Introduction
Yes, you can drink seawater if you filter it and boil it. However, it is not safe to drink seawater straight from the ocean because it contains high levels of salt and other minerals that can be harmful to your health.
If you are stranded on a boat or in an area where there is no fresh water available, you can distill ocean water to make it safe to drink. To distill ocean water, fill a pot or kettle with seawater and place it over a heat source. Boil the water for at least 20 minutes to sterilize it, then allow the water to cool before drinking.
Theoretical basis
Evaporation, desalination, and reverse osmosis are processes that remove dissolved minerals from water, making it drinkable. All three methods are expensive, so they’re typically used to treat water for human consumption in areas where fresh water is scarce or contaminated.
Boiling water is a cheap and easy way to make it safe to drink, but it doesn’t remove all the dissolved minerals in water. That’s why ocean water isn’t drinkable, even if you boil it.
Method
Boiling water is the most effective way to make it safe to drink. boiling water will kill bacteria and other pathogens, but it will not remove chemical pollutants.
To boil water, you need to heat it to a temperature of at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). This boiling point is the same at all altitudes, so you can use this method no matter how high you are.
Results
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, boiling water is the most effective way to make it safe for drinking. Boiling salt water will remove many of the dissolved minerals, including sodium chloride, making it more potable. However, boiling will not remove all of the dissolved chemicals, such as mercury and lead.
Discussion
While it is possible to drink ocean water if you boil it, it is not recommended. Ocean water is full of salt and other minerals that can be harmful to your health if consumed in large quantities. Additionally, boiling ocean water will not remove all of the salt from the water, so it will still be very salty even after boiling. If you are stranded and need to drink water, it is better to find a freshwater source if possible. If you must drink ocean water, only drink a small amount and boil it first.
Conclusion
So, the verdict is in – boiling ocean water will not make it safe to drink. In fact, it will actually concentrate the salt and other impurities, making it even more dangerous for you to consume. If you’re ever stranded on a desert island or lost at sea, your best bet for surviving is to distill the water yourself using one of the methods described above.