Brita Filters And PFAS Removal – With Laboratory Testing

Brita filters do not effectively remove PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), including PFOA, PFOS. Although all Brita filters contain activated carbon, which has been shown to reduce PFAS, Brita makes no claim their filters are PFAS safe, and none are certified to do so.

If you’re like me, you are probably NOT comfortable with the idea that 110 million homes in the U.S. could have their drinking water contaminated with PFAS (also called ‘forever chemicals’). Although Brita is a household name when it comes to water filtration and TONS of people use them, they are not that great at removing PFAS. By the end of this article, you may be surprised how little is known about Brita filters and how ineffective they actually are at removing different PFAS chemicals.

In this post I’ll explain what PFAS laboratory testing has actually been carried out on Brita filters. I’ll also cover what PFASs are, why Brita filters are not able remove them, the testing and certifications required by brands to claim they are PFAS safe, and I’ll also provide some helpful links to some brands of water filters that are. There’s also some information on a Brita replacement filter that removes up to 11 different PFAS that fit right in your regular Brita pitcher or dispenser.

What is PFAS?

There are over 9,000 different PFAS. Each has a different chemical structure which makes them respond differently to the various water purification methods.

PFAS are per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances that have a carbon chain that is fully or partially fluorinated (i.e., there are lots of fluoride attached to the carbon-based structure). When fluoride is bonded with carbon it forms the ‘strongest bond’ possible (as organic chemistry goes). This means they do not easily biodegrade (if at all), which is why PFASs are used in the production of fluoropolymer coatings and goods that are resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease, and water.

Because PFAS are effective repellents, organizations began using them in a variety of items as early as 1940. These things include non-stick goods, polishes, waxes, paints, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams.

Currently there are 11 PFAS compounds that are under review for regulation by federal and state agencies, including:

1. Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
2. Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
3. Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA)
4. Perfluorohexane Sulfonate (PFHxS)
5. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
6. Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA)
7. Perfluoroheptanoic Acid (PFHpA)
8. Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)
9. Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS)
10. Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA)
11. Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (HFPO-DA or GenX)

You’ve probably heard of PFOA and PFOS as they are some of the more well researched PFAS substances.

GenX also gets talked about a lot. It was originally designed as a promising biodegradable substitute to replace PFOA, but it ended up being worse!

Do Brita Filters Remove PFAS?

Brita make many different types of water filters that are sold all across the world. Although Brita filters do not remove PFAS – nor does Brita claim to – all of their filters do have some form of carbon, which is known to be quite good at removing PFAS.

The carbon in all Brita filters is what’s called activated carbon:

• Standard – Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
• Elite^TM (previously called Longlast) – Proprietary active filtering agents (mainly activated carbon)
• Stream – Proprietary dual-layer carbon form
• Bottle – Carbon block form
• Faucet – Tightly bound carbon block
• MAXTRA+ – Activated micro carbon pearls (typically sold internationally but can still be bought on Amazon)
• MicroDisc – Activated carbon (typically sold internationally but can still be bought on Amazon)

• Almost all aftermarket replacement filters for Brita, like these by Waterdrop, also contain activated carbon.

Manufacturing activated carbon typically involves exposing carbon to very high temperatures and usually some form of pure gas, such as argon or nitrogen. The micoporous structure created through carbon activation contains numerous “active” sites, where contaminants in water (or air) can undergo a physical or chemical process known as adsorption.

Activated carbon filters of all types – not just Brita – are used in water filters to adsorb natural organic compounds, taste and odor compounds, synthetic organic pollutants and to also remove PFAS (including PFOA and PFOS).

So, although Brita is not certified to remove PFAS, such as PFOA, PFOS or GenX, it is highly likely SOME would be adsorbed by the activated carbon.

(Note: this could also be said for ANY water filter that contains activated carbon).

But by how much?

Well, there is certainly no published data from Brita.

However, I found these two sources that were quite informative:

1. Scientific Publication

A recent study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters (Ref 1: Herkert et al., 2020), looked at the effectiveness of residential drinking water filters at removing PFAS from tap (or well) water in over 70 homes in north Carolina. While this 2020 study compared many different filter types, such as under-sink filters, refrigerator filters, and RO systems, there were 5 Brita filter pitchers that were also assessed.

Basically, the effectiveness of Brita filters at removing PFAS was quite POOR. Results also varied greatly depending on the type of PFAS being targeted, with long-chain PFAS generally being removed more effectively than short-chain PFAS.

There was even one case in central North Carolina where increased PFAS levels were found in Brita filtered water compared to the source water – YES, this is actually possible!

Taking the average results of the 5 Brita pitcher filters tested:

• Brita reduced PFOA & PFOS by approximately 45%.
• Less than 33% of GenX was reduced by Brita filters.
• Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) was reduced by 78.3% (on average), which was the highest removal rate compared to all other PFAS substances tested.
• Brita reduced less than 20% of the PFAS substances, PFBA PFPA, PFHxA and PFHpA, compared to the source water.

2. Independent Laboratory Testing

To get a different perspective, I contacted Frank Cassou, the CEO of Cyclopure, who are the creators of some cutting-edge water filter systems that effectively remove PFAS. They have also done their own research on Brita’s PFAS removing capabilities.

The reason Cyclopre tested Brita for PFAS removal was because:

1. They have their own replacement filter for Brita (the Purefast^TM), which CAN remove PFAS whereas Brita basically CANNOT – so it’s beneficial for Cyclopure to demonstrate this as a point of difference.
2. Cyclopure have their own testing laboratory that are of the same standards as NSF and have been validated to EPA’s Demonstration of Capability Quality Control Requirements.

Testing by Cyclopure involved a PFAS (PFOA & PFOS) influent concentration of 1,500 parts per trillion (ppt) and the Standard Brita filter was assessed over a test cycle of 80 Gallons.

So, drum roll…

How much PFAS (PFOA & PFOS) did the Standard Brita filter actually remove based on Cyclopure’s independent laboratory testing?

Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to make this data publicly available.

Let’s just say that the Standard Brita filter reduced PFOA & PFOS by a similarly low percentage observed in the Herkert et al., 2020 study I mentioned above. They also clearly showed that Brita could NOT reduce PFOA & PFOS to below 70 ppt, which is the U.S. health advisory level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

So, What Options Do You Have?

PFAS removal by any brand of water filter is not determined solely on what it’s made of (i.e. just because it contains activated carbon does not mean it can effectively remove PFAS). Removal of PFAS can vary depending on, but are not limited to, many factors such as:

• The water filtration rates
• Form and structure of carbon used in the filter
• Whether the filter has ion exchange media
• The type and structure of the PFAS.

As you have probably gathered by now, if you want to remove PFAS from water it would be much safer to go with something OTHER THAN BRITA.

Why Brita Cannot Remove PFAS – Certifications and Testing

Brita filters are certified to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53 and 401, which are the leading industry standards for home point-of-use (POU) water filtration. These certifications cover Brita for:

• Aesthetic effects (NSF 42) – substances such as chlorine, taste and odor, chloramine, particulate, iron, manganese, zinc and total dissolved solids (TDS)

• Health effects (NSF 53) – This standard offers over 50 contaminant reduction claims. Some of the most popular include lead, cryptosporidium, VOCs and chromium.

• Emerging compounds/incidental contaminants (NSF 401) – There are up to 15 specific contaminant reduction claims offered under this standard. Water filter brands will often include the categories for prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbicides, pesticides and chemical compounds.

For a water filter to be deemed as PFAS safe, it may be certified to NSF/ANSI certification protocol standard P473. This certification confirms the filter has been tested to at least remove PFOA and PFOS from drinking water – two of the most common and well-studied PFAS.

Brita filters are NOT certified to NSF/ANSI P473 standards.

Since 2019, NSF/ANSI 53 and NSF/ANSI 58 (for reverse osmosis systems) have also included the criteria for independent testing and certification of devices that claim to reduce PFOA and PFOS concentrations in water to below the 70 ppt. However, this does not mean that all products with NSF 53 or 58 certification automatically reduce PFOA or PFOS. It may only be applied to nonregenerable drinking water devices that use some form of ion exchange media.

While Brita filters are certified to NSF/ANSI 53 standards, they make no reduction claim for PFOA or PFOS and cannot be considered PFAS safe.

Although NSF certification is not mandatory, it is held in high regard and gives assurance to the customer that a water filter will remove what the brand claims it will. Alternatively, brands can choose to have their water filters independently tested for PFAS removal (or do it themselves if they have both the instrumentation and expertise to perform such tests).

However, performance data should be provided willingly to support any claims. Personally, I have found that if performance data is not made readily available to the customer, then any claims of contaminant removal should be viewed with caution.

Brita have NOT undertaken any form of independent testing for the reduction of PFAS including PFOA, PFOS or GenX.

How Do Water Filters Remove PFAS – such as PFOA, PFOS or GenX?

PFOA & PFOS Removal

To remove PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, from water, a water filter should ideally include a dual filtration system that combines membrane nanofiltration with activated carbon and sophisticated ion exchange technology.

• Granular activated carbon (GAC) can remove up to 100% of the PFAS in water, depending on the filtration rate and thickness of the filter.

• Nanofiltration is effective at removing 99% of PFAS by using membrane technology that removes very small molecules from water (including PFAS).

• Ion exchange, and anion exchange resins in particular, can also remove PFAS from water. However, the effectiveness of ion exchange depends a great deal on the type of the PFAS, and is able to remove between 20% and 90% of PFAS depending on whether they have a short (e.g., PFBS or GenX) or long chain (e.g., PFOA or PFOS) structure.

Water filters with a combination of these three filtration methods are VERY effective at removing the PFAS from your drinking water.

• DEXSORB^(R) is a corn-based PFAS adsorbent developed by Cyclopure that also reduces PFASs. DEXSORB^(R) was shown to reduce at least 11 different PFAS substances to Non-Detect levels. They even have one that fits Brita pitchers and dispensers, but we’ll discuss these later…

GenX Removal

GenX is difficult to detect and can remain in water for a long time. The genetic structure of this chemical makes it incredibly resistant to most water treatment processes.

GenX was created to replace PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid).

GenX was supposed to be less stable than PFOA and therefore less likely to persist in the environment and in animal bodies (like us). Unfortunately, GenX was found to be worse than PFOA – a notoriously regrettable substitute.

It’s important to understand that while GenX is a type of PFAS, water filters that claim to remove PFAS are only effective at removing some types – not all types. Every single PFAS has a different chemical structure, which makes them respond differently to the various water purification methods.

For example:

• Granular activated carbon is particularly effective at removing the long chain PFAS compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) but is mostly ineffective against short chain PFAS compounds like GenX.
• Research into both powdered and granular activated carbon (PAC and GAC) demonstrated it can only remove ~30% of GenX in water. These are the primary forms of activated carbon used in all Brita filters.

• Anion exchange resins were recently found to remove 99% of GenX and other perfluorinated ether acids from recycled and drinking waters. Therefore, anion-exchange resins appear far more successful in eliminating GenX than activated carbon.

• Reverse osmosis systems can also effectively remove both long and short chain PFAS. We have known for quite some time that reverse osmosis could remove other PFAS, but studies have now shown that it is equally effective at removing GenX (>99%).
• Reverse osmosis is able to remove >99% of all PFAS (long and short chain) from water.

• DEXSORB^(R) effectively removes both long and short chain PFAS. This PFAS absorbent reduces GenX, a short chain PFAS, to Non-Detect levels during an 80 Gallon test cycle of a Brita replacement filter engineered using DEXSORB^(R).

We have only just begun to analyze and treat water with GenX contamination, and the EPA and researchers are still determining the best way to remove it from water, but for now we know the following:

• Anion exchange resins remove >99% of GenX
• Reverse osmosis systems remove >99% of GenX
• Activated carbon can remove ~30% of GenX
• DEXSORB(R) adsorbent removes GenX to non-detect levels (~>99%)

Replacement Filter for Brita that Removes PFAS

There are many aftermarket replacement filters that will fit Brita products. The only one that can remove PFAS is made by Cyclopure.

The Purefast^TM pitcher filter by Cyclopure is NSF 53 certified to reduce PFOA and PFOS. This means that during testing PFOA and PFOS were reduced to below 70 ppt, which is the U.S. health advisory level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

To show off a little, the Purefast^TM filter actually reduced PFOA and PFOS to Non-Detect levels – Which is Excellent!

Cyclopure conducts internal laboratory testing to the same standards as NSF, which have been validated to EPA’s Demonstration of Capability Quality Control Requirements.

In house testing by Cyclopure shows that the PureFast^TM filter also reduced at least 9 additional PFAS, including PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, PFHpA, PFPeA, PFBS, PFBA, and GenX (HFPO-DA) to Non-Detect levels – Not Bad At All!

The reason why these filters are so successful at removing PFAS is because they use a novel adsorbent called DEXSORB^(R). This corn-based adsorbent was specifically designed to be selective to PFAS chemical structures and is also being successfully used in commercial applications and for environmental monitoring.

The PureFast^TM filter will work with most Brita gravity fed pitchers and dispensers.

Currently, you can only get these filters direct on the Cyclopure website here.

Does Brita remove PFOA?

Brita filters do not remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a long-chain (8-carbon) PFAS with a carboxyl (-COOH) terminal group, from water. There are no Brita filters currently suitable for PFOA contaminated water.

Does Brita remove PFOS

Brita filters do not remove perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a long-chain (8-carbon) PFAS with a Sulfonic acid (-SO₃H) functional group. Currently there are no Brita filters that have been tested for use with PFOS contaminated water.

Does Brita remove GenX?

Brita doesn’t claim or design its filters to remove GenX, a short-chain (6-carbon) PFAS with an oxygen ether linkage and carboxyl functional group. Currently, there are no Brita filters suitable for use with GenX contaminated water.

Is Brita PFAS safe?

Brita filters do not effectively remove any PFAS substances, also known as forever chemicals. Brita do not claim that any of their filters are PFAS safe.

Reference:

1. Herkert, N.J., Merrill, J., Peters, C., Bollinger, D., Zhang, S., Hoffman, K., Ferguson, P.L., Knappe, D.R. and Stapleton, H.M., 2020. Assessing the effectiveness of point-of-use residential drinking water filters for perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 7(3), pp.178-184.