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I found this in my facebook feed. It looks like a good way to kill all the critters that are found in wild water. http://knowledgeweighsnothing.com/a-bet ... ic-bottle/

I've heard you can even boil water in a heavy plastic bag if you are very vigilant - never tried it myself.

I have tried the suspended method many times with some success. The easiest way is to heat up stones and add them to the bottle bringing the water to a boil. It also doesn't require any cordage.

I remember boiling water in a paper bag when I was in middle school. The reason you're able to boil water in a plastic bottle/plastic bag/paper bag is because the container conveys the heat from the flame to the water and the container stays at 212°F/100°C (the boiling point of water) which is less than the 451°F ignition point of paper and the melting and ignition points of plastic. That's why (in the video) he stresses that there shouldn't be any air in the bottle--an air pocket would allow the temperature of the paper/plastic to increase beyond the melting/ignition points of either paper or plastic.

Boiled water in a paper cup in the fire too...