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 perfluorosulfonic acid. Perfluorosulfonic acid is one of the common water pollutants, and long-term intake can cause adverse health effects. Therefore, it is crucial to know how to filter pfas from tap 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.
Common methods for removing PFAS from drinking water
Activated carbon adsorption: Activated carbon is a highly porous substance with strong adsorption capacity. Filtering drinking water through an activated carbon filter can effectively absorb fluoride ions in the water, thereby reducing the fluorine content. This is an easy, economical, and common way to remove fluorine.
Reverse Osmosis: Reverse osmosis is a method of filtering impurities from water through a semipermeable membrane. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems can remove a variety of contaminants from water, including fluoride. This method uses pressure to push water through a semipermeable membrane, while smaller solutes are trapped on the membrane, thereby removing fluorine. Reverse osmosis systems work very well.
Ion exchange: Ion exchange is a method of removing impurities from water through a resin. Ion exchange resin can selectively adsorb fluoride ions in water and release other cations. This method is commonly used in industrial water treatment.
Zeolite filter material: Zeolite is a natural mineral with strong adsorption capacity. Passing drinking water through zeolite filter material can effectively remove fluorine from the water.
Pollution status and detection methods
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.
How to choose the right filter
Consider the following when choosing the right filter:
1. Choose a water filtration system with reverse osmosis function, because reverse osmosis technology can effectively remove perfluorosulfonic acid and other harmful substances in tap water.
2. Consider the household's daily water consumption and choose a water filtration system of suitable size and processing capacity to ensure that it can meet the daily drinking water needs of the household.
3. Find a certified filter brand to ensure that product quality and filtration effect meet relevant standards.
4. Understand filter maintenance and filter element replacement cycles, and choose a water filtration system that is easy to use and has reasonable maintenance costs.
Choosing a suitable water filtration system requires comprehensive consideration of perfluorosulfonic acid removal efficiency, household water consumption, and product quality to ensure the safety and health of your family's drinking water.
common problem
Will my water filter remove PFAS?
First of all, the ITEHIL portable water filtration system can completely remove perfluorosulfonic acid because it uses PP cotton + activated carbon + reverse osmosis membrane, and it also has TDS tested and certified.
What is a reverse osmosis water filtration system?
A reverse osmosis water filtration system is an efficient water treatment technology that filters and purifies water through a semi-permeable membrane. In this system, water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, and the tiny pores in the membrane can filter out most bacteria, viruses, metal ions, organic matter, and other impurities in the water, resulting in clean, safe drinking water.
