for 6G, while also reshaping how future stealth and communication systems interact with the electromagnetic world for everyone.

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