Brewing Tea May Purify Water by Removing Heavy Metals, Study Reveals
A comforting cup of tea might do more than soothe the soul—it could also help reduce the presence of harmful heavy metals in drinking water.
Scientists at Northwestern University have discovered that tea can effectively remove charged metal ions, such as lead, chromium, and cadmium, from water. The study suggests that the health benefits of tea may not only come from its flavor compounds but also from its ability to bind with and reduce metal contaminants.
During their experiments, researchers brewed black tea in water containing known concentrations of heavy metal ions. After just five minutes of steeping, the concentration of lead ions dropped by approximately 15%. Longer brewing times, higher temperatures, and ground tea leaves further enhanced the tea’s metal-removing potential.
The study, published in ACS Food Science & Technology, also compared different types of tea. Black, green, and white teas proved more effective at reducing lead ions than camomile, rooibos, and oolong teas. Additionally, the materials of tea bags mattered—cellulose bags showed some capacity to reduce metal ions, while cotton and nylon bags did not.
While the health implications of this metal reduction have not been fully explored, lead author Benjamin Shindel noted that even in countries with low lead levels in drinking water, such as the UK, tea might offer a small benefit by marginally lowering metal intake.
Experts caution, however, that drinking tea is not a substitute for proper water purification methods. Instead, the findings could inspire new approaches to developing accessible and sustainable solutions for water contamination—an essential need in many regions worldwide.
No Comment to " Brewing Tea May Purify Water by Removing Heavy Metals, Study Reveals "