Drinking water is an indispensable resource in our daily lives, but sometimes water may contain some substances that are harmful to our health, such as PFSA. Perfluorosulfonic acid is one of the common water pollutants, and long-term intake can have adverse effects on health. In this article, you will learn about the harm of PFAS to the human body and how to filter PFAS in water.
What is perfluoro sulfonic acid and its sources?
Perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) belongs to the perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) family. The simplest example of perfluorosulfonic acid is trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Perfluorosulfonic acids with six or more perfluorinated carbon atoms, i.e. starting with PFHexane sulfonic acid, are called long chains.
Perfluorosulfonic acid is a perfluorocarbon compound, the most common of which are perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOA). They are widely used in industrial production and can be found in waterproofing materials, food packaging, fire extinguishing agents, and other products. Due to its stability and bioaccumulation, PFAS is difficult to degrade in the environment and accumulates in human and animal tissues for a long time, causing harm to health and ecosystems. Therefore, perfluorosulfonic acid is classified as a persistent organic pollutant and has received widespread attention.
What does PFAS do to your body?
Due to the persistence and accumulation of PFAS in the human body, it can cause serious impacts on human health. Here are some of the main health hazards:
- Endocrine disruption
- Immune system effects
- Cancer risk
- Liver damage
- Reproductive and developmental problems
- Metabolic diseases
- Cardiovascular disease
How common are PFAS in drinking water?
According to a study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS is widely found in tap water across the country, especially near cities, airports, industries, and wastewater treatment facilities.
According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, at least 45% of tap water in the United States contains toxic chemicals called PFAS. In simple terms, half of the people in the United States may drink drinking water containing PFAS every day. Researchers also said that the levels of PFAS in public water supplies and private wells are similar. About 40 million people in the United States rely on private wells for drinking water. However private wells in the United States are not regulated. So if you get your drinking water from a well, you need to test your well water regularly.
Should I test my water for PFAS?
Whether you need to test your water quality depends on where you live, the water source, and the environment. According to data, the concentration of PFAS pollution is higher on the East Coast of the United States. If you live in these areas, you need to test the water quality regularly to ensure that the water is safe to drink.
Since well water or other private water sources in the United States are not regulated, you are responsible for further testing the well water regularly. If your drinking water is tap water, you need to know whether the local water department regularly tests for PFAS.
If you live or the drinking water you get is close to airports, industrial areas, etc., these areas are serious areas of PFAS pollution. Therefore, it is also necessary to test the water quality regularly.
How to test for PFAS in water?
Perfluorosulfonic acid is mainly derived from industrial production and used in civilian products. It enters water bodies through industrial wastewater discharge and pollutant release and eventually enters tap water. Due to the bioaccumulation and health hazards of perfluorosulfonic acid, relevant departments, and scientific research, institutions have been paying attention to the contamination of this substance in tap water.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS): It is a highly sensitive and highly selective analysis method. First, solid-phase extraction technology can be used to extract perfluorooctanoic acid in water samples into a solid-phase extraction column, and then analyzed with a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument, and quantified by measuring the characteristic ions of perfluorooctanoic acid.
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): This method uses pure water or other suitable solvents to extract PFOA in water samples, and then uses high-performance liquid chromatography for separation and quantification. The separation can be performed using common column materials such as C18 and quantified by detecting the absorbance of PFOA at specific wavelengths.
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS): This method requires first using an organic solvent to extract perfluorooctanoic acid in the water sample, then separating it through gas chromatography, and then conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis through a mass spectrometer.
Can you filter out pfas from water?
You can filter PFAS out of your water. But you need to use the following four tap water filtration methods to effectively remove PFAS from your tap water.
Activated carbon filtration
Activated carbon is a porous material with strong adsorption capacity. It can filter PFAS molecules in tap water through its adsorption. At the same time, activated carbon filters can also filter chlorine, odor, organic compounds, and other substances in tap water.
Related: What does a carbon filter remove from water
Activated carbon is more effective in filtering long-chain PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS; while filtering short-chain PFAS is far less effective than long-chain. Activated carbon filters are relatively cheap and very suitable for families. However, activated carbon filters need to be replaced regularly to ensure the best filtering effect.
Reverse Osmosis Filtration
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is an advanced filtration technology and one of the most popular tap water filtration methods. It mainly removes most contaminants in tap water by filtering under high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. Water molecules can pass through the membrane, while most contaminants (including PFAS) are trapped on the other side of the membrane.
Related: Reverse osmosis water filter how it works
Reverse osmosis is considered to be the most effective and ideal choice for removing PFAS. It can effectively filter a variety of PFAS compounds in water, including long-chain and short-chain. Currently on the market, the ITEHIL ro system water purifier is highly selected by users for its efficient filtration technology and portable design.
Although reverse osmosis can efficiently filter most contaminants in tap water, it mainly depends on the performance of the RO membrane. Therefore, you need to regularly maintain and clean your RO membrane to ensure your RO system operates efficiently.
Ion exchange resin
Ion exchange resin mainly filters charged pollutants, such as PFAS, from tap water through chemical reactions. This type of resin is generally used in large tap water treatment systems, and some are used for household filtration.
Nanofiltration
Nanofiltration is a membrane filtration technology between ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. It can filter most organic molecules and soluble salts in tap water, such as PFAS. Its filtering effect on PFAS is close to reverse osmosis. It is mainly used in industrial and municipal tap water treatment and is less used in households.
Zeolite filter media
Zeolite is a natural mineral with strong adsorption capacity. After drinking water passes through zeolite filter media, PFAS in tap water can be effectively removed.
FAQ
Can boiling water remove PFAS?
Because PFAS molecules are highly resistant to heat and have a much higher boiling point than water, they do not break down even at high temperatures. Therefore, during boiling, the water evaporates while the PFAS molecules remain in the water.
What are the best filters for PFAS?
The best filters for PFAS are activated carbon water filters and reverse osmosis water filters. They are both effective in filtering PFAS from water.
Does bottled water have PFAS?
Whether bottled water contains PFAS depends on many factors. If the bottled water comes from groundwater, spring water, or municipal water supply, it can contain PFAS. However, if the bottled water is processed through reverse osmosis or activated carbon, the PFAS content will be reduced.
Can PFAS be distilled out of water?
No. PFAS are persistent chemicals, and distillation, a common water purification method, has limited effectiveness in removing PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances).
How to avoid forever chemicals in water?
You need a certified filtration system. Check your local water supply’s water quality report regularly to see if it’s contaminated with PFAS.
