Eighteen private well users in North Carolina were recruited to test the performance of under-sink, activated carbon block water filters to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Monthly sampling was conducted for 8 months. Filters were certified for removal of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid under NSF International certification P473, but not for additional short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids or perfluoroalkyl ether acids (PFEAs) evaluated in this study. Out of 47 targeted analytes, 17 PFAS were detected in filter influent samples (influent ∑PFAS 4.7–131 ng/L). Mixed-effects Tobit regression models showed that the filters effectively removed 97%–99% of all influent PFAS, including short-chain PFEAs, for the entire manufacturer-recommended lifetime of the device. The prevalence of PFAS above the minimum reporting limits was reduced by 99.5%, and the prevalence of any PFAS above the method detection limits was reduced by 92%. The results provide increased confidence in NSF P473-certified filters for the removal of PFAS from private well water.
CITATION STYLE
Mulhern, R., Bynum, N., Liyanapatirana, C., DeStefano, N. J., Knappe, D. R. U., & MacDonald Gibson, J. (2021). Longitudinal assessment of point-of-use carbon filters for removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from private well water. AWWA Water Science, 3(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/aws2.1262
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